For his directorial debut, star Michael B. Jordan dips back to Rocky III for the “challenger from the streets vs. civilized/retiring champion” story (plus a little “rebounding from personal loss”), and also back to the original Rocky for the “give a bum a chance” bit, mashing them together into the thoroughly imposing figure of Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors, once again classing up the joint), Creed’s childhood friend and inspiration. The two did time in a home together way back when, but went their separate — and deeply disparate — ways, thanks to a bit of unlucky, impulsive violence and the disapproving eye of those in charge. Now they’re on a collision course…eventually. First, there’s a proxy fight to arrange, plus a couple of time-killer detours into family life. Darling deaf daughter gets into a fight with a mean girl at school, and maybe there’s something to be learned there, some larger lesson for our hero about how “you can’t just punch you way through life.” But wait — no, no there isn’t. Ditto the seemingly significant line about how Creed “can find another way.” Ditto the bit about turning his deficiencies into advantages. It turns out what really matters is letting go of whatever was and walking into what is. Who knew boxing was so mindful? The two Final Fight combatants are fearsome and beautiful to behold, and Jordan does his best to get visually creative with the big finale, but there’s more drama in the training montage — possibly because it’s the only place where his character feels vincible. (2023) — Matthew Lickona