Creed II (2018) User Reviews

We Need a Viktor and Ivan Drago Spin Off

[AGood · 7/10 · 23 February 2020]

This movie is not as good as the first Creed. It felt like a remake of Rocky 3 and was just too formulaic. However what made the movie for me was the final scenes where my appreciation of the movie changed by simply seeing the final round from the perspective of the Dragos and the aftermath of the fight with the Drago's.

Adonis is done for, his story arc is ove and I don't want there to be more for him. He is happy and complete. Rocky's story is now done too. But Ivan and Viktor Drago were the only interesting people in this movie. And I simply want to see what happens to them both now after this ending.

I want to see them pick up the pieces and be successful. They've earned it after the ending which was unheard of in a movie of this type.

Please Sly and Dolph make it happen.

Weak all over

[arabnikita · 5/10 · 27 November 2018]

Creed 2 (my personal 3 key points):

*A boxing movie with 10 minutes of boxing+training and 2 hours of talking and deciding things.

*Nearly a copy paste of Rocky 4 and if you thought that that fight was unrealistic, wait for this one.

*When Rocky was fighting in his movies even against a Russian I wholeheartedly wanted him to win because he came from nothing, struggled and had spirit. Adonis acts like boxing is his hobby, I just cant feel for him.

I cant say more without spoiling... But very weak overall

Back to the ring

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 7 December 2018]

Sylvester Stallone did not write Creed but returns as co-writer for Creed II.

Although this is a semi sequel to Rocky IV, the plot is really inspired by Rocky III.

Adonis Creed (Michael B Jordan) has become heavyweight champion of the world. Bianca (Tessa Thompson) is pregnant. They move to LA so Bianca can kick start her singing career.

However there is a cloud on the horizon. A canny boxing promoter has signed up knockout machine Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu,) son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) the man who killed Apollo Creed in an exhibition match.

Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) warns Adonos not to go for the fight. Just as Mickey knew that Rocky was no match for Clubber Lang, Rocky knows that despite his rawness Viktor is lethal.

Adonos refuses to listen to Rocky and takes up the challenge to avenge his father's death. However the Dragos are fighting to restore their pride after Ivan's loss to Rocky which left him being treated like a dog.

The film has some nice small touches such as Viktor's mother making a self serving appearance. Ivan although maybe not showing remorse, is haunted by the events of Rocky IV. He lost everything and this is a chance for redemption. Dolph Lundgren always a better actor when he is given the right material displays a presence even though most of his dialogue is in Russian.

Stallone too shows the right beat as Rocky is kept as support to Adonis, although he is never out of the picture for long.

Director Steven Caple Jr balances the boxing scenes with an emotional story such as Adonis's baby at risk of being born deaf.

Great: continues in the same vein as the first movie

[grantss · 8/10 · 4 December 2019]

Adonis Creed is heavyweight champion of the world. To defend his title, he accepts a challenge from someone with a very close connection to Creed: Viktor Drago, the son of Ivan Drago, the man who killed Creed's father Apollo in the ring. Ivan is coaching his son and is determined to win the belt that Rocky took from him. Viktor Drago is unstoppable and Creed's odds against him are slim.

To my surprise, I enjoyed the first Creed movie. I was never a fan of the Rocky movies and I figured Creed was just going to be Rocky rebooted.

Turns out it was better than that. Rather than style over substance it had character depth and good plot development. The characters were engaging and the story was interesting.

Creed II continues in the same vein with an interesting plot and decently drawn characters. Maybe not as engaging as the first movie, but the intrigue of the David vs Goliath battle between Creed and Drago makes up for that.

Like the first Creed, this movie ties in with a Rocky storyline, so once again we have a refreshing of the Rocky story and a handing over to the new Rocky, Creed.

Drago(nian) measures

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 8 May 2019]

The uber villain from the Rocky franchises returns. Whoever watched the original Rocky movies will not forget Ivan Drago - also known as Dolph Lundgren in real life with an amazing performance that is literally as 1 dimensional as possible and still or rather because of that is in one of the best Rocky movies made. So it makes sense for him to return here and to reprise his iconic role, training his son to take on Creed.

Dumbing down again (evil as evil can be), he brings gravitas to the movie. Which does not quite reach the heights of the first Creed, but still is quite enjoyable. Especially with all the history contained in the movie. This should be a worthy closure to the Rocky saga - but you never know, do you?

