Focus and Control: Creed III (2023) Review

Director: Michael B. Jordan

Notable Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris, Phylicia Rashad, Mila Davis-Kent, Jose Benavidez Jr, Selenis Leyva, Florian Munteanu 

 

One step. One punch. One round at a time. 

 

This mantra from the first Creed makes a brief appearance in the final act of Creed III. It’s a smooth callback to the original and it’s a small reminder of just how far this sub-series within the Rocky franchise has come in three films. Yes, it’s a phrase that has stuck with me since the first film, but hearing Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed mutter it under his breath prior to the big final match was a stark reminder of why this series has had potency in recent years. For a franchise with almost 50 years of material, Creed III is tackling legacy in such a smart way that even bringing back the mantra as thematic is potent. 

 

However, the problem that plagued the previous sequel was that the Creed series was still living in the shadow of its past. Creed II was less a sequel to its predecessor and more of a sequel to Rocky IV. Fun, yes, but it’s a problem that Creed III needed to address. Creed needed to step out from the shadows of the past and into the future, both as a character and as a film series. 

 

This is the first reason why Creed III finds success. The series attempts to alter the course by pulling as far away from Rocky as possible. Yes, Rocky’s mantra makes an appearance and Sly Stallone’s Italian Stallion is mentioned briefly, but this entry is making the intelligent maneuver of leaning away from Rocky’s lore as a basis and finding its own lore to create. Although it is still hard to beat the coming-of-age and rise to glory of the original Creed, Creed III is a large step up from its predecessor and finds an incredible balance of entertainment, heart, and a new vision for the franchise's future. 

 

Throw Down (2004)

Director: Johnnie To

Notable Cast: Louis Koo, Aaron Kwok, Cherrie Ying, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Jordan Chan, Eddie Cheung, Calvin Choi

It’s always a good day at the Blood Brothers offices when there is a new Johnnie To Blu Ray release. It’s even better when it’s one of his often-forgotten films like Throw Down. The icing on the cake happens to be when it’s a Masters of Cinema release from Eureka. While Johnnie To remains one of my favorite directors, this genre shifty film from Hong Kong’s Godfather of the modern auteur is one that has not made it into my collection until this latest release. I was missing out. For all of you out there that have seen it before, I’m ashamed that you haven’t peer pressured me into seeking this film out before. Nonetheless, the sin has been forgiven, and Throw Down remains a true hidden gem in his filmography. Featuring an entire battalion of memorable performances, a bevy of fantastic set pieces, and a bold and fascinating salad of genres, this film is an artful and wholly entertaining cinematic experience that showcases all of the intriguing elements of a Johnnie To film in one package. 

When a young and hotheaded Judo fighter, played with an invigorated energy by Aaron Kwok, arrives at a small night lounge, he unwittingly finds himself embroiled in the strange life of a down and out Judo champion, Sze-to Bo, played by Louis Koo. The latter is in debt and a drunk, but the combination of this young fighter and a down and out singer, in a blissfully charming performance from Cherrie Ying, could give him the courage to find his way again. 

Unchain (2000)

Director: Toshiaki Toyoda

Cast: Kaji 'Unchain' Toshiro, Nagaishi, Koji Chihara (narration)

Documentaries on boxing, and even fictional accounts of the sport told on film are something I've always been intrigued by, so it comes with no surprise, when Third Window Films announced they would be including Unchain in their box set for Toyoda, I became quickly excited. Going into Unchain, other than knowing the sport on which its real life characters were shaped by, I knew nothing upon viewing, which is nice.

There isn't a ton to the story to be honest, though it focuses on multiple people. Unchain Kaji, is a young, blistering spirit with the heart of a boxer. He isn't very great, albeit he is greatly determined. After being beaten on numerous occasion (every time, aside from a couple of draws I believe), Unchain never won a match, and to worsen things, his eyes suffered from nerve paralysis cause by the sport he loved. 3 other boxers, all linked to Kaji, have their stories told, and how they connect with him and they all went through together, how boxing (and variations: kick boxing, shoot boxing) made them who they were.

