Creed III

 

Freshman director Michael B. Jordan displays in Creed III a cinematic eye much like that of his friend and mentor Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station,  Black Panther and Creed) -- deftly mixing intense, propulsive action with stirring montages; gritty, brutalizing pugilism and resonant moments of tenderness.

Creed III is the latest chapter in the tale of the rise of boxing champion Adonis Johnson Creed, son of Rocky's nemesis-turned-friend Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers). Adonis is managed in earlier installments by Rocky himself (Sylvester Stallone) and trained by Duke (Wood Harris), the son of Rocky's former trainer. All told, this boxing saga stretches back nearly 50 years.

Jordan's debut is impressive, clearly the work of one who has studied the craft and reflected on what the stories mean -- ulitmately. At its core, Creed III is not just about estranged childhood friends Jordan's Creed and a masterful Jonathan Majors as recently paroled Damian Anderson, who meet in the ring to settle old scores. It asks the question "why are there scores to settle in the first place?"

But don't mistake; Creed III is not a meditation on pacifism taped up and dressed in nylon shorts. It's about that nearly universal struggle in all of us when we try to decide whether we should flee or fight. We always want it to be our choice because then we can fully and rightfully own the outcome.