"If you wanna give pain, you gotta be willing to take the pain."

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 3 May 2019]

For me, "Rocky IV" was the low point for the movie franchise, being it was cobbled together with a bunch of scenes from the prior three movies, loaded up with a resounding soundtrack, and having what I consider some of the most cliched dialog you'll ever find in any film. Oddly, "Creed II" follows some of the same pattern as 'IV', but works in a much more effective way by delivering new takes on the boxing angles and providing a human dimension to Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) and his relationship with wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson). Perhaps the most obvious similarity to "Rocky IV" was the desert training scenes that mimic Rocky's (Sylvester Stallone) intense preparation for the Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) match in the Russian countryside. That to be contrasted with Viktor Drago's more polished training regimen under the tutelage of his father, maybe not as technologically monitored as in the earlier film, but enough to demonstrate a contrast between the two fighters.

For whatever reason, it seemed to me like the actual fight scenes and the buildup to them were rushed in this picture. I had to watch the movie in two separate installments because of time constraints, so that might have affected my thinking. Given all the emotional significance attached to the importance of a Russian victory, both personal for Viktor and for the country's prestige, I thought it was out of character for Ivan Drago to end the match by the throwing in the towel for his son. However it did appear that Viktor's resolve to continue the fight crumbled when he noticed the empty arena seat vacated by his mother (Brigitte Nielsen), who left early rather than endure the despair of her son's defeat. That would also have played into his father's decision to end the bout.

Now that the Rocky franchise has spanned more than four decades since the original movie back in 1976, one would think it would be high time to call it quits, but I wouldn't bet on it. Adonis Creed is still the World Heavyweight Champ with additional challenges to face, and there's still that issue of baby daughter Amara's hearing left unresolved. That could have been successfully handled here, but if it can contribute to yet another sequel, then I guess, why not?

Cure for insomnia

[magnum-ajt · 3/10 · 14 February 2019]

I never thought a movie with Rocky Balboa could ever be so boring. I was excited about the premise but the movie fell way flat.

Shows how many fake reviews are out there

[dtnmusic · 3/10 · 11 December 2018]

Very MINOR spoilers. First of all, take a look at all the recent 10/10 reviews, and it still sits at 7.8. Do the math. Sad that studio's do that. Anyways, very lame story, way too much forced drama outside the ring. Infact, this is hardly a boxing boxing, it's days of our lives with a few fights in between. I almost walked out 2 or 3 times. 2 people actually did, out of 10. Basically every situation was forced and/or not believable, in a bad way. Next, Michael B Jordan does a horrible job of being the heavyweight champion of the world. Such a pansy throughout, in the ring, and outside. Get this, even as the son of Apollo Creed, even as the champion of the world, he has not one friend or entourage member. Reeeeally. All I kept thinking was, THIS guy is the same status/level as Mike Tyson was? This pansy who has no friends, no money, and goes to a diner with his girl after winning the belt? And the patrons, sort of care he's there? Oh and his woman, who sells out the Fillmore as a singer, doesn't get recognized by the black crowd. Cool. Don't get me started about her singing performance while walking Creed into the ring at one point. Ugg. I'm gonna get writer's cramp. I'm out.

So predictable

[andymclennan · 4/10 · 13 February 2019]

I really enjoyed the first film, but this one is so predictable and derivative, they've clearly run out of ideas.

The training and fight sequences (which make a Rocky movie a Rocky movie) only make up a short percentage of the running time. In between those sequences is where this really suffers - "Mr and Mrs Creed" are no Rocky and Adrian.

The fights are decent enough but it's all too predictable. Time to let this franchise die with dignity.

Disappointing rehash

[colinozz · 3/10 · 2 December 2018]

I love rocky but this movie was slow and predictable, and it made me feel old...

Dissapointment!

[rishabhsinha2611 · 5/10 · 5 December 2018]

Some poeple really liked it. But i guess i was expecting way too much from the film. The trailer was brilliant. And creed 1 was a much superior film. The film lacked soul. Everything seemed superficial and predicitable. Even the fight in the end was sort of a 10min montage. The Rocky series is known for its background scores, gritty action and is motivating. Creed is just a film without a backbone.

