Long after Sylvester Stallone hung up his boxing gloves as Rocky, the “Rocky” saga still continues. “Creed” was a successful spin-off of the cult classic that was launched in 2016. The former boxing champion initially trained the son of his deceased friend Apollo Creed, Adonis. With “Creed III” in 2023, the series grew into a trilogy.
The film will be shown on Sunday (September 1) at 8:15 p.m. on ProSieben. But: Rocky himself is no longer there for the first time.
Stallone, who had producer status on “Creed III” but was not involved as an executive producer, complained to the “Hollywood Reporter” about an “unfortunate situation”. “It went in a different direction than I would have chosen,” said the star. “I’m more of a sentimental type. I like it when my heroes get beat up, but I don’t want it to be too dark for them. I just feel like people have enough darkness already.”
Dark past
Stallone probably meant the dark past of Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan). In “Creed III,” he has to confront an unpleasant chapter of his youth that he actually wanted to forget.
He has ended his boxing career. He lives in the upscale Hollywood Hills with his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). As a trainer and promoter, he is building up the next generation of world-class boxers, including his new star Felix Chavez (the real professional boxer José Benavidez).
One day, an old acquaintance appears in front of his training center. His childhood friend Damian (Jonathan Majors) was considered the next boxing hope. But after an incident in which Adonis was also involved as a teenager, Damian had to go to prison.
After 18 years behind bars, he is now eager to make it as a boxer and is pushing for a title fight against Chavez. Plagued by guilt, Adonis agrees. He soon discovers that Damian is not fighting cleanly in the ring or in life. A rift develops between the old friends. Of course, this can only be resolved in the ring.
Hommage an «Rocky IV»
Why Rocky is no longer part of Adonis’ life is not discussed in the film. Nevertheless, he is present – and not only in the German additional title “Rocky’s Legacy”. An extended training scene is an obvious homage to “Rocky IV”. And there is a “No Easy Way Out” moment – fans of the series know what I mean.
The 1980s film about Rocky’s duel with the Russian Ivan Drago enjoys cult status and was already the basis for “Creed II”. Drago’s son Viktor (Florian Munteanu) makes another appearance in the third part.
Film composer Joseph Shirley and sound genius Ludwig Göransson (“The Mandalorian”, “Tenet”) have also subtly incorporated the iconic music of Bill Conti into their gripping soundtrack. In a key scene, “Going The Distance” from the first “Rocky” film can be heard. Stallone would also have liked such nostalgic moments. In fact, Sly probably had little to complain about with the finished film. “Creed III” is not dark, but it is sentimental.
Debutant Michael B. Jordan has directed the boxing drama in a conventional and straightforward manner. You can guess what’s coming most of the time. Nevertheless, the film is entertaining and sometimes even exciting. “Creed III” is not a cinematic gem, but it is another entertaining sequel to this long-running film series. It’s hard to admit it, but the “Rocky” saga works without Rocky. Sorry, Sly!