Unchain Kaji

For at least half of the film, I must admit, I didn't care for these characters too much, and maybe not very much walking away after it was all said and done, but I will not deny how fascinating and intriguing these beings were. They are all sort of losers in their own ways, but the testosterone driven lives led them all down very different paths. Kaji seems like a sweet guy, but his fists caused him more trouble and heartache than most would ever want to go through, yet he continues to be passionate for his art. I may not (definitely not) agree with his life choices, but his determination, is very admirable and worth applauding.

There admittedly isn't a ton to say on this one, but those interested in boxing will find something to hold on to. It is very engaging and you are getting to see these bizarre people being captured in a close and very real manner. Toyoda captured the essence of these boxers and their lives, and he nails it quite well. There isn't really much of an arc for any of them, save for Kaji, and he is sort of the same guy at the end that he was at the beginning, which may be the point, but I digress.

Boxing at its most personal.

I do like some of the stylized shots and the way some of the flash editing and sound designs heighten the imagery and narration being thrown towards you at breakneck speed. It's very stylish, but seems to reflect the inner (and outer) nature of these loud, and proud fighters. The slow-motion present in Pornostar, which technically was shot after this, is scattered about here and used to similar effect, and works every time. Entire boxing matches are presented here, in a plethora of angles, from ringside wide, and most effectively a camera (handheld) which I am assuming Toyoda was holding from right beside the ring. It's low, and tracks the boxers effectively, providing quite a bit of depth to the psychological state they are in, and unlike most boxing films, most of these matches don't end very triumphantly.

In the end, I quite enjoyed Unchain and it's real, no b.s approach. It's simply about some boxers and their lives, in which intertwine together quite well. It's peppered with just the right amount of style, and spirit. I wasn't standing up and cheering, but I vicariously watched like a hawk from the ringside. Odd characters and plenty of boxing, Unchain may lack the oomph of other works in the genre, but it most certainly holds its own in the ring.

Written by Josh Parmer

100 Yen Love (2014)

Director: Masaharu Take

Notable Cast: Sakura Ando, Hirofumi Arai, Shinichiro Matsuura, Miyoko Inagawa, Saori Koide, Yozaburo Ito

Even though I wouldn't call myself a boxing cinema aficionado, I am very in to, and possibly even a sucker for, boxing films. That doesn't mean I think they are all good. In fact, I am not really a big fan of the Rocky franchise (save the 1st, and Balboa... still meaning to see Creed), but the world of boxing through movies, is something I've always been fascinated by, and very much look forward to diving back into whenever the opportunity presents itself. 100 Yen Love was the opportunity this time around, and I am very glad I took it.

Kung Fu Dunk (2008)

After surprising me with his acting chops in "Curse Of The Golden Flower" and then seeing him back to back in "True Legend" and "The Green Hornet", Jay Chou is started to become an interest of mine. The guy is a popular singer/songwriter in China and his acting career seems to be launching like a rocket, so when the opportunity to review the comedy action of "Kung Fu Dunk" the chance had to be taken up. Although its blend of over the top humor and over the top martial arts action is heavily pulled from Stephen Chow films (see "Shaolin Soccer"), the film lacks a bit of cohesiveness that would make it work like it needed. It relies on the charm of its lead and goofiness of its story to sell itself and at times it's enough to get through, but its not enough to truly send this film soaring like the dunks in its basketball sequences.

 Fang Shijie (Chou) was abandoned by a basketball court as a child. Upon discovery, he is raised in a temple of kung fu masters, where his masters and teachers find his defiant ways unsettling as a grows older despite his talent at light footed kung fu. While helping a new found friend Uncle Li (Tsang) fight off some collectors at a night club, Shijie is expelled from school and is forced to rely on Uncle Li in the real world. Together they come up with a plan...use his kung fu light feet and accuracy to earn his way as a basketball star at a university and hopefully find his parents in the mean time.

"Forget about "Green Hornet" or I'll punch you til you forget!"

On the positive side, "Kung Fu Dunk" is a lot of fun. It's packed to the brim with caricatures as characters, slap stick comedy, and super goofy and entertaining action. The basketball sequences are delightfully complex in their ridiculousness as multiple players launch six or seven feet into the air for ally-oops or shots are made flawlessly from half court and the outrageousness of the what goes down within these sequences (full on kung fu battles with robed masters of wind, needles, and anti-gravity movement? Why the hell not?) is hard not to keep one without a smile on their face. The obvious underlying message of how media treats "sports stars" is prevalent and worthy enough to give the movie a little bit of a deeper meaning and a strong mentor/mentee relationship portrays the cliche sport film nicely. "Kung Fu Dunk" is simply a visual treat of humor and cartoon like comedy that fans of Stephen Chow will love.