BARELY CREEDIBLE

[MadamWarden · 5/10 · 18 May 2020]

So so, remake of every Rocky movie ever made. Those are a lot of movies. I was rooting for Viktor.

Not what I expected

[psychotico · 2/10 · 13 February 2019]

The first fight was better than the second fight. Adonis ribs are broken again and he fights as if they weren't broken... very unrealistic and stupid hollywood fantasy. Makes me sympathize more with Drago, no moral in the end, Russians made to look bad for the second time, guess it's easy when they are presented by non-russian actors.

acting was so poor and forced

[Neptune165 · 4/10 · 10 January 2022]

This movie was corny as all hell, maudlin...the story could have been good, but getting into the 2nd half of the movie it felt like all nuance left the building and it was just way too heavy handed. I was sitting at a C grade heading into the final fight, and ended up at a D+. "Break him" became a literal action? The ref asking him what his name was to over to top cornball effect? This movie was trying way too hard. The Drago's were the best part of the movie...the rest felt pretty blah to me.

Must be a mistake

[krzysiektom · 2/10 · 24 November 2018]

Maybe i watched a different movie, because i cannot believe how good or even raving reviews this one is getting. I have found Creed II disappointing, with a simplistic and predictable script, full of cliches. At least the boxing and training parts should be good, but they weren't either. The boxing in this film seems more like street fighting, with boxers landing more clean punches within the first minute of the fight than Mayweather jr or even Tyson in his heyday could in entire 12 rounds. Completely unrealistic. And training for such an important fight in a desert? Please. The film doesnt say anything honest about the boxing business, we see here a successful US boxer living like a recluse, in a mediocre apartament, surrounded only by his one loyal aide and his wife, what about the usual entourage and swarm of people like masseurs, coaches, media assistants and publicists, financial advisers and groupies? What about the money and the financial motivations? Every top boxing fight is basically about earning millions of USD, in the real world. It is a simple film for the naive audience. OK if it was at least entertaining, but nope.

Completely unnecessary.

[DomNickson843 · 4 December 2018]

This film is completely unnecessary just like the first movie. Adonis Creed is such a lame, cocky, unlikable character. In every fight scene he gives off that "Jerkface" vibe. I mean even the opponents in the first creed are rediculous and unmemorable. Everytime I saw the first ones trailer I was like, "Why did you make such a cash grab of a series?" It was basically a cloned tumor leaching off the success of the brilliantly written Rocky series. It wanted to be Rocky so bad but it sucked!

Then I heard about this sequel and I couldn't help but feel that this movie could of worked if they presented it in a way as if Adonis was going to join his father Apollo's side six feet under. I think that maybe if they built Drago's son up like they did in Rocky IV they would of had the suspence they needed to pull it off. However, Drago's son doesn't have too much build up because this film is focused more on Rocky and Drago's past. These two stole the show even if they weren't trying to.

The ups for this film: The old school cast reunites. Other than that everything is overdone and honestly makes me rather watch Rocky IV again.

Protagonist has no arc and an emotional development of 9-year old. I was rooting for Drago in this one.

[tomek-sulkowski · 5/10 · 4 December 2018]

Seriously, Adonis has shown nothing but how needy and insecure he is. I didn't buy his change at all and really couldn't feel what was he supposedly fighting for in that last fight. Yeah he had a kid in a meantime, but he remained the same selfish brat.

Both Dragos were FAR more interesting. Victor being this kinda confused brute, and Ivan having an actual arc: from using his son and manipulating him for any cost to gain back the approval of the wife and Russia, to accepting that it's the son who is important to him now, and spending time training (running scene) with him back in Ukraine by the end.

If this was a setup for Drago spin-off then kudos, I'm interested!

Watching the dilemmas of Adonis I caught myself rolling my eyes twice or thrice, and I'm not the rolling-eyes type. I seriously feel the need now to watch a GOOD fighting movie now to see if I haven't lost it and just stopped liking these, because I just don't get all the praises this movie gets.

