Review: Michael B. Jordan is the one to fly now with ‘Creed III’

For “Creed” star Michael B. Jordan, who steps behind the camera for his directorial debut in “Creed III,” he’s following in the very famous footsteps of the franchise’s original star – Sylvester Stallone. After the critical success of “Rocky”, for which he wrote the screenplay, Stallone took over from John G. Avildsen to direct “Rocky II”, which became a box office hit and cemented Stallone as an unlikely action star writer. Hopefully, Jordan manages a similar trajectory with “Creed III,” a solid first feature featuring a knockout performance from Jonathan Majors.

Jordan’s movement behind the camera has a meta element similar to Adonis Creed’s journey in Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin’s screenplay. Adonis, aka Donnie (Jordan), has thrown in the towel and become a promoter, supporting the championship aspirations of Felix Chavez (played by pro boxer José Benavidez) and spending time with his family, wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson). ) and daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent).

The domestic challenges – finding his purpose outside the ring, considering the history of his relationship with his adopted mother (Phylicia Rashad) and learning to express himself with his wife – are pretty standard issue and not so compelling outside of what the actors bring to the roll. Where ‘Creed III’ really comes to life is the introduction of Jonathan Majors as a figure from Donnie’s dark and violent childhood.

Damian, aka Dame (Majors), was Donnie’s big brother type and a rising star in boxing, but when a fight at a convenience store got out of hand, Donnie ran away and Dame went to jail. He’s turned up now, 18 years later, hooded and squirreled after his years behind bars, but he’s still chewing on his own chance at the belt. Donnie is hesitant to support him, but harbors guilt that his friend had put off his dream, when his was fulfilled beyond his wildest dreams.

“Creed III” makes good use of the inherent qualities of each of its leading men: there’s something sweet, innocent, and noble about Jordan’s persona, which is put to good use as Donnie struggles to do the right thing, while Majors always seems he’s got it weight of the world on his shoulders. There’s something intrinsically sad about Majors’ face, and as a Dame he exudes a kind of hurt rage that makes him want to hurt someone, not “box” with focus and control.

If “Creed III” tells us anything, it’s that Majors is the heir to Marlon Brando; his angry, indignant Dame, a muscleman with a chip on his shoulder, is in direct lineage of Brando’s Terry Malloy in “On the Waterfront.” Majors fully embodies the character, from his South-Central accent, his clipped cadence and stooped stance slowly unfolding as he grows more confident and powerful, thanks to his own machinations and Donnie’s guilt.

But while Dame is the much more fascinating character, Donnie is our hero, and the film continues as such, with dueling training montages and snow-white boxing shorts taking the symbolic place of a hero’s white cowboy hat. Coogler and Baylin’s screenplay isn’t as innovative with a sports movie formula, and it unfortunately tends to rely on characters clearly spelling out their inner monologues, rather than leaving it to subtext.

But Jordan’s steady direction takes the material to the next level, keeping a strong handle on tone and emotional tenor. Cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau (who also shot ‘Creed II’, directed by Steven Caple Jr.) provides smooth camera movement and an attractive use of practical lighting, giving the film movement and texture. Jordan takes a big creative spin during a climactic title match, experimenting with a subjective fantasy sequence. It doesn’t quite pay off, but it’s fun to see him coloring outside the lines with the risky maneuver.

But what Jordan does best as a star, director and producer is showcasing Majors’ heavyweight prowess, making him one of our brightest stars. Taking on a behind-the-scenes role is part of the “Rocky” legacy, and Jordan takes the reins with ease, defending Majors and ushering in an exciting new chapter of his career beyond “Creed.”

Katie Walsh is a film critic for the Tribune News Service