A great drama movie and possibly the best in the Creed series. All boxing films have a certain predictable formula; the champion/protagonist has to make some sort of comeback/overcome adversity, there is the inspirational training scene then the final fight and Creed III is no different - in this case (Spoiler) Adonis having to confront his childhood peer, now a bitter man seeking redemption in the ring. The opening bout in South Africa reminded me of the 'Thunder in Africa' fight between Lennox Lewis and Hasim Rahman and I liked the references to the Rumble in the Jungle in this one. As British critic Mark Kermode pointed out, Creed III had an original take on the final bout with the crowd evaporating away and the two men seeing the childhood images of their former selves between rounds - it was unusual but I felt worked well. An interesting footnote - the Rocky/Creed films have become known for introducing real-life boxers into the role. In Creed III that role is taken by Jose Benavidez who fights at Welterweight but is Heavyweight in the film - his brutal fight against protagonist Damian (played convincingly by Jonathan Majors) has obvious analogies with Drago vs Apollo.

The fight scenes and montages were some of the best in a sports movie and the final fight definitely had the most emotion. A lot of nice touches including a nod to Kobe & Jackie Robinson (assuming a Chadwick Boseman homage.) The stakes continue to fall a little flat for me, but I like where it's heading with Creed's daughter. Also, I'm pretty sure the boxing venue in the opening scene is the bowling alley from The Big Lebowski. 141/365 movies & tv for 2023

Creed III feels like an entertaining movie to watch, but it doesn't quite get off the ground. It's like an anthology episode within a larger series. But it's like one of those episodes that doesn't factor into the grand scheme of the story too much. It's good, it's entertaining, and you don't feel like you're wasting your time watching it, but it doesn't contribute to anything new or fresh. The most notable are those little touches of anime action in the fighting. The sequences of exchanging blows and the looks full of focus and determination, are taken from the best Japanese school of animation. Strong and clear influence on the part of its director, who has admitted it several times. The performances are good, the story is simple, the soundtrack a little weak. A good piece in the universe of Rocky and Adonis.

"Creed III" may be the weakest of its trilogy, but the fact that the seventh, eighth, and ninth entries are all the best of a franchise is an accomplishment by itself, even more so when you factor in the inherent limitations of the boxing genre. Jordan and Coogler (and Stallone to an extent) have found a way for this cycle of storytelling to remain relevant, even if it sometimes punches below its weight class.

The electric and satisfying Creed 3 proves Sylvester Stallone's long-running boxing franchise is in good hands with Michael B Jordan, both in front of and behind the camera! Yes that’s right, in addition to reprising his role as Adonis Creed, Jordan packs his directorial debut with the usual Rocky melodrama and bombastic ring entrances while also freshening the series with stylish, anime (Yeah you read that right!) influenced fights and a new spotlight on deaf representation! Creed 3 is a cinematic knockout punch that despite being the 9th film in a decades old franchise, and also not starring it’s original lead actor Sylvester Stallone, this latest film still manages to stand tall on it’s own two feet! Despite juggling two roles here as both lead actor and director, Michael B Jordan still manages to bring a sense of passion and heart to the franchise and his character. This is a mostly solid first outing as a first time director! He captures the emotions of the screenplay, and also the raw brutality and intensity of the sport. The sound editing allows each blow to hit the audience, with an interesting influence from anime during the slow motion sequences, to create the film’s most memorable moments! It’s Jonathan Majors’ world now, and we’re just living in it… Yes that’s right, for the second time in only a matter of months into 2023, Jonathan Majors proves that he is currently Hollywood’s secret weapon! (Not anymore ey!) I think it’s fair to say that Majors now holds the title of being the MVP of 2023… Jonathan Majors is a towering presence over the entire film! The nuance and gravitas that Majors brings to the role is simply unmatched, making for one of the best antagonists in the whole franchise! Despite being the “villain” you genuinely understand where he’s coming from… While I’m happy that the film can stand on it’s own two feet, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I missed Rocky Balboa… He truly felt like an afterthought here unfortunately! Despite Jordan doing his absolute best with reworking the film without Stallone’s iconic Rocky, I couldn’t help but feel that the overall film could have been even better with Stallone’s added presence and involvement!