For the first three quarters of Creed III's runtime, I was invested in the film's plot and characters. Was it ever going to be the best "Rocky universe" sequel? Probably not. But it had me intrigued, to be sure. Unfortunately, I felt the filmmakers set themselves up for an unsatisfactory finish that--at least for me--proved to be exactly that.
For a very basic overview, Creed III sees Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) recently retired and living the "Dad life" with wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). Until, that is, a figure--Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors)--from Adonis' past turns up and forces Donnie to reckon with some darker life chapters.
Despite my relatively pedestrian 6-star rating, there are a number of great moments/concepts in this movie. Majors is a more-than-credible (if not outright spectacular) villain, the Daddy/daughter material is tremendous, and a scene referencing Apollo Creed will bring tears to many eyes. The fight sequences are also inventive and exciting.
Sadly, there were three mistakes--all made in the film's final 20-30 minutes--that made me leave the theater shaking my head as opposed to cheering:
-The character reasonings for Adonis battling "Dame" are a bit squishy. Is Dame the villain--or a misunderstood adversary? I felt as if director Jordan (his debut behind the camera) wasn't as clear as he needed to be on this point.
-The classic training montage trope isn't utilized to its best advantage here. It exists, to be sure, but is more perfunctory than propelling.
-I wish Amara was highlighted more throughout. She is great in the beginning and ends the film on a high note--but in between is nowhere to be found. A missed opportunity (though perhaps one that can be rectified in further sequels).
Overall, I know Creed III isn't quite a 6/10 film. It will likely improve a bit upon a future rewatch. But fresh off the popcorn, I "liked" it rather than anything approach "love".
For a very basic overview, Creed III sees Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) recently retired and living the "Dad life" with wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). Until, that is, a figure--Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors)--from Adonis' past turns up and forces Donnie to reckon with some darker life chapters.
Despite my relatively pedestrian 6-star rating, there are a number of great moments/concepts in this movie. Majors is a more-than-credible (if not outright spectacular) villain, the Daddy/daughter material is tremendous, and a scene referencing Apollo Creed will bring tears to many eyes. The fight sequences are also inventive and exciting.
Sadly, there were three mistakes--all made in the film's final 20-30 minutes--that made me leave the theater shaking my head as opposed to cheering:
-The character reasonings for Adonis battling "Dame" are a bit squishy. Is Dame the villain--or a misunderstood adversary? I felt as if director Jordan (his debut behind the camera) wasn't as clear as he needed to be on this point.
-The classic training montage trope isn't utilized to its best advantage here. It exists, to be sure, but is more perfunctory than propelling.
-I wish Amara was highlighted more throughout. She is great in the beginning and ends the film on a high note--but in between is nowhere to be found. A missed opportunity (though perhaps one that can be rectified in further sequels).
Overall, I know Creed III isn't quite a 6/10 film. It will likely improve a bit upon a future rewatch. But fresh off the popcorn, I "liked" it rather than anything approach "love".