I’m a big Rocky fan, and an even bigger Creed fan, with Creed 2 being my favorite film in the franchise. This was one of the films I was most excited for this year, and I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed. Initially, I was a little hesitant because I didn’t think they could top Creed 2, but the third film wisely doesn’t try to up the epicness.
The plot is fairly simple: Adonis Creed’s childhood friend, Damien Anderson, who spent the past twenty years in jail, is released and wants to pursue his dreams of being a heavyweight champ. While Adonis tries to help him pursue his dream, it quickly becomes evident that Damien isn’t going to be the hero that his friend turned into.
Creed 3 focuses on the personal aspects of the story way more than the action and, why that really works, is because the film doesn’t give Adonis a cliched, one dimensional arc. As much as I enjoy Rocky 3, Rocky’s arc in that film isn’t overly complex. He gets beaten and has to get better to win the rematch (I know people will say that’s all Creed 2 was, but that’s a different discussion). The point is, the story between Adonis and Damien and what they do with Adonis’ character is very well done.
The film also introduces some new twists to his relationship with Bianca that don’t feel forced. Yes, there’s some tension between them and they go through struggles, but they still always feel like real people in love who are trying to sort through their problems. Its focus on the human element is one of its greatest strengths.
Characters: 8.5/10 (x2)
I already talked about how much I liked Adonis in the film, but Damien’s the other standout. Most Rocky/Creed films have cast a professional fighter, wrestler, bodybuilder, etc. as the primary opponent. But Jonathan Majors is a great actor in his own right, rapidly rising through the ranks in Hollywood (much as Michael B. Jordan did eight years ago). He brings a lot of personality to the character, making him feel like a real person and not just a throwaway villain. Also, seeing Viktor Drago and Ricky Conlan again (even just briefly) was awesome.
Plot: 8/10 (x2)
I’ve already explained how much I like the plot: I love the simplicity of it, of it just being a story about two friends turned enemies. It’s extra refreshing since most movie sequels (especially this deep into a series) want to focus on complex lore and huge scopes.
Action: 8/10
Almost every Rocky film has had great action. This film maintains that trend… however, I do think the final fight was too short for its own good. Director Michael B. Jordan definitely tried to shake up the formula in a couple places… sometimes it worked and other times it just came off as being odd. I just felt like too much of the final fight was glossed over, with it entering the final round just when it seemed to be getting going. This could be a misperception just because Creed 2 had two really long, in-depth fights, but it was a bit of a letdown. That being said, the actual fighting looks incredible as always.
Tone: 8/10
The film manages to do what few films can: oscillate between dark and serious and slight hints of comedy with banter. Damien Anderson may be the villain, but he also keeps things fun without seeming like a hammy villain chewing up the scenery. When it gets dark, when Adonis is dealing with really tough personal demons, it never gets heavy-handed and never seems like it’s being dark just for the sake of being dark and depressing.
Pacing: 7/10
Most of the film is paced well, though as I said earlier, the final fight is a little rushed. Other than that, the film moves along fairly quickly. What could’ve been a long, drawn out flashback was kept to a good length so that the audience didn’t start to get bored.
Dialogue: 8/10
The interactions between Adonis and Damien swing back and forth between light banter between old friends and intense confrontations. Both work well and the dialogue in both perfectly conveys that. Even better, the friendship their trying to recapture doesn’t seem superficial; it’s clear there’s a deep bond there. The only reason I’m not giving this a 9 or 10 is because I don’t remember any particular lines sticking out as something I’ll be quoting for the next year like some of the other films had. Although, when I rewatch this movie, I might be wishing I could retract that comment, who knows?
Creativity: 7/10
I love the Rocky/Creed formula and I love that this film mostly stuck to it while also adding new elements to keep things fresh. That being said, this isn’t a revolutionary movie. It’s another good entry into the franchise, but nothing game-changing.
Visuals/Design: 7/10
The fighting and training montages are good, most of the movie is filmed well, though I do think they over-used close-ups during some of the fights and didn’t use enough wide shots. I’m not sure if this is an issue of the actors getting older and not being able to do the stunts they once could or just Michael B. Jordan going for a different style. It’s not a major flaw, but it was a minor nit-pick I had with the film.
Final Score: 78/100
Creed 3 continued the great trend of Creed films and hopefully will keep the franchise alive and well for a fourth film (fingers crossed).
Final Recommendation: Watch
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