Creed III is a beautiful and emotional story about forgiveness, friendship, and redemption. Jordan and Majors are phenomenal together.

Creed III is an absolute masterpiece of a movie. It is one of those films that will have audiences of all ages completely invested in the characters right from the start, and entertained throughout the entire runtime. The message is one of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and redemption — and we all know we could use more of that in the world.
As with the previous two Creed films, it is nearly impossible to find something wrong with this movie. Creed III catches up with Adonis after his retirement. He is running a gym and training the heavyweight champion. Everything is a bit too perfect, which is usually a sign that a conflict is coming. His childhood friend, who was like a brother to him, Damian Anderson, returns to town after getting out of jail, where he spent the last 18 years. This forces Adonis to confront his long forgotten past.
Damian was a promising boxer before he went to jail. Eventually the details of that night are revealed and it becomes clear why there is an awkward tension between these two men at first. We won’t get into spoiler territory, but it isn’t hard to guess where this is all going.
What culminates from this story line is a heartwarming and emotional journey that highlights the effects of guilt on someone, as well as how important forgiveness is — not just from others, but from yourself.

Two Powerful Lead Performances
Both Jonathan Majors (Damian Anderson) and Michael B. Jordan (Adonis Creed) bring their A-game and deliver knockout punch after knockout punch (figuratively and literally). So much so, that it is almost impossible to decide who to root for when they step into the ring.
Damian is brought into the story very early on, which allows the pacing of this film to move along quick enough that there are no lulls. Audiences will almost instantly connect with him, despite his sordid past. While he is technically the antagonist of the film, he isn’t necessarily a bad guy.
The chemistry between Majors and Jordan is uncanny and one for the ages. I could watch them together all day and never get bored of it. No matter what type of conversation they are having, they both command attention, which brings something incredibly powerful to their relationship.
There were moments where I was beaming from ear to ear while watching them, others where I was on the edge of my seat, and still others where I was wiping away tears. These two very talented men deliver the best performances of the year so far, and it a wonder to behold.

A Family Affair
That said, it should be mentioned that Tessa Thompson (Bianca, Adonis’ wife) is phenomenal as well. Bianca is the perfect person to be going along this journey with Adonis, and is unafraid to call him out when he needs to be called out, and to tell him like it is. Her performance adds just the right amount of softness to the story.
Thompson is brilliant in this role and has chemistry on screen with both Jordan and Majors. She might technically be a supporting character in Creed III, but she is just as important to the story as anyone else, and that is largely in part due to Thompson’s performance. By now she has that comfort level with Jordan, but seeing her adapt that with Majors too adds a lot to this film.
Mila Kent (Adonis and Bianca’s daughter, Amara) is fun, adorable, and a powerhouse herself. She has some of the best scenes in the film and if she doesn’t warm your heart.. then you don’t have one.

Incredible Cinematography
It isn’t just the incredible story and flawless acting performances that make Creed III a perfect film, the directing and cinematography decisions were on point. This is, quite shockingly, Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut. You would never know it from watching this film.
There is one scene in particular that stands out. It is shot in a locker room. Adonis has just spoken with Damian and he is leaving. Because of this he is on the other side of the wall. Both Damian and Adonis stop, engulfed in different colored lights (one dark, one light) and the look at each other. Although they cannot see each other because of the wall in between them. Just thinking about this moment gives me chills.
There is another decision that comes to mind which is centered around how Adonis’ look changes as the story goes on. From clean cut to.. quite the opposite. Again, to avoid spoilers we will not go into to details, but when you watch Creed III, keep an eye out for that.
When it comes to the boxing matches, the shots are extremely well done. The utilization of slow motion and close up visuals, as well as the sound design, will make viewers feel like they are right there in the arena.
Another standout scene is during a match, when things get quiet and the background all but fades away. This allows the audience to focus on the story of two men. Their passion and issues are drilled into us as we sit, gawking, at such a raw and emotional scene.

Overall Thoughts
Creed III is a film that is going to be talked about for years and years to come. It packs a powerful punch of emotion and heart as it teaches those watching how to forgive themselves for the mistakes they made in their lives. Just because you aren’t perfect — and none of us are — doesn’t mean you don’t deserve what you have worked for.
The relationship between Damian and Adonis is one for the ages, and Majors and Jordan perfectly portray this. Maybe not specifically this situation, but we all have friendships that have tension, and it certainly feels good to release that.
Try as you might, there is nothing that can be pinpointed that comes up short in this film. From the story, to the performances, to the soundtrack, to the visuals — it is pure perfection. Everyone could learn a thing or two from Creed III.
Rating: 5 out of 5
NEXT: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Proves Kang Came To Play
About Creed III
Adonis has been thriving in both his career and family life, but when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces, the face-off is more than just a fight.
Creed III comes to theaters everywhere March 3rd.
You Might Also Enjoy...

Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.