CREED III

Must and Can He Defeat His Friend?

This movie lasts almost two hours and is rated PG13. Michael B. Jordan stars as ADONIS CREED and also directs this production, with Tessa Thompson as Bianca Creed, Jonathan Majors as Damian Anderson, Wood Harris as Tony “Little Duke” Burton, Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne Creed, and Mila Davis-Kent as Amara Creed, whom I think we will see in more movies. Of course, this movie owes much to the original ROCKY and Sylvester Stallone, for it is the ninth in the over-all series.

Recently retired, Adonis Creed has seemingly accomplished all he wants or needs and suddenly is thrust into contact with his good friend from much younger days, Damian Anderson, who was quite a boxer years ago.

The movie opens in 2002, and shows a much younger Adonis “Donnie” Creed and Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson (who boxes in “underground boxing matches” and is a Golden Gloves Champ) discussing Damian’s goal of turning professional and gaining a world championship as they stop off at a liquor store!

A fight ensues with a man by the name of Lonnie— Donnie gets away as authorities arrive.—Damian is not as lucky and is arrested.

Fast-forward many years, and Adonis is retired and living a good life with his family (wife, Bianca, “not well” adoptive mother, Mary Anne, and hearingimpaired daughter, Amara). Damian is out of jail and is known as “Dame.” He wants to pick up where he left off and some day become the World Champion, and he wants to do it fairly quickly.

I am going to tell you no more, because I will describe too much and ruin things for you when you go to the theatre or arrange to view it on the “tube” at home. You will have to decide if you like Creed, whose dad had issues with all-time favorite, Rocky Balboa, and if you think folks who have been incarcerated can and/ or should be able to start over and “make good” and “live “happily ever-after!”

There is fast and strong action and plenty of it, good acting, questions to be answered, and an ending that will probably surprise you at least a little bit as it did this writer.

Compiled professional critical reviews appear to give this “flick” a rating of almost 90%, although some scattered reviewers hold it in the 70%—75% range. My wife submits a B+, while I give it an over-all score of A-. Compiled general audience reviews set it over 95%. A little of the movie, like many “Rocky” episodes, stretches the limits of belief, but I was compelled to examine my beliefs and was kept enthralled by the action.

Many children will like this movie, but be advised the PG-13 is for some violence, intense sports action, and some strong language. As Joe Bob Briggs would usually say, “Check it out!”