Creed III (2023)

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As I’ve previously written, one of the many sacred joys of Creed II is watching the (mostly visualized) journey of Ivan and Viktor Drago. Early on, Ivan is shown almost mowing Viktor down with his van if Viktor isn’t willing to run faster and train harder. Stakes are sky high and the air they breathe is poisoned by perfectionism. It’s not winning they care about, it’s (ice cold) destruction. So this makes it all the more powerful when Ivan later changes his heart and throws in the towel to save his son. Their final image shows them walking side-by-side, together. Ivan has learned from previous failure and rejection that it is not wise to repeat the traumatic past. Along with the other redemptive variations of Fathers/Sons happening in Rocky V & VI, Creed I & II, a true foundation has been laid for hope and reconciliation. And remember that’s already built on the strength of Rocky’s original lose to win (death & resurrection) formula.

So I obviously found it confusing when Donnie just simply walks away after defeating Damien. They have their “moment” after the fight, which wasn’t quite confession, nor forgiveness - but they both acknowledged their seeming powerlessness (“It ain’t on you”) and suggested bygones. Instead of reconciliation (showing them together, integrated, as Integration is part of shadow work), Donnie seems content to literally “rise up” and move away from this guilt, like he’s no longer concerned with it or Dame. Although this appropriately visualizes Donnie’s personal journey with past guilt, it also seems to genuinely dehumanize Damien, as if he was just a prop. Even so, some of this still works as Creed III carries on the tradition of visualizing mirrors and even deepens “the toughest opponent is yourself” credo as Dame obviously represents Donnie’s shadow. But their lack of togetherness, integration is disturbing to me for two reasons…

1. This reminds me ALOT of Coogler’s Black Panther (2018), another ending I struggled with. In fact you can clearly see that Black Panther’s approach to T’Challa/Killmonger is essentially overlaid with Donnie/Damien. Was this originally conceived as a Creed sequel by Coogler? Or did Coogler’s brother Keenan (screenwriter on Creed III) simply extract it cause he thought it worked? Not sure, but here were my feelings/thoughts about Killmonger back in 2018…

Killmonger is fatally wounded by Black Panther in the final moments after a long chaotic mess of a fight scene. T'Challa brings him to the summit and offers compassion & hope..."We can still heal you." Killmonger, assuming the worst, replies, "Why, so you can lock me up!?" This is a good, but ultimately cynical and insecure question. T'Challa is unfortunately not given a chance to answer. Killmonger goes on, "...Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from ships, 'cause they knew death was better than bondage." I can't argue with his ancestors, but why are the screenwriters so intent on Killmonger being imprisoned by his anger and rejecting reconciliation with his own people? Is he not more than his victimized narrative? What about listening, healing, forgiveness, empowerment? What is honorable about suicide? Is the audience supposed to empathize with this decision? I hope not. Sounds like sympathy at best. Worse still, T'Challa, who prevented Whitey Zemo's suicidal attempt (in CA Civil War) because "the living aren't done with you yet" is somehow indifferent to intervention here with his own cousin (who obviously cannot see beyond his own emotional wounds and doesn't have the spiritual maturity to choose life). Why the sudden apathy? How much more redemptive would it have been if Erik Killmonger was with T'Challa and Shuri in Oakland to begin work on their first outreach center? Full circle in his own neighborhood? Seems like a glaring omission.

2. In addition to this Killmonger trigger (which I’ll come back to), I anticipated a whole other kind of “final fight” after Donnie’s Mom, in her death scene, encourages Donnie to “find another way” with Damien. This is obviously a core emotional climax in the film, so by then I was prepared for some type of Nic Cage “Pig” situation to possibly happen. Also suggestive of this, was Bianca’s constant challenge throughout the whole movie (up to this point) for Donnie to talk about his feelings - and for their daughter to learn how to manage conflict without punching her mean girl classmates. So naturally I was super confused when Bianca so easily agreed with Donnie’s choice to fight Dame, “cause that’s the only way he’ll listen”. Um, okay. The story really needed Bianca to stand her non-violent ground and create some real tension here, potentially putting Donnie into a darker, more conflicted space, where the relationship itself is at risk - and where “finding another way” seems even more necessary. Y’all feel me??

While I believe that Damien is treated a bit better than Killmonger (low bar), I obviously don’t understand the resistance to bring these intentionally humanized “villains” out of the darkness and fully into the LIGHT. (If you have a perspective on this, I would love to hear it) Especially when the writers/directors set it up so well to subvert our “villain” expectations, but then somehow just confirm powerless traumatic stereotypes?? Why must the political and psychological trump the spiritual? Wakanda seems like a spiritual place with spiritual traditions, and the Rocky/Creed saga is eucharistic in formula - so what am I missing? 

Is Dame more than just Donnie's Shadow?

Intriguingly, I found myself more drawn to Damien (especially during the second watch), as his story is more in line with the Rocky underdog narrative. Especially now that Donnie is presented as the Ralph Lauren version of Apollo, with excessive wealth and comfort, finally living up to his unfortunate nickname, Hollywood (something Donnie powerfully resisted and put at risk in the first Creed). Dame’s a more complicated character who has love and trust for Donnie, despite the experience of rejection and resentment. It’s only his impatience that pushes him towards manipulation to get his shot - and you can see the disappointment on Dame’s face when Donnie doesn’t celebrate with him after he beats Felix. Donnie looks offended, but Dame just wants to be loved and celebrated - despite the ugliness. I can understand that better than Donnie’s plush life high up in the Hills. Similarly, I found Killmonger more interesting than T’Challa.

(I’m being hard on Donnie, but I did connect with his relationship with his daughter and family) 

To MBJ’s credit, the Dame/Felix fight is one of my favorites in the entire saga! Not so much the final fight (or training montage), however, even though I did greatly appreciate the cinematic expressiveness of it. But the “inner fight” took like ten rounds, leaving the whole twelve feeling very flat overall. As compared to the Felix fight, which felt sinister, tense, ugly, and surprising - the stakes ultimately felt very low for the last fight. And knowing that Rocky and Donnie used to basically get beaten to death in the final fight, why is Donnie barely scratched in this one? I don’t understand that either. But much of this would have been easier to forgive if defeat had not been the last word for Dame. Maybe it won’t be, and who knows what the future holds? (although I held the same question for Killmonger, and, well, you know) I know MBJ has plans to expand the “Creedverse” in any way he can, for better or worse. Unfortunately this leaves us, even now, feeling like Creed III was more of an episode instead of a movie (the end of a trilogy no less!). All I’m sayin’ is, please don’t make it easy for us to separate Rocky as “cinema” and Creed III as “content”. You know???? ✌️

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