Creed III

Michael B. Jordan enters the ring as a director in this assured debut

Michael B. Jordan comes out swinging in his directorial debut.

Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is thriving in retirement. He’s training champions at his gym, posing for Calvin Kline billboards, attending parties to celebrate his wife Bianca’s (Tessa Thompson) musical triumphs, and having tea parties with his daughter. It’s a quiet life but filled with joy.

This is why Adonis is knocked off his feet when a childhood friend shows up on his doorstep. Damian “Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors) was Adonis’ best friend and one of the most promising young boxers in California until a police incident sent him to jail for decades. Adonis fled, got away, and became a boxing legend. Dame feels that Adonis got the life that was meant for him, and overwhelmed with guilt, Adonis agrees.

But every time Adonis tries to help Dame out, it seems to take something from the wonderful life he’s built. Is Dame still Adonis’ friend? Or is the champ about to take a hit he can’t recover from?

Look, though the Italian Stallion himself isn’t seen and is barely acknowledged, this is still a Rocky movie. We know these two are going to punch out their issues in the ring instead of scheduling a therapy session or talking out their issues over dinner. And while Creed III takes pains to separate itself from the Rocky franchise, it still follows the basic formula. There’s a conflict and our hero loses something dear to him (be it title or person). Now, the fight’s personal, and he must learn a lesson, flex through a training montage, and ultimately triumph. We’re not reinventing the hero’s journey with Creed III, but there is something satisfying about a familiar tale told well.

Pulling double duty as star and director, Michael B. Jordan carries the film well. His Adonis is a slightly more evolved version of the heroes of old. Yes, he can knock your block off, but he’s also happy to jump into a froggy onesie to play with his little girl. In fact, Jordan uses Adonis as a way to explore how men push their emotions to the side in favor of fighting. Adonis is a ball of guilt and rage, one that is desperate to contain his impulses.

As a director, Jordan is equally restrained. He focuses on the brutality and cleverness needed in the ring and contrasts it with the tenderness Adonis displays with his family. Jordan also has a knack for action sequences and bumps some great music while both foes perform astonishing athletic feats while they train for their big fight.  Fights become metaphors and though Jordan isn’t pushing himself too far yet as far as camera work and framing, he’s got a strong natural eye and it’s exciting to think of how he’ll grow as an artist in the future.

But the biggest problem in Creed III is also the film’s biggest asset: Jonathan Majors. Displaying the sort of unpredictable charisma of a 1960s Brando, it’s nearly impossible to focus on anyone else when he’s on screen. The character of Dame is, on its surface, a fairly straightforward guy. He’s a former friend that feels betrayed. But Majors offers up a performance that’s brimming with nuance. Dame is a walking wound, filled with resentment and calculation, but also desperate to seem unaffected by the terrible turn his life took. But he's not overtly evil, and he observes issues in Adonis’ life more accurately than Adonis himself. It’s hard not to sympathize with the guy, and even harder not to root for him. And that’s a problem when Adonis should be the emotional heart of the film.

Still, when Majors is off-screen, Jordan has time to shine. His relationship with his daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent) is particularly poignant. Davis-Kent is a deaf actress and her dialogue is done in ASL. It’s clear how dedicated Adonis and Bianca are to accommodating their daughter’s needs, and her differences are celebrated in the film. But though she’s had a privileged upbringing, Amara’s got her father’s temper. And when Adonis sees his behavior reflected in Amara, he chooses to help his daughter navigate her anger and impulses in a way that was denied to him for years.

So, in the end, is Creed III a good movie? Yes.

Jordan successfully side-steps the legacy of Stallone and the Rocky franchise, centering the sports film on a new legacy and character. The soft reset is a fitting end to the trilogy, and an interesting jumping off point should the Creed franchise continue. It’s sad that Stallone couldn’t be a part of Creed’s third act, but if Majors becomes the Apollo to Creed’s Rocky, I’ll be happy to watch a few more films.

Verdict: If you’re a fan of boxing, or of Jordan and Majors, Creed III is a knockout.

Creed III is rated PG-13 and is available in theaters March 3.