Living up once again to it's 40 year legacy

[Robert_duder · 9/10 · 24 November 2018]

Creed breathed new live into the Rocky franchise because it's less about Rocky and far more about Adonnis Creed. The best thing about Creed II is that it focuses so heavily on father and son relationships and what that means in three very different circumstances. Rocky and his son are estranged and Rocky doesn't know how to reach out to him and there is that father-son relationship between Rocky and Adonnis. You have Adonnis and Apollo, the son trying to live up to his father's legendary status but now also avenge his death and you have Ivan Drago and his son where he has raised this child in the shadow of his own failure. Rocky IV is generally considered the highlight of that franchise and certainly his greatest battle and this being a direct sequel to that makes Rocky fans happy and fans of the new Creed storyline happy to. It has deep drama and story, incredible action and intense performances. The scene where Drago and Rocky meet in Rocky's restaurant is complete perfection.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about Michael B Jordan taking over the Rocky franchise and whether I could ever buy him as the underdog boxer that I would root for. Creed was good but I still wasn't sure. I'm no longer unsure. Jordan completely owns this role and proves himself fully. He leads this film with great power and intensity. Sylvester Stallone returns as Adonnis' mentor and trainer Rocky Balboa. He takes even more of a secondary position in the film but enough that fans will still love seeing him back in the role but doesn't get in the way of the main story. Dolph Lundgren is incredible in this film. This might actually be his best role he's ever had period. In Rocky IV he was a machine that was meant to be a steel monster but now we see his humanity and what the loss has done for him and how he's trained his son. He is literally the highlight of this movie. Equally as impressive is Florian Munteanu who plays Drago Junior. He captures that steel monster that his father once was but he plays so much drama and intensity in his expressions. There is a scene with him and his father at a dinner table where you literally see him looking for approval. Tessa Thompson also returns as Bianca and gets even more screen time and an even better role than the first. Her and Jordan have good chemistry and I wasn't sure about her either until this movie. Phylicia Rashad also returns in a larger role as Adonnis' mother and gets some really solid screen time.



Steven Caple Jr. had a big job ahead of him. He's a virtual unknown director taking over for someone who got fans and critics on their side with the first Creed. I was worried this was a mistake bringing on a director with little experience but he captures this story and takes what Creed started and vaults it into the stratosphere. He packs almost too much into one film but it harkens back to the great Rocky films, pays homage to that but hyper focuses on Creed and that new legacy. Creed II is as good as the best from this franchise and ensures we get more in the future. Watching my idol (Stallone) hit the big screen yet again was an unforgettable experience. 9/10

Delivers the Kind of Punch You Expect

[MJL_Uncensored · 9/10 · 24 November 2018]

You have to give Sylvester Stallone credit--he has a gift for remixing the same movie over and over and again and making you actually care. Maybe it's because he focuses on the one thing that matters most in storytelling: compelling characters. And Creed II is full of them.

First, there's Adonis (Michael B. Jordan), the brooding, bratty, world champion with a chip on his shoulder. There's Rocky (Sylvester Stallone), the downtrodden wise sage who only recognizes his role in things when the chips are down. There's Bianca Taylor, a talented singer suffering from hearing loss and her love for a self-destructive boxer. There's Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad), the weary widow of Apollo Creed who is consistently forced to check her man-child son, and then there are the villains. Ivan and Victor Drago (Dolph Lundgren and Florian Munteanu), the Russian outcasts seeking redemption for the failures of Ivan Drago. Everyone has a purpose in this film, and everyone has a place in moving the narrative forward: avenging the actions of Rocky IV.

This is a straight-up reboot of a Cold War classic, complete with the final match taking place in Russia. You know what to expect. The challenge from Ivan's son is the kind of storybook rematch the sports world loves. You know Creed has to take the fight to prove himself. And you know at some point, Victor Drago will get the better of him, setting us up for a training montage that never seems to get old. You see, when Rocky IV was released, it wasn't just a boxing film, it was practically a propaganda film about the superiority of American values and ideals. In Creed II, it's not about the country--it's personal. It's about discovering what matters most to you in your career and your own life. And as cliched as that may all sound, it works amazingly well in this film, thanks in part to the strength of the movies character development, phenomenal actors who keep the theatrical bits grounded and brilliant fight choreography and cinematography to settle scores.

