Cash Grab II…I mean, Creed II is, perhaps, the most predictable movie of the year. Before we get into the movie specifics, let’s examine it from the standpoint of whether we needed it. The answer to that is a big, fat no. But even if we don’t need a movie, it doesn’t mean it won’t be good. And even though we know how a movie will end before seeing its opening credits, it is still worth viewing. It was a well-made movie, but, in the end, I wished I had devoted my two hours to a more unique film, even if I ended up not enjoying whatever that movie was nearly as much. Creed II was exactly the movie I thought it would be…not any better…not any worse. I wasn’t surprised by a single thing that I saw. I was tentative about the original Creed in 2015, but with originality in its cast, that movie was enjoyable and worthwhile. Creed II was enjoyable but didn’t offer anything new.
Steven Caple Jr. (The Land), who did not direct the original, picked a script that could have been better written. The only part I felt to be unique was that this wasn’t the script for the original Creed. But then again, we couldn’t tell that story and the story in Creed II. More personal than the first, this story deals with the Drago family. If we remember from 30 (yes 30) years ago in Rocky IV, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren – Masters of the Universe, The Punisher) killed Apollo Creed, the father of Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Michael B. Jordan – Black Panther, Fruitvale Station) in the ring. Ivan’s son Viktor has been tearing up opponents in his native Russia just as effectively but with more ferocity than Adonis. But he wants Creed’s World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight belt. And he shows up in the United States to challenge Adonis, one the latter knows he cannot refuse. Ivan is still reeling from the loss from 30 (yes, still 30) years ago that cost him his title and the respect of his fellow citizens, not to mention his marriage. So he’s instilled in his son the fear and hate that he feels needed to defeat the man who now holds that same belt, a man that his son towers over physically.
Creed, though, has other concerns at his table. He’s engaged to girlfriend Bianca (Tessa Thompson – Annihilation, Selma), and the two soon learn that they are pregnant with their first daughter. To state that Creed has more on his mind than the single-minded focus of Viktor would, of course, be an understatement. But, despite being undertrained and otherwise preoccupied, Adonis takes the initial fight, and it goes almost exactly how you might expect it to go, considering their size and their training, but more so considering we still had an hour left in the movie. But the result was more than a win/loss in the ring. Creed got his butt kicked, and Victor and Ivan also didn’t get the finish they wanted. But it’s Adonis who is lying with a bruised kidney, busted ribs, and a host of other injuries in the emergency room. And Rocky, who didn’t train Adonis in this fight, is left watching and wondering. Can we say redemption story, anyone?
The movie’s best parts were its acting and the connectedness of its central characters. Say what you want about Stallone as an actor, but something about his Rocky character makes him one of the most likable ever created. When Stallone plays Rocky, it’s unlike any of his other roles. And he’s been able to age Rocky through triumph and tragedy over the last 40 years as if he’s a real person living in a quiet part of Philadelphia. And to think, Stallone wrote the script for Rocky himself. We almost didn’t have this character. Speaking of Rocky, the man has lost all of those in his life since he first graced our screens back in 1976. Everyone he is close to has died except for his estranged son, Robert. You aren’t the only one if you forget why the two don’t talk. I have no idea, and Creed II didn’t do us any favors by telling us why the two haven’t spoken in years.
Nonetheless, we learn they aren’t speaking, but Rocky hopes to rectify it. So we have this as a side story that hopefully gets some resolution. The second closest person in Rocky’s life is the son of his best friend. Rocky and Adonis have a father-son relationship, which could explain why Donnie “D “calls him “Unc.” Rocky is more than a trainer to D. He is the closest thing to a father figure that the younger Creed has. Rocky is currently not in a relationship with his son, but his relationship with Adonis is a substitute.
There is also the added factor in this film of Adonis fighting a boxer of a different style, which is much bigger and stronger than anything he faces. And suppose Ivan killed Apollo with his massive in-ring punches. Who is to say that Victor can’t do the same to D. Bianca, D’s mom, and Apollo’s widow Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad – television’s The Cosby Show, A Raisin in the Sun), Rocky, boxing promoter Buddy Marcelle (Russell Hornsby – Fences, The Hate U Give), and all others who care about Adonis have a reason for concern.
Though sports movies have improved much in recent years, there is still a better-than-usual compelling storyline outside of the ring for this one. While the in-ring boxing is fabulous, there are just the two fights. Sure, we got the intense training sequences we are accustomed to seeing in a typical Rocky movie. But we get to know our two leads. Stallone is as fabulous as ever, becoming increasingly mellow with each passing Rocky/Creed movie. As we age, we hope to become softer, gentler versions of our younger selves. Sure, he can still ramp it up when needed, but even watching him gently complain to the city about the light fixture outside his townhouse that needs a bulb replacement reminds him that this is now a grandfather. The angst that fueled him as a fighter has been replaced by a guy willing to stay on hold with the city if it means his problem can be fixed.
Big-budget movies also get big budgets for production. And Creed II is no exception. The in-ring boxing is top-notch. It almost feels like we are the referee. At times, we are so close. And the music is very much Rocky. At the same time, we are very accustomed to Rocky and the Creed family character. This always felt like a movie, especially during the traditional comeback part of the final match when the music starts playing. In this regard, this movie isn’t as good as its predecessor, nor is it as good as Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Cinderella Man, Ali, Million Dollar Baby, Raging Bull, Southpaw, Bleed for This, The Fighter, Hands of Stone, or a host of other boxing movies. The main reason for this is just a lack of originality. There’s nothing left that needs finishing with the series. While I appreciate the idea of the original Creed, this series should have concluded with Rocky IV, and most franchise fans would agree.
You can do worse than Creed II. You can also do much better with your time. If you’re a die-hard of the franchise, there’s nothing my review will do to persuade you not to see it. If you’re iffy about it, I would skip it. More original movies out there will have a more significant impact on your life than Creed II will. You could devote two hours to something other than an entirely predictable movie, though I understand the need for escapism when you go to the movie theater. Creed II allows for that. You can turn off your mind and enjoy a film that, while predictable, is still well-executed.
Plot 7/10
Character Development 7/10
Character Chemistry 8/10
Acting 8/10
Screenplay 6/10
Directing 6/10
Cinematography 8/10
Sound 8/10
Hook and Reel 7/10
Universal Relevance 5/10 (let’s let this one go…it’s been 40 years)
70%
C+
Movies You Might Like If You Liked This Movie
- Creed
- Rocky
- Southpaw
- Warrior
- The Fighter