Showing Viewers That Healing Trauma Takes a Village ( Creed III Review and Breakdown)

Creed III is an emotional send-off to the spinoff based on the Rocky mythos. The film rides the line of "just okay" and is a phenomenal movie experience in many ways.

The film stars Michael B. Jordan (in his directorial debut), Tessa Thompson, as well as Johnathan Majors. This lineup was enough to make me eager to see the film opening weekend, like many others. If you're a more casual moviegoer and you're just interested in watching it for thirst traps, look no further. The spectacle is alive and well in CREED III and Micheal B Jordan delivered for fans of anime with references galore. Jordan's vision as a creative is something special, and I truly believe he deserves as much time behind the camera as he has in front of it. His passion for the franchise is as apparent as his passion for filmmaking.

Despite being a part of such a long-standing franchise Creed III does a wonderful job at unfolding in a way that anyone could jump in and enjoy it all the same. Each character has a clear arc and purpose, their desires are transparent and they perfectly flesh out the world surrounding Adonis Creed, and show how they impact his thinking and actions is how this film addresses masculinity, and manhood, in relation to emotional availability. The themes come across in a powerful way. In a time where Black men specifically are often vilified or looked down upon for showing emotion, Creed (as well as Damian “Dame” Anderson) have to face childhood trauma, distant friendships, as well as emotional avoidance. The emotional message is what allows this film to soar above other entries in the franchise.

Creed III addresses what it means to have a support system with all of its characters- and how they in turn come together to build up Adonis Creed. Likewise, the film showcases how lack of support and emotional maturity can negatively impact someone, and how to own up to reactions triggered by traumatic events. I’m concerned these themes might be lost amongst the audiences who need to see it the most, but the message is there nonetheless, and we can only hope that some of the audience will take it positively. It’s clear that Jordan and crew had a vision when depicting these themes, and the relationship between Creed and Anderson, his wife Bianca, along with his mother and daughter, all touch on different elements of the healing process.

Unfortunately, the weakest of all the cast members seems to be Jordan himself. As a fan of Jordan, the first words I uttered when leaving the theater were "I really want to love him as an actor. I do." But for some reason, the spark just wasn't there until midway through the second act. Fortunately, the film did pick up by the end, but the pacing (and Jordan's acting) made it so that Major's character almost completely stole the show. This isn't to say Jordan didn't put his heart into the role- simply that the story had more of a focus on the people around Creed, causing him to be lost in the story until later in the film. Luckily, Thomson, Majors, Mila Davis-Kent making her debut as Creed's daughter, and the returning Phylicia Rashad, are a phenomenal supporting cast, with fully realized characters who excel in overall delivery.

Overall, this film is not a "shut off your brain and watch "style movie, which is shocking for a boxing film. The third act especially is something you will want to pay attention to if not for the Dragon Ball references alone.

No, this film shines in how it addresses sensitive topics many don't want to look at, from childhood abuse to being an avoidant partner and how that may affect parenting. The narrative of Creed III is something every audience member can walk away from having felt something. In total, I’d give the film a personal 7/10. I think it can be watched at home, or in the theater, and convey just the same level of emotion, or even grow with the viewer depending on when they watch it, which is something many films fail to do.