CREED III : Tuesday 7th March 2023.

I saw the M Rated 'CREED III' at my local multiplex earlier this week, and this American sports drama film stars and is Co-Produced and Directed by Michael B. Jordan in his feature film making debut. This is a sequel to 2015's 'Creed' and 2018's 'Creed II' and is the ninth instalment in the 'Rocky' film franchise, although this is the first time that series creator Sylvester Stallone does not have a role in the film, albeit he does have a Producer credit. 'Creed III' had its World Premiere showcasing in Mexico City on 9th February and was released in the US and internationally last week. The film cost US$75M to produce, has so far grossed US$117M and has garnered generally positive critical reviews. In early February Michael B. Jordan confirmed that 'Creed IV' was going to happen and that potential spin-offs were also under consideration.

The film opens up in Los Angeles back in 2002 with a young Adonis 'Donnie' Creed (Thaddeus J. Mixon) sneaks out late one night with his best friend and Golden Gloves champion Damian 'Diamond Dame' Anderson (Spence Moore II), to see him compete in an underground boxing match. After Dame's victory, he tells Donnie about his dream to turn professional and become a world champion. During a stop off at a liquor store, Donnie impulsively attacks a man named Leon punching him repeatedly to the head, before Dame arrives and pulls a gun ordering Leon's men to stand clear.

We then fast forward fifteen years and Donnie (Michael B. Jordan) is in the ring fighting Ricky Conlon (Tony Bellew), recently released from his sentence and working his way back to be a contender for a championship fight, in a rematch and ultimately wins. After this Donnie retires from boxing as a World Champion, to concentrate his efforts on his music producer wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and their young daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). Fast forward again to the present day and Donnie runs Delphi Boxing Academy with his coach Tony 'Duke' Evers Jr. (Wood Harris), and is promoting his protege, World Champion Felix Chavez (Jose Benavidez Jnr.), in a match against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). Donnie and Bianca maintain a watchful eye over the declining health of Donnie's adoptive mother Mary-Anne (Phylicia Rashad), while Amara seems intent on following in her fathers footsteps to become a boxer, which gets her into trouble at school for punching another student.

Dame (Jonathan Majors) meanwhile has recently been released from his eighteen year prison sentence for pulling a gun at the liquor store back in 2002 and for various other priors, and reconnects with Donnie outside his gym. The pair go to a local diner for a bite to eat, during which Dame shares his wish to continue his boxing career, saying that despite his age he has continued to train and maintain in shape during his time inside. Donnie reluctantly invites him to the gym to spar with Chavez, however, his aggressive style draws contempt from Chavez and Duke. Later Dame is invited to Donnie's home for dinner, where he meets his family and shares with Bianca their time together at a group home when they were young boys, which Bianca was clueless about. Privately, Dame asks for a title shot against Chavez, giving Donnie's previous one-in-a-million shot as an example of how it is possible, which Donnie refuses.

Dame is invited to a party for Bianca's record label, during which he cryptically tells Bianca about Leon and that Donnie was keeping it a secret from her. At the party, Drago is attacked by an unknown assailant, and becomes too injured to participate in his match against Chavez, which is scheduled for about ten days time. With there being no way of Drago healing in time and not wanting to lose the money spent on the event, Donnie suggests Dame as an opponent to Chavez, pitching an underdog fight much like Rocky Balboa's first title shot, which Chavez accepts. During the fight, Dame fights dirty but is let off with a warning, but knocks out Chavez, so becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

Following the match, Donnie visits Mary-Anne, who shows him letters Dame wrote to Donnie over the years while in prison that she kept from him due to believing that he was a bad influence. One letter contained a photograph showing Dame with his fellow inmates, one of which Donnie recognised as the one who assaulted Drago. Realising that Dame orchestrated the attack, Donnie confronts him in a park where he is celebrating his win with his homies. An angry Dame reveals that he manipulated all their encounters to set him up as a champion, before punching him and giving him a black eye. Donnie is unable to confide to Bianca about his guilt over Dame, who revels in his newfound fame and publicly slanders Donnie as a fake who deserted him.

Mary-Anne has another stroke and subsequently dies. After her funeral, Donnie confesses to Bianca the truth, that Leon was the abusive caregiver in the group home he and Dame lived in before he was adopted. After Donnie attacked Leon at the liquor store, Dame pulled out a gun just as the Police arrived. Donnie fled the scene, but Dame was arrested, which led to his eighteen year jail term. In an attempt to wipe out the memory, Donnie never once contacted Dame out of shame and guilt. Knowing Dame would not stop defaming him, Bianca tells him there's only one way to bring him down.

Donnie goes on live TV broadcast 'First Take', where Dame calls in to goad Donnie over the phone. Donnie there and then decides to come out of retirement and challenge Dame for the championship, which he accepts. Following the obligatory training montage with Duke and a recovered Drago, Donnie faces Dame in the 'Battle of Los Angeles' at Dodger Stadium in front of a capacity crowd. 

Donnie faces Dame in an exhausting, evenly matched bout during which Donnie has visions of his abusive foster home and Dame's life in jail, leading to a knockdown in the twelfth and final round. Donnie sees his family in the crowd and lets go of his fear and guilt, as advised by Duke. Adonis rises and intimidates a tired Dame, delivering a knockout in the closing minute or so to win the match and the World Championship. Afterwards, Donnie walks into Dame's changing room and reconciles with a dejected Dame, with both men admitting it was not the other's fault. 

With 'Creed III' Director, Co-Producer and lead Actor here Michael B. Jordan more than ably demonstrates his deft touch here both behind and in front of the camera. All the touchstones are in place here from the original 'Rocky' franchise to the more recent 'Creed' spin-offs, and Jordan has proven that you don't need Sylvester Stallone in the picture to continue with the legacy that he first created some 46 years ago now. This film more than stands on its own two feet and punches well above its weight with both the emotional heft of a compelling back story coupled with the trademark fight sequences culminating (as always) with the big pay off for our titular hero who wins the day against the odds. Whilst its all familiar territory and previously well trodden ground, 'Creed III' serves to embellish the 'Rocky' franchise with a film of powerful performances (both Jordan and Majors are excellent as pugilistic adversaries with a connecting back story), shifting family elements, and well choreographed fight scenes that help propel the drama along at a steady pace.

'Creed III' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-