Creed III is out and if I had a rating system, it would receive high marks. Adonis Creed, played by Michael B. Jordan, for those that haven’t seen the first two Creed films, is the son of Apollo Creed. In the first two films, Rocky takes Adonis under his wing and trains and supports him. Rocky is absent from this film, but his boxing glove prints are all over it.
A blast from Creed’s past shows up and is played by the fantastic actor Jonathan Majors. I believe one day Majors will receive all the acting awards. He is one of my favorite actors to currently watch and I was excited when I heard he would be Creed’s foe. Majors and Jordan are electric together as they bounce from their past to their present. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but there’s hidden beef and regret inside both fighters.
In the film, Creed has retired and relegated himself to owning a boxing gym and training younger fighters. Majors shows up and wants the belt. As the plot moves along, Creed and his old friend square off against one another in the ring.
A lot will be said and written about their final boxing match. I’m a boxing fan and have watched countless movies about boxing. I have never seen a boxing match filmed the way Jordan (he also directed) shot the scene. It’s the most inventive way a fight scene has been played out. I will watch that scene repeatedly.
Family dynamics also occur within the plot. Creed tries to come to terms with his past and how to open his feeling up to his wife, his mother, and his daughter. The father/daughter relationship is also a big part of the movie, as Creed embraces fatherhood and is a positive influence in his daughter’s life. Most boxing movies show an absent father, but Creed is different in this way as well.
Is Creed III appropriate for kids?
As you would expect in a boxing movie, there’s a lot of physical violence. There’s a lot of blood and hands pounding against flesh. It is what you’d expect out of a PG-13 boxing film. If you’ve seen all the Rocky movies and the first two Creed movies, the violence will not shock you. I wouldn’t introduce this movie to your kids if they haven’t at least experienced one of the first two Creed movies.
There’s quite a bit of cursing in the movie. Pretty much all the words are said and there are also songs played in the background with music.
There isn’t any sex or nudity, but there are a few innuendos.
If your kids are sensitive to violence, then sit this one out. Boxing movies differ from superhero movies because they’re more believable. The characters are relatable, which makes the violence more impactful. There’s more swearing than what you would find in a Marvel or DC movie, so keep that in consideration as well.
For my kids, I have no problem with my 11-year-old watching the movie, but I’m not letting my 7-year-old see it. My 16-year-old saw the movie with me in the theater and loved it.
