Let’s just get this out of the way, the first Creed (similar to the first Rocky) was an out-of-nowhere, lightning-in-a-bottle miracle of a movie that shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. So, it would be unfair to expect a follow-up to capture that same level of brilliance. Hell, even Rocky II couldn’t match the first. So, yeah, Creed II isn’t as good as one of the best films of the 21st century, big whoop. And yes, I do think Creed is one of the best films of the 21st century.
Anyway, to the review…
Creed II takes place some time after the first, and we find Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) as the new world champion. However, the celebration is cut short when he is challenged by Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) and his father/coach, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), who famously killed Apollo Creed over three decades ago back in Rocky IV. Adonis accepts the challenge, but soon realizes that he was way in over his head, and requires the assistance of his mentor, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone).
If you think you know where things are going to go from there, you’ll probably guess most of it right. The film is very much a business as usual Rocky sequel that goes by the kind of beats you’d expect from a Rocky film. The film isn’t going to challenge you or try to pull a fast one narratively, but that was never the appeal of these films. It’s always focused on characters and character relationships, and the emotionally driven hurdles they’re forced to reckon with outside the ring, and as much as Creed successfully worked as its own thing, even if you take all the Rocky elements out, the DNA of it is so unmistakably of that franchise. And as a fan of the franchise, “business as usual Rocky sequel” will never not be my jam.
It is admittedly hard not to miss Ryan Coogler’s touch. He brought a stunning artistry that is somewhat lacking here. This time around, the film is directed by Steven Caple Jr., who is adapting a script by Stallone and Juel Taylor (with story credits going to Sascha Penn and Cheo Hodari Coker. While some of the nuances and ambitious camera work from the first Creed aren’t quite as plentiful, they still manage to progress the story of these characters along without feeling like a different creative team is at the helm. The look is consistent, as is the tone, the music (Ludwig Göransson returns for the score), the style, and the emotional throughlines set by the first film.
I loved seeing this aged version of Ivan Drago, who is shown as this sad figure who has experienced a sense of abandonment not only by his people, following the loss to Rocky, but also his wife, Ludmila, which adds an extra layer of emasculation. That anger forces him to push his son further and further into the world of boxing, especially in his fight against Creed, as a way of reliving the glory days, even if his son doesn’t quite show the same level of passion. There’s one scene where Viktor argues with his father, and it’s a great scene that is able to show what their dynamic is like with only a few lines. We unfortunately don’t have many scenes that are exclusively them together, but there is enough to inform everything you need to know about them. It’s effective, but I did wish there was more.
The character work with the returning cast is also well done. We even get to see more from characters like Bianca (Tessa Thompson), Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad), Little Duke (Wood Harris), even if the nature of their roles are more supportive than anything else. And if you thought they couldn’t pull more out of you with the whole “Bianca slowly going deaf” plot thread from the first, the movie throws in one hell of a gut punch. And like with most of these movies, these moves never feel cheap. They always feel organic to the characters, the world they inhabit, and they keep the characters in an underdog status, which makes it that much more easier to root for them. And let me tell you, the crowd I was with were just as excitable and cheery during the boxing matches in this as they were with the first.
I’m honestly not sure how a film like Creed II will resonate with people who maybe aren’t as big a fan of this franchise like I am. Like, when Rocky and Ivan finally meet face to face, I got chills, and I don’t think everyone will have that response. It might be the sequel to a film meant to be a fresh start, but it still goes back to stories and characters that haven’t been relevant in a long time. Yet, despite those odds, the film manages to work really well. Yes, it’s not quite as immediately classic as the first Creed, but I love these characters, and I love spending time with them, I ache in their struggles, and I cheer for their victories. It continues the melancholic vibe that makes this series so distinct from other boxing films, and I’m relieved that the new team behind it were able to pull it off. Is it too formulaic? Perhaps, but I honestly can’t wait to see where these characters go from here.