Creed III: A look into Adonis Creed's Past and a battle he Must Win

 My Dad was a huge fan of Rocky films, so of course, I’ve seen key scenes from several of the films in the Rocky film franchise, which launched in 1976 with the film Rocky and concluded with Rocky Balboa in 2006, or so we thought. Rocky made a comeback in 2015 in Creed in which Rocky trains Adonis Creed and the beginning of the Creed films got their start. As was the case with Rocky films, I’d only watched a few key scenes from Creed films because my husband is a fan. 

Creed III: A look into Adonis Creed’s Past and a battle he must Win:

Courtesy: Amazon MGM Studios

I received a complimentary screener of this film as a member of The Music City Film Critics Association. All opinions are my own. I received Amazon MGM Studios press materials included in today's post. Thank you.

About Creed III:

Courtesy: Amazon MGM Studios

Amazon MGM Studios./Directed by: Michael B. Jordan · Produced by: Michael B.Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Ryan Coogler, and more / Screenplay by Keegan Coogler, Zach Baylan/ RunTime:1 hrs.56 mins./Genre:l Sports/Action /Rating PG-13

Synopsis from Amazon MGM Studios:

Continuing the legacy of the iconic Rocky franchise, Producer and Star Michael B. Jordan steps behind the camera for Creed III to deliver a tour-de-force directorial debut in an emotional turn for the series. 

After retiring at the height of his career and dedicating more time to his family and the growing business of Creed Athletics, Adonis Creed (Jordan) is forced to confront the lasting scars from his childhood when a figure from his past re-emerges. 

The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle a fighter who has nothing to lose. 

Directed by Michael B. Jordan, with a screenplay by Keenan Coogler & Zach Baylin, from a story by Ryan Coogler and Keenan Coogler & Zach Baylin. The film is produced by Irwin Winkler, p.g.a., Ryan Coogler, p.g.a., Michael B. Jordan, p.g.a., and Elizabeth Raposo, p.g.a.

My Thoughts:

As I shared in my brief back story earlier in this post, I would never call myself a boxing fan. Not the sport itself and certainly not a film based on it, however, I really like Creed III and enjoyed watching it because it led with heart. 

Adonis and his family are an integral part of this film and in my opinion, elevated it to something beyond a sports film. The interplay between Creed and his wife (Tessa Thompson) and daughter (Mila Davis-Kent) is solid and believable. 

Courtesy: Amazon MGM Studios

But the true magic happens between Adonis and Damien Anderson, a childhood friend who returns and upends Creed's life in more ways than just boxing. It takes a while for us to realize that for “Dame” he’s got a score to settle and the belt he really wants belongs to Adonis. 

Courtesy: Amazon MGM Studios

As boxing films go, this one is a little predictable, even readable in some scenes where I felt like the main players should have picked up on what was going on way sooner than they did. The fighting scenes were so well done, they more than make up for any lack of surprise from the writers. 

The Takeaway:

Courtesy: Amazon MGM Studious

Creed III is a good, solid film in the Rocky franchise and if you are like me and haven’t watched the previous Creed/Rocky films, you’ll still enjoy this one because it does well as a stand-alone story and perhaps a lead into Creed 4, which I’ve heard is in the works.

Creed III is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video, MGM+, Apple TV, and more. As awards season draws nearer, I’ll be sharing more film reviews here on the blog. You can read my previous film reviews here under entertainment. 

Please share in comments: Have you watched the previous Creed films?