After his first two bouts as Adonis Creed, Michael B. Jordan is back as the titular character in Creed III, but he’s also taking on the role of director for the film. This time Creed faces off against Damian Anderson, played by Jonathan Majors in his toughest battle yet. 

The film takes place a few years after Creed’s retirement upon becoming the world heavyweight champion. He as been spending his retired life supporting his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson), who is working as a music producer, and their daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent), who is struggling in school due to her father’s boxing influence having her cause a few fights. He’s also doing a bit of management and coaching at his gym.

Creed has been preparing the next generation’s champion, Felix Chavez (José Luis Benavidez Jr.) to face off against Adonis’ previous opponent Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), whom he faced in the previous film. That’s when an old friend from his past surfaces. After serving eighteen years in prison, “Diamond” Damian Anderson wants a shot at the title, and turns to Creed for help. 

Damian was a rising star when they were young, a Golden Glove champion and the undisputed best boxer in the Amateur League. But a run-in with the police left Damian in custody, while Apollo escaped and remained free. Damian feels as if Apollo lived the life he was supposed to have while in prison, so he’s willing to claim the title to see his dream realized, no matter who gets hurt.

Creed III as a movie sports some great direction, with great cinematography that enhances both the action of the fights and emotion of the characters. Majors especially gets to flex some incredible facial expressions that portray how determined his character is as a boxer. Jordan uses dynamic shots to accentuate punches and adds some creative visuals in the final bout. The visuals are accompanied by a great soundtrack that builds intensity and sets the tone of the intense conflict between the two leads. 

Creed III appears to be the final movie in the Rocky series, or at least this generation of it. If you’re a fan of Rocky from back in the day, or someone whose interest began with Creed, and even if you have not been invested in either, Creed III will certainly be worth your time.