“Creed III” is the latest addition to the Creed film series and the Rocky saga as a whole. This time around, the main character faces his past. The movie stars Michael B. Jordan as Adonis, as well as Tessa Thompson as Bianca Creed and Jonathan Majors as Damian Anderson.

The film begins with a flashback sequence. A young Adonis sneaks out late on a school night to hang with his friend Damian so he can help him with a boxing match.

Adonis is in Damian’s corner to motivate, help and watch his friend win the amateur fight.

After the win, the two stop at the store, where the young Adonis sees someone from his past, and things go left. Damian pulls his gun to protect Adonis. When police arrive, Adonis runs and gets away, while Damian is caught and arrested.

Fast forward to the present: An adult Adonis runs into Damian, who has been in prison for 20 years. They catch up and have lunch. Damian recalls how he tried to contact Adonis with letters, but Adonis never received them. Damian proceeds to ask Adonis for a title shot. Adonis is forced to decide whether he thinks his friend is ready to fight or whether his choice will backfire.

From a fan’s perspective, the movie’s storyline resembles “Rocky III” from the Rocky Saga.

If you aren’t familiar with “Rocky III,” it is the film in which Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) and Clubber (Mr. T) had their showdown.

Clubber was also a fighter who was released from prison and demanded the title.

The only difference between them is that Adonis and Damian grew up as childhood friends.

The ongoing Creed series is an excellent replication of what made the Rocky series so special to the older generation. However, Rocky himself was not in this film because it didn’t fit Sylvester Stallone’s standards.

According to Screen Rant, Stallone said: “That’s a regretful situation because I know what it could have been. It was taken in a direction that is quite different than the one I would’ve taken it. It’s a different philosophy.”

Jordan makes his directorial debut with the film, bringing his perspective to a national stage. If you didn’t already know, Jordan is a big anime fan. In his debut, he professes his love for it as well. Some moviegoers have compared scenes of the film to the legendary anime series “Dragon Ball” and “Naruto.” The familiar angles are noticeable and brilliant to anime fans.

The part of the film that stood out to me the most was when the big fight happens. In parts of the fight, the film breaks down what Adonis and Damian are really fighting for. From trauma to bad experiences and abandonment, there is a deeper connection to both characters.

The only major flaw I found with the film was the pacing. The ending felt rushed and unrefined, but it wasn’t bad enough to destroy the whole film.

“Creed III” broke a domestic box office record by becoming the first sports film to gross over $100 million, according to Variety Magazine. “Creed III” is one of those movies viewers can predict but still enjoy. Movies like those are always classics.