Michael B Jordan stars as Adonis Creed in his directorial debut (Picture: Eli Ade/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.)
This ninth instalment in the Rocky franchise is, notably, the first without Rocky himself. Sylvester Stallone has bowed out, saying he didn’t like the direction it was heading.
‘I wish them well, but I’m much more of a sentimentalist,’ he has declared. ‘I like my heroes getting beat up, but I just don’t want them going into that dark space.’ So, what’s Sly on about?
First, the plot: after going out on a career high, retired former Heavyweight Champion of The World Adonis Creed (Michael B Jordan) is enjoying family time in his lavish LA crib.
That is until his childhood friend Damian (Jonathan Majors), a former youth boxing prodigy, emerges from 18 years in prison, determined to challenge Creed’s title and stirring up guilt from ‘Donnie’s’ past. Inevitably, Creed gets roped in for one last fight.
It’s a boxing movie – so you know the score. There’s the scrappy underdog chasing one make or break shot at glory, the wise, grizzled trainer, the climactic fight and, of course, the training montage (this one hilariously ups the stakes by adding a jet plane – I won’t say more…).
Even so, star turned debut director Michael B Jordan is admirably determined to bash new energy into the genre.
And it’s unmistakably a debut movie: eager to prove itself and keen to try new tricks. Not all of them work. It takes a while for the story to lock in; not everyone will love the anime-inspired choreography. But this enlightened tale of two men, defined and caged by their (dark) past, is muscular and convincing.
What gives it surprising heft is the knockout lead performances. Jordan is always a joy to watch. He’s generous too – allowing Jonathan Majors to steal the show. Already knocking it out the blockbuster park as Marvel’s big new supervillain, Kang, Majors here creates another stupendous baddie.
Jonathan Majors plays Damian Anderson (right) (Picture: Eli Ade/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.)
‘Everyone loves an underdog,’ Creed tells his production team, but Majors’ Damian spends most of this movie being anything but loveable. A hulking, damaged monster, he’s bringing shades of Mike Tyson meets the beefier end of Tom Hardy. And you totally believe in his pain. Despite the similar ‘journey’-lines, Rocky Balboa he is not.
That leaves it up to the ladies to give the movie warmth and light. A sidelined Tessa Thompson at least owns a bittersweet storyline about acceptance, Phylicia Rashad is there to jerk the tears as Creed’s ailing mom.
Tessa Thompson stars as Bianca (left) alongside and Michael B Jordan (Picture: Eli Ade/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.)
But the movie’s sweetheart is Adonis’s hearing-impaired little daughter (Mila Davis-Kent). Their sign-language daddy-daughter banter is adorable. Sly would approve. My money’s on her to step into the ring and take lead, come Creed V.
Creed III is out on Friday in cinemas
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And there’s no sign of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky.