Director: Steven Caple Jr
By Alex Watson
While it is a little by the numbers and predictable- Creed II is a still solid and enjoyable sequel. The last effort by Ryan Coogler was one devastating hook that floored even the most die-hard Rocky fan. However, with Coogler heading to Wakanda, his replacement Steven Caple Jr is still able to deliver a gutsy bout. Now officially Stallone's final ever outing as the Italian Stallion, Michael B Jordan assures us that this franchise is now in safe hands.
Adonis Creed (Michael B Jordan) has taken the heavyweight division by storm since his defeat in the prior film. Now the champion, he is keen to set about years of domination and building a future with girlfriend Bianca (Tessa Thompson). However, lurking in the shadows is the brutal and hulking Russian fighter Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), the son of the very man who killed his father, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). While keen to avenge his father's death and create his own legacy, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is not so keen on this matchup.
While Creed II, for the most part, is a well-acted and nicely executed piece, there is a sense they are just looking to draw out the mileage. A large portion of the movie is bogged down by any number of motivational speeches by Rocky about how Adonis has to go outside of what he knows. The last installment injected real heart and soul in places fans were surprised by. This time there seems to be a little too much brooding going on in between fights. Adonis is a character who slowly is growing on Rocky fan's and to be fair, the movie does capitalize on his rash and impulsive desire to beat Drago. Barely crowned champion, Rocky knows he is walking into a world of trouble.
When in the ring, the movie packs all the needed punches. Viktor is a man 'raised by hate' and Ivan's failure to beat Rocky robbed him and his son of a prosperous future. Their first bout together is a painful affair to watch and Viktor has more than inherited his Dad's brute force- he has gone above it! Adonis' challenge is made horrifically obvious here. While there is an excellent but all to brief reunion scene between Rocky and Drago, the father/son duo is mostly confined to being background villains. Which is a great shame because there is a wealth of story available about Drago's decline and desire for resurrection. This sequel is much like many of the previous Rocky outings and outside of the punches thrown, the story tends to lag.
Part of the issue is that Caple Jr seems more concerned with diverting the movie into unnecessary subplots. Bianca's story is one of the moving ones as her progressive hearing loss is becoming more potent. However, Creed II also loses valuable over whether Adonis and Bianca's newly born daughter will also inherit the same condition as her mother? Viktor and Ivan are also dealing with their own issues as Viktor is being embraced as a hero by Russia. Ivan is keen to return to the fold, but Viktor is wary of playing the puppet figure after his own Dad's notable failure. Any gripes we have are easily thrown aside with the number of enjoyable training montages. This sets the scene for a return to Moscow for another East vs West (or man against man) showdown. Like Rocky IV before it, the odds are stack against our hero and this is where the picture feels at home.
Michael B Jordan is finally making the character of Adonis Creed his own. In this installment, he is able to channel the swagger and confidence of the character and take it another level. Jordan also hones in on the self-doubt that Adonis possesses. Mentally conflicted and feeling obliged to avenge his father's honor, we see a newer and more vulnerable side. In many ways, it feels devastating that Stallone will never again grace our screens as Philly's finest. As Rocky, he gives a wonderful if not lower key send off. A man weary of the fighting world, Rocky is forced to look at his life and Adonis' decision to fight Drago is one that shocks him to the core. Still agonizing over his decision not to thrown in the towel for Apollo, Rocky is keen not to see another Creed perish.
Creed II has its faults, but at heart, it has all the enjoyment and charisma that one might expect from this franchise. Farewell Sly, you did it!
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