I'll be straight with you, we shouldn't like Adonis Creed, but we do. He's a temperamental grown man baby that even knocks himself in the movie for "acting like a b---h." We shouldn't care about Victor Drago--he's a carbon copy of his android like father Ivan and barely has enough dialogue earn a film credit. But we do because we know that his father is living through him. The once powerful Ivan is an outcast in his homeland, and Victor's mother walked out on both of them because she has no respect for losers, so they're surprisingly sympathetic characters in their quest to be menacing. And we shouldn't care about Rocky's meandering ruminations about putting family over boxing when at no point in his career, did he ever do the same. Yet somehow this movie manages to make you care because the film understands that it's real power are in those small reflective moments building up to the fight. Moments like Creed's return to the local cheesesteak house and being welcomed by the fans who urge him to take the battle against Drago. Moments like Bianca and Adonis laying on the floor together like they did in the first film pondering their relationship and what Adonis's decision means for them. It's moments like Rocky pondering the broken relationship he has with his own son and trying to figure out if he dares to make amends. This is the glue that holds these films together--putting family above career and ego. And when it finally comes time to fight, your emotions are so heavily invested in the outcome that you'll find yourself (as did my audience) verbally cheering on Adonis Creed.

And in the end, it's the smallest of gestures by Sylvester Stallone (which I won't spoil) that lets you know that Rocky Balboa has nothing left to give and it is now Adonis Creed's time to shine in whatever sequel they have planned for us. Creed II a great time at the movies, even if it's a predictable one.

Rocky IV remake??

[kevxzara · 5/10 · 13 February 2019]

Seemed a little lazy in story telling it felt like rocky IV with a twist and character change, not a bad movie but the writers etc should remember it's called CREED not ROCKY. It was to much of the same as rocky movies just because stallone is to old to make more rockys they just felt they would make a rocky film but call it creed 2 instead with a different fighter. I was dissapointed in the movie really just for the laziness of story because there was no story as the story was already there in rocky IV. Wait for creed 3 and then 4 and then 5 just like rocky films on and on but rocky was a classic creed is not.

Maybe the protagonists and antagonists should change places.

[slhaokippublic · 1/10 · 16 February 2019]

Oh man.

We kind of expected it to follow a formulaic plot where the hero loses and then wins in the end. But what this movie does to fill out the in-betweens is so crammed full of cliches you couldn't fit in a fart even if you wanted to.

I actually rooted for the Drago father-son duo. Accidental? Not so much. We've a protagonist who is very unlikeable. Just because he's the lead doesn't mean we must like him automatically. He comes across as unsympathetic. In this second installment he just comes across as a spoiled brat.

And what's up with the wife? They just had a child and she feels the need to "get out of the house" and go to the studio or something. Do new mothers relate to that? Cos that was a huge talking point among the group of friends i went to see the movie with, mostly friends of my wife. I think that happened so that we could have that scene of Adonis alone with his child but there could've been better ways to bring that about. The story writers gave her this hearing-impairement issue which is passed on to their daughter, maybe to make her more sympathetic. But it doesn't elicit that response. And her singing as her husband walks towards the ring was so cringeworthy. It even ended abruptly. She had her music and that could've been written into the story better.

As for Ivan and Victor, they were the true underdogs in this movie. A father fallen from grace, left by his wife and abandoned by his country, living vicariously through his son's victories, looking for redemption. The movie tries to portray Victor as a brute with barely a line the entire movie but this relationship had potential for so much more friction between a father driving his son to serve his own needs and a son who's a man in his own right who could've had interesting clashes with his father. But no, the movie needs us to root for the heroes so apart from their training montages we rarely see much of the Drago's relationship.

And the Russians. The wife and entourage stand up and walk out before the match is over. And the son and father lose heart. I get that Ivan's point this whole time has been to get his ex-wife's approval/respect and his country's acceptance again but that story is so poorly written it just doesn't hit. With a runtime of over two hours, they should've done better.

The fight scenes are also poorly choreographed and edited it looks uninteresting. Maybe an actor more the size of Adonis for a better suited match would've been interesting. To make Victor that much more bigger for the sake of villanous threat was a mismatch.

I actually wanted Victor to win. The movie was that bad.

IVk

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 21 November 2018]

Greetings again from the darkness. The theatre was packed and I don't recall having heard a louder outburst of cheering for any movie moment. Was it predictable? Yes. Did it deliver what the fans wanted? Absolutely. Is it (as my son asked) "ROCKY IV in 4K?" Yes, that's pretty much exactly what it is. So despite CREED (2015) director Ryan Coogler opting to make BLACK PANTHER instead of this sequel to his own movie, I've seen proof that it's clearly a crowd-pleaser ... which is what the "Rocky" franchise has always done best.

