Creed III review – This film struggles to stand confidently on its own feet

Creed III

(12A) 117 mins

★★☆☆☆

EVERYONE loves an underdog story.

And when 2016’s Creed dragged an over-the-hill Rocky franchise off the ropes, it proved there was life in the old dog yet.

The swaggering reboot — and its 2018 sequel — saw Sylvester Stallone poignantly handing over his gloves to Michael B Jordan’s amateur boxer Adonis Creed.

But with the torch now passed, this third instalment struggles to stand confidently on its own feet.

After defending his heavy-weight crown one last time, we rejoin Adonis in happy retirement in LA.

But this bliss is shattered as childhood pal Damian (Jonathan Majors) pops by — fresh from 18 years in jail.

Loneliest man

Despite his ageing years, the former boxing prodigy makes no bones: “I want to be the champ.”

In true Rocky style, the stars align for him in ridiculous fashion.

But in a week where millions tuned in to see Love Island reject Tommy Fury and YouTuber Jake Paul duke it out, maybe it’s not so far-fetched.

If it is anxiety-inducing fight scenes you want, Creed III won’t disappoint.

Making his directorial debut, Jordan shows plenty of visual flair, even taking inspiration from anime to shake up the slug-fests.

Away from the ring, though, a surprisingly clunky story from Ryan Coogler — who master-minded the first film — makes a fist of it.

As they struggle to tame their difficult daughter, Adonis’s chemistry with pop star wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) is lost in a tired game of parental bingo.

Majors’ brooding Damian is almost a fascinating antagonist.

Walking into the spotlight, he looks like the loneliest man in the world and you root for him.

But once the usual Rocky tropes kick in things revert to type, as though everyone suddenly remembered we need a villain.

There’s no Stallone this time — reportedly fuelled by a beef with producer Irwin Winkler.

His absence is glossed over, awkwardly mentioned like a distant uncle you must invite to the wedding.

And that’s the problem.

The Rocky behemoth may be out of sight, but is not out of mind.

In one corner, a nuanced psychological drama with modern ideas.

In the other, a decades-old beast that falls back on clips of grown men punching trees and pulling biplanes on their shoulders.

It’s time for Creed to put Rocky to bed.

Down, but not out.

Fashion Reimagined

(12A) 92 mins

★★★☆☆

YVES Saint Laurent said: “Over the years I have learned that what is important in a dress is the woman who is wearing it.”

Brit designer Amy Powney, head of fashion brand Mother of Pearl, proves him right.

And Amy and her fight to make fashion sustainable are the subject of director Becky Hutner’s documentary.

Clothes are seen as disposable in this modern age – so much so that if the fashion industry was a country, it would be the third-biggest polluter after China and the US.

Three out of five items of clothing end up in landfill within a year of purchase.

Unlike most top designers, Amy’s back-ground is not one of glamour and connections – she grew up in a caravan with no water or electricity.

And certainly no extensive wardrobe.

But this made her closer to nature, and to want to stop us humans destroying the world through vanity – leading to her “no Frills” sustainable clothing line.

While much of this film is fascinating, there’s too many sections that can feel like a different language to a fashion layman.

A bit too preachy, but still very on trend.

Close

(12A) 104mins

★★★★☆

A TALE of growing up, growing apart and grief, director Lukas Dhont’s Close sees young Belgian actor Eden Dambrine give a powerful performance as 13-year-old Leo.

Sporty, boisterous Leo and shy, sensitive Remi (Gustav de Waele) are as close as brothers.

But when the best friends start secondary school, Leo becomes uncomfortable with the intensity of their bond and how others perceive it.

He pushes Remi away, preferring new company.

But it will lead to devastating consequences.

Beautifully shot, the sun-dappled Flemish flower fields perfectly capture the sense of enjoyment the boys have, with long, carefree days of playing and riding bikes together.

But they then become the backdrop to sudden nostalgia for an irreversible loss of innocence.

Although one-dimensional in places, this is a sensitive, tender and heartbreaking tale of consequences, lives changed for ever and an emotional and anguished yearning for the things we leave unsaid.