Inspiration from "NBA Jam"?

The major issues of "Kung Fu Dunk" are not the fun moments it can pop out, but rather the way it goes about it all. The structure and balance of the film do not flow at all. It's almost like a film whose attention span is as out of control as its characters as it leaps from scene to scene, breaking its own rules and throwing in elements that are never fully developed. A romantic subplot seems very relevant throughout the first two-thirds only to have a resolution tacked onto the ending. The search for his parents is underdeveloped for its final moments to pack the punch they need. The supporting cast of his teammates is fun, but rarely embraced in the writing. Even the reincorporated "ability to bend particles and time" comes out of the blue to give us a twist at the that makes not a lick of sense. This screws with the balance of seriousness and humor in the film (particularly when it comes to our lead's character growth in his search for parents) and it leaves the film feeling more hollow than expected.

Eric Tsang in one of his wide variety of roles.

For Jay Chou, its a wonderful experiment to see how he pulls off comedy in a larger film setting (which his soft spoken character does often enough with finesse) and the supporting cast of caricatures and ridiculous action sequences make "Kung Fu Dunk" a blast to watch if one is in the mood for goofy humor. Although the film suffers from unbalanced flow and choppy structure, it grew on me with its charming moments. Not great by any means, but a fun watch for those willing to set aside the constraints of reality.

BLOODY BONUS FEATURES
The Well Go USA release of "Kung Fu Dunk" may not be packed to the gills with features, but they do add onto the experience. Behind the scenes and interviews really bring to life some of the decisions made for the film (particularly when it comes to how complex the action set pieces are) and are well worth the watch for those who even enjoyed the film a little bit.

Written By Matt Reifschneider

Fighter, The (2010) - 4/5

Sports movies aren't necessarily my thing. Outside of the "Rocky" series and anything concerning football, I normally just don't really get into them. "The Fighter" earned so many accolades though that it simply had to be seen to see if the slew of Academy Award nominations was legitimate. They were. "The Fighter" is a film that is gritty and emotional with its execution on screen riveting for the audience. With an amazingly well casted acting ensemble and a director that ably brings the boxing film to modern style, this film is out to impress. Unfortunately, the script is rather predictable and by the numbers and brings the film down from a five rating to a four.

Micky (Wahlberg) and his psuedo-famous ex-boxer brother Dicky (Bale) have been training together all their lives. With their mother (Leo) as Micky's manager, he has been struggling to find himself working up in the boxing world. He fights in fights he shouldn't and his record is questionable at best. When his brother is thrown in prison and gets his brother's hand broken, Micky - with the help of new found support in his girlfriend (Adams) - decides to rift himself from his family and find new management to help get his career on track.

The number one reason to see this film: the acting. Wow. This almost makes one forget that Wahlberg was in "The Happening" (almost). He certainly does a hell of a job as the lead and carries a lot of the emotional vigor that thsi movie requires to work. That's why its almost a shame that he is almost completely overshadowed by his supporting cast. Bale and Leo earned their Academy Awards here and even Adams sports one of her best performances. Partner this with David O. Russell's pseudo-documentary style directing (including fight shots that look realistically like television shots of fights) and this film feels real.

The main problem with "The Fighter" is how it plot progresses. It feels rather cliche. Despite its setting and low life supporting characters, it's a basic 'rise to glory' tale for a boxer looking to make a name for himself. The dialogue is strong and the character work even stronger, but its predictable in the end. If not for the stellar on/off camera work by the cast and director, I would venture to guess "The Fighter" would have been pretty boring.

"The Fighter" certainly earned many of the accolades it won - particularly for Bale and Leo - but its not quite the film to leap up the ranks to be grouped with "Raging Bull" or "Rocky" due to some plot basics. For sports film fans, its a must see and even for the rest of us its at least worth the watch for some great performances.

Written By Matt Reifschneider