Michael B Jordan returns as Adonis Johnson/Creed and Sylvester Stallone is back as Rocky Balboa. And although that would likely be enough, we also have Tessa Thompson as Adonis' girlfriend Bianca and Phylicia Rashad as Adonis' mom, both also from CREED. We see an early training/boxing sequence in Russia featuring (professional boxer and chiseled human mountain) Florian Munteanu as Viktor Drago being trained by his father Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). If you are a fan of the franchise at all, you know exactly where this is headed - and so does opportunistic boxing promoter Buddy Marcelle (Russell Hornsby).

Think of it as 'Revenge vs Redemption'. Adonis fighting the son of the man who killed his father Apollo is the obvious revenge side, and Viktor fighting to redeem his disgraced father Ivan, who lost to Rocky 30 some years ago. This one lacks the real world Cold War element of ROCKY IV (1985), and while it's missing the political heft of that film, it still packs quite a punch as a revenge flick ... even if there was no other possible route this sequel could take. If anything, the filmmakers should be commended for not force-feeding any cheesy political statements on today's environment.

"What are you fighting for?" This must be both a necessary boxing question to answer and a tough one, as it seems to get asked over and over during the film. The combination of writers: story by Cheo Hodari and Sacha Penn, characters by Ryan Coogler, and screenplay by Sylvester Stallone and Juel Taylor, place quite a bit of focus outside the ring. Relationship quandaries are at every turn: young married couples, father-son (double whammy), mother-son (another double whammy), and first time parents.

Director Steve Caple Jr seems more comfortable outside the ring himself, as the boxing match camera work does not hit the level of the first, although audience members' emotions run even higher. Perhaps to overcompensate for the more basic camera work, some of the sound effects for rib punches may have been pulled right out of battle scenes in war movies - they sound like explosions, and are exaggerated so that we viewers might "feel" the ribs cracking.

Wisely the relationship between Adonis and Bianca is a key element this time. Mr. Jordan and Ms. Thompson have tremendous chemistry, and the filmmakers deserve credit for hitting the hearing-impaired issue head-on. It's a topic that's rarely seen in movies, and appears to be very well handled. There are some other ties to the "Rocky" franchise with Wood Harris playing "Little Duke", son of Duke, played numerous times by Tony Burton throughout the Rocky films, and there are a couple of other (very) familiar faces that pop up from both IV and ROCKY BALBOA (2006). On the music front, Ludwig Goransson is a rising star composer thanks to FRUITVALE STATION, CREED, BLACK PANTHER, VENOM, and now CREED II. He toys with the familiar Rocky numbers, but some will argue not enough.

This sequel is more grand scale than the first (which was identity driven), yet more restrained than IV. Sure we have the mandatory zany training montage (zany may be too mild), and the final bout is held in Moscow (even though it makes no sense that the champion would agree to this), but it's definitely more low-key when comparing Bianca's musical intro to James Brown's "Living in America".

For fans, it's great to see Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago back in the ring together - even if only for a moment; however, maybe not as thrilling (dramatically speaking) as when the two first reunite Godfather-style in a table at Adrian's Café. It's a surreal moment that both Lundgren and Stallone play perfectly - one with pent-up emotional turmoil and the other quite content with what life has delivered. Of course, Sly can play Rocky in his sleep ... and no that wasn't meant to encourage one-liners followed by rim shots. He's comfortable with the shuffles and mumbles of an elderly Rocky and it's a pleasure to watch an old friend. The only real question remaining ... is the "Creed" franchise gonna fly now?

Ryan Coogler's deft touch could have made this great

[Jared_Andrews · 5/10 · 15 December 2018]

