Michael B. Jordan has been nothing short of a phenomenon in his acting career and has done the seemingly insurmountable job of taking over where the Rocky Balboa stories have left off. This time though, he will be responsible for what happens in front and behind the camera as he reprises his role of Adonis Creed, while also becoming a first-time director.

Thanks to Universal studios, we got an advanced look at Creed III, starring and directed by Michael B. Jordan, and the first film in the Rocky franchise without Sylvester Stallone.

After two successful films that saw a young Adonis, rise up and earn the right to wear his fathers’ name, and then defend the legacy it carries in the Boxing ring, Adonis finds himself at the twilight of his decorated career, ready to reap the rewards of his journey.

There is also the returning actress, Tessa Thompson, who encapsulates his wife Bianca, who has also moved forward with her career as a singer to a songwriter and producer. A Hollywood power couple to some, the luxury of letting others carry on their legacy while they manage over the grand scheme seems fitting, but not without its drawbacks, as neither seems quite content to let go just yet.

While the passion for boxing has now moved to promoting and managing the current world championship, Felix Chavez, played by Jose Benavidez, the crystal clear vision suddenly had a few ripples show up. A long lost part of Creed’s life came walking back in, namely, Damian Anderson, played by Jonathan Majors, whose sheepish demeanour seemed to be oddly out of place compared to a flashback comparison of his younger self. Much the same as Damian’s current intentions, both his and Andonis’ history are only shown in snippets with the understanding he is only just coming back after 18 years behind bars.

A deep-rooted connection was apparent and it was a well-placed obstacle for the audience to tackle with. Creed’s good-willed nature in giving Damian a chance to redeem himself, gave hope and also a tinge of suspicion. Every decision that Adonis made didn’t quite sit well with those close to him and the mental battle that showed across his face made me eager to dive back into the past flashback events to complete the puzzle. These interactions also opened up opportunities for other characters, including Bianca to figure out what inner demons Adonis was facing and what was weighing so heavy on him in the first place, and why it didn’t seem to affect Damian as much.

While I do acknowledge that the emotional toll and growth for both Adonis and Bianca are the driving force for the story arc, the catalyst of the film has to be given to Jonathan Major’s stellar performance. His transformative performance from a wayward ex-con who was looking to prove himself was a visual journey in itself.

Being older than Creed himself, who was already retired and chasing a shot at the heavyweight title, his oversized training attire and withdrawn mannerisms played into his favour as he slowly revealed the true side of him. A street-smart and tactical fighter who wasn’t afraid to twist fate in his favour, accompanied by a dominating persona that held a mental stronghold on Creed that ran to the core.

The brilliance of turning Creed’s next challenge into someone he once called a brother as opposed to the run-of-the-mill good guy vs bad guy trope was a compelling take. This carried over into the choreographed storytelling element that can only be told in the ring by their actions, not their words. The impact of every punch was personified by some particularly symbolic editing that separated the fighters from the crowd. It gave us the two fighters in their most raw and vulnerable state and the heart-thumping and montage-inspiring music that is so synonymous with this style of movie that it didn’t have to carry the scene.

In a triumphant debut as a Director, Michael B. Jordon has inked his style on the franchise forever and made Creed stand tall on his own without Rocky Balboa needing to give him that one last push. Creed III set out to punch above its own weight class and delivered a knockout performance in the process.

Written by: Shane Fletcher