Creed 3 marks a turning point for the franchise—the first film without Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa, and Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut. With a darker storyline, anime-inspired fight scenes, and a focus on Adonis Creed’s past, the film has sparked plenty of discussion among critics and longtime fans alike. Some praise its bold new direction, while others feel it lacks the emotional weight of previous entries.
Below, we’ve compiled a selection of critical reviews to give you a full picture of how Creed 3 has been received. Whether you’re curious about the performances, story, or how the film stacks up against the rest of the series, here’s what the critics had to say.
Creed III (Film Review): A Total Knockout
By Branyan Towe | Loud and Clear Reviews | March 3, 2023
Excerpt: Creed III is one of the biggest highlights of the Rocky/Creed franchise to date, and Michael B. Jordan proves that he can handle himself in the director’s chair. It helps that he has a wonderful story of a friendship turned to a rivalry to work with, but Jordan had to bring that script to the screen in an effective way and he succeeded. He did not do it alone, as Jonathan Majors absolutely killed it as Damian “Dame” Anderson and proved to any doubters that he is a star. If this is the end for the Creed series, this is the definition of going out on top. However, the door is open for more, and it would be worth seeing.
‘Creed III’ gets knocked down by bad script element
By Rick Bentley | KGET | March 3, 2023
Excerpt: Jordan’s direction is solid but is really not a great way to judge his directing skills. He took no chances with the design leaving his work to come across like a paint-by-numbers project. His skills will be better judged when he takes on a less formulaic project.
It doesn’t help that there are moments when the well-choreographed fight numbers have been edited so sharply that the overall effect is blurry. The fight scenes are always the highlight of this franchise and should be presented as crisply and completely as possible.
The novice director gets solid action performances from both Majors and Thompson. Majors is having a banner few months as his work in “Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” stole that film. He has shown in two films his range as an actor.
Thompson faced the unenviable job of being the boxing wife. Just like Talia Shire in the “Rocky” movies, she is forced to be the spouse whose mood swings just to match what the boxer husband is feeling.
Just like an aging boxer, “Creed III” has lost some of its punch with the passing years. The heart of this championship series is still there but it is just a step slower. If this kind of poor writing continues, it is time to count the franchise out.
Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors in Creed III
By LaineyGossip.com | March 3, 2023
Excerpt: With Creed III, Michael B. Jordan makes the leap from actor to director, as well as trying to take the Creed franchise out of the shadow of the Rocky franchise that birthed it. He is mostly successful at both endeavors, though he’s hamstrung somewhat by an overcrowded script that is doing too many things at once (the film is written by Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin, with a story assist by Ryan Coogler).
Film Review: “CREED III”
By Mike Smith | MediaMikes.com | May 31, 2023
Sadly, it’s usually the third installment of a film series that doesn’t fare well. Think “Jaws 3-D,” “Halloween III,” “Superman III” among others that, while they try hard, they tend to disappoint. Welcome to the group, “Creed III.”
Having achieved greatness both in and out of the boxing ring, Adonis Creed (Jordan) is ready to relax. However, that time off is interrupted when a mysterious man from his past returns and demands a shot at the title he thinks is rightly his. Cue the music.
“Creed III” borrows a lot of its story from “Rocky III.” The champion looking to quit, only to be bullied into “one more fight” and the emotional and physical damage this fight takes on everyone involved. All that is missing is a cameo from Mr. T. The main thing missing is Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky. Rocky was the heart of the first two films, and his presence is sorely missed, both on the screen and to the audience. Because of this, there is not one likable person in the cast to root for, which makes the big fight moot, because you really don’t have a rooting interest. Adonis and his wife are constantly bickering, his old pal Damian (Majors) is a bully and unlikeable. It’s sad when the only character you root for is Ivan Drago’s son.
On the positive side, Jordan’s direction is fluid, and he covers the boxing scenes with the eye of an old pro. He obviously has the chops to be behind the camera. Unfortunately he didn’t spend enough time on character development, and the audience is stuck with one-dimensional character that don’t have a redeeming bone in their bodies, which is a shame for a franchise that earned it’s love by opening its heart.