The best moments of 'Rocky/Creed' movies are the ones that make you feel something. Creed II contains a few of those-perhaps not as many as you'd like but a few. Adonis "Donny" Creed (Michael B. Jordan) and Bianca (Tessa Thompson) continue to share charming, effortless chemistry, leading to a few of those moving moments. Other moments come ringside when Donny and Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) exchange motivating words as the music swells, our pulses rise, and we slide to the edges of our seats. These moments are present in Creed II, but they don't pack the same punch as they have at their best, like in the first 'Creed' or 'Rocky.' There's something missing in the buildup and execution of these moments, and I suspect that that something is the delicate touch of director Ryan Coogler and the originality of first film in the series. Being the seventh film in this franchise, Creed II faced an uphill battle in the originality department. By now, we all know the beats and how the story arch is likely to play out. But this story felt like it should have been the first and most obvious one pitched in the writer's room and one that should not have been the final choice. It's tricky to describe what I mean without mentioning spoilers, so suffice it to say that we've seen this story before, and we all could have seen it coming this time. The story is made of 99% recycled material, which is something I like in plastic and paper products but not in movies. On top of the major issues with the plot, there are a few puzzling details, like why is Rocky so poor? He was the heavyweight champion of the world for nearly a decade, Philadelphia made a huge statue of him, and he is instantly recognized by adoring fans on a regular basis, yet for some reason, no one has any interest in his restaurant. Rocky, hire a manager! You could be raking in millions each year if you had someone helping you out. Another issue, and this one seems more pressing, is the confusing struggle that Donny has to find his motivation for the fight against Viktor Drago. Drago is the top contender in the world, and Donny is the heavyweight champion of the world. Drago is talking mountains of trash. Drago's dad killed Donny's dad in the ring. Those are all great reasons for Donny to want to fight him. I don't see the struggle. Fortunately, Michael B. Jordan is one of the most charismatic and energetic performers we currently have in Hollywood. His vivacity infuses the tired story with enough life to get by, and he absolutely pulls off all the training montages, even though he spends half his time doing neck curls, for some reason. In the end, we have the fight everyone wants. It's satisfying enough despite the mixed message that it sends about not giving up but also knowing when to throw in the towel because you're dangerously injured and could literally die in the ring. We live in a world where we know the dangers of concussions in sports and the devastating long-term damage that they have on the lives of athletes. I find it hard to ignore, which makes these brutal fights a little bit tougher to watch, and it makes the victory celebrations a little less sweet because the only way to really win is to retire healthy.

What We Love...

[jon.h.ochiai · 8/10 · 25 November 2018]

In "Creed II" elder noble Sylvester Stallone reprises as legendary Rocky Balboa. Rocky asks Adonis "Donnie" Creed, played by amazing Michael B. Jordan, "What are you fighting for?" World Heavyweight Champion Donne was physically massacred in a previous fight with 6' 5", 245 pound 'beast' Viktor Drago, played by real-life German boxer Florian Munteanu, son of Ivan Drago, surprising Dolph Lundgren.

Recall from "Rocky IV" Ivan killed Adonis's Father Apollo Creed in an exhibition boxing match that Rocky declined. Rocky could have saved his best friend Apollo by stopping the fight, but he didn't. That haunted Rocky for the last 33 years. In "Rocky IV" Rocky traveled to Moscow to fight Ivan to avenge Apollo's death. He knocks out Ivan in the final round. Steroid juiced Ivan was supposed to be the "perfect" fighter. Perhaps, not. This all happened before Adonis was even born. In the past.

So what is Donne fighting for? Director Steven Caple Jr. creates Donnie's journey in "Creed II" with less poignancy and clarity than the original "Creed". Steven replaced Ryan Coogler as director with somewhat lesser human transparency. Yet, "Creed II" is good enough. "Creed II" is the compelling narrative of the 'Sins of the Fathers'. In a touching moment in Rocky's restaurant "Adrian's" Ivan confronts Rocky for the first time since they fought.

Granite-like Dolph as Ivan commands subtle gravitas. He says to Rocky, "Because of you, I lost everything." When Ivan lost to Rocky he plummeted from virtual paragon to social outcast in Ukraine. His wife left both him and his son Viktor. All Viktor knows is fighting. He was "raised in hate" by Ivan. We witness their "tough love" relationship as the movie opens as Ivan chastises Viktor to run faster while driving in his van. They both have something to prove.

That volatile Father-Son dynamic is the realistic anchor of Sylvester Stallone and Juel Taylor's screenplay. Sly and Juel might have intended for more Shakespearean, but the narrative is too broad and unfocused. In "Creed" I was in tears as Donnie tells Rocky not to stop his fight. He still had something to prove: "That I'm not a mistake." In "Creed II" Rocky has become the Father, Donnie needed. However, Rocky is incomplete in his own relationship with his son Robert, played by Milo Ventimiglia.

Donnie must reconcile his late father Apollo's legacy, a man he never knew. Totally chiseled Michael B. inspires authentic suffering and vulnerability as Donnie seeks to discover himself. The boxing scenes in "Creed II" are visually astounding. Michael gained 20 pounds of muscle and along with Florian trained intensely for months.

Where the fights in "Creed" had an authentic realism, "Creed II" is more theatrical in the shear speed and power displayed on screen. The traded blows make you wince. That visceral emotion comes across in the first fight. Donnie is the valiant champion, who is truly afraid. Viktor is bigger, faster, and stronger. How can he win?

It's in the life outside the ring that redeems and transcends "Creed II". In the whimsical scene after Donnie wins the Heavyweight Championship, he asks his "Unc" for advice in proposing to Bianca, radiantly beautiful Tessa Thompson. Bianca is Donnie's longtime girlfriend, the gifted singer-composer gradually losing her hearing to a degenerative disease. Rocky tells Donnie to forget what's in your head, go with what's in your heart. When "Creed II" shows its heart as Michael B cries watching the diagnostic monitor in the hospital, it reminds that humanity and family worth fighting for.

Michael B eloquently defines the Hero in his courageous acts and in the power of his tears. He and Dolph discover the forgiveness in our sins of the past. Michael empowers "Creed II": Life is about the passion of what we love, whether we win or lose. That's what is at stake in Donnie and Vilktor's climactic Championship fight.

In the timeless tale of Fathers and Sons: The Son wants to know that his Father is proud of him. The Son wants to know his Father's love. In this "Creed II" delivers a knockout. We all need to know that we're enough, that we all deserve to be loved.

A Rock-Solid Continuation to the Rock/Creed Legacy

[kjproulx · 9/10 · 30 November 2018]

When it comes to the films in the Rocky franchise, you can pretty much predict how each film will end when the set-up takes place throughout the first act. This is both a positive and a negative that this franchise faces, due to the fact that the formula of these movies is about as perfect as you get when telling a story like this. When Creed hit theatres back in 2015, I was blown away in thinking that it was in the discussion of best films in the entire franchise. This was a tall order to follow in Creed II and while it doesn't quite hit every stride it needs to in order to be classified as one of the greats, I have very few complaints about this follow-up. This is the way you make a sequel.

Young Adonis Creed's past isn't all sunshine and rainbows. His father having been killed by Ivan Drago in the fourth installment has him hellbent on a revenge kick when confronted with the opportunity to fight the son of the man who has put so much pain into his life. While this premise may just seem like a way of pleasing fans of the cheesy sequels in the past, it really isn't that at all. While the boxing matches are worth the wait, the heart on both sides of the ring is present this time around. With new obstacles to face in his personal life, the arc that Adonis goes through here was fantastic in my opinion.

Michael B. Jordan continues to astound me when it comes to his performances on-screen. Even though he hasn't always been in award-worthy films, his performances have always been out of this world. Once again, he embodies this character with enough emotion and energy to carry this movie from start to finish. His chemistry with Tessa Thompson has carried over from the first film and even digs a little deeper this time around. Their relationship reaches new heights, as well as new lows here, which is very reminiscent of the way Rocky and Adrian were in the second Rocky movie. The emotional core to this overall story hasn't been lost and I loved every bit of drama as much as I loved the boxing matches, which were incredible as well.

After Ryan Coogler departed as both writer and director (having done the first film), I found myself slightly concerned that the first would become lightning in a bottle, but that's not the case. Placed in the hands of Sylvester Stallone to write and given to newcomer Steven Caple Jr. to direct made for a nearly superior sequel in my opinion. The flare of this character was brought to the screen in the first in a very captivating way and that's not exactly captured here, but further explored. Taking the characters you love and expanding them is what a sequel is meant to do and this one did that beautifully.

In the end, Creed II's only true weakness is the fact that it does feel formulaic at times. You can see where the film is headed most of the time, but that really doesn't take away from the fact that it's extremely effective. I found myself on the edge of my seat during the matches and in emotionally invested in the surprises throughout the course of the film. This truly does feel like the conclusion of certain chapters in this franchise, but I wouldn't mind seeing a third if it can be as well-done as these first two were. Creed II is a fantastic follow-up in my opinion and if you're a fan of this franchise, I highly recommend checking it out.