Something extraordinary happened when Creed was released in 2015. It was sensational in telling its tale of the son of Apollo Creed, Adonis (Michael B. Jordan), who sought to get in the ring like his father and compete at the highest level. He had something, or someone more specifically, in his corner that put him over the top in his effort to be taken seriously in a sport ruled by his pops before his tragic death at the hands of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). That was Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone).
Creed packed such an emotional punch that it earned an Oscar nomination for Stallone for Best Supporting Actor. It was a side of the character we hadn’t seen before and that was just one aspect of the film from writer-director Ryan Coogler that blew us away.
To the surprise of no one, Creed II was announced and in true Rocky franchise fashion, the sequel would not get a different moniker—as is the trend now in Hollywood—but would utilize Roman numerals, just as the Stallone-centric series had done for decades. What was a surprise is that Coogler could not work it in to his schedule to write and direct the follow-up. Hey, that is completely understanding as he was working on a little movie that would go on to win a bunch of Oscars—Black Panther. As we stated in our theatrical Creed II review, something is slightly missing from the sequel and Coogler’s absence is definitely felt.
Now, to be fair, Stallone is credited with co-writing the screenplay for Creed II, along with Juel Taylor. So, there is some congruency here from the first Creed and of course all those Rocky movies. The story, to my surprise, chose to focus on a challenge that no one around Adonis wants him to accept. Drago’s son, Viktor (Florian Munteanu), is a boxer and believes that the time is right for a Creed vs. Drago fight, Part II. Sure, the world would embrace such a match and it would sell millions of pay-per-views and net everyone involved some serious cash. Rocky heavily cautions his charge against taking the fight. The former heavyweight champ (rightfully) knows that there are too many emotions in the till that would boil over and prevent Creed from effectively being able to compete.
The lure is too powerful for Creed and he accepts. Rocky knows he has accepted for the wrong reason. Even his mother, Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad), knows that this is a fool’s errand. When telling her he’s taking the fight, she immediately replies, “Don’t pretend this is not about your father.” It is… and that is dangerous.
After the critical and box office success of Creed, of course there had to be a sequel. My hesitation for jumping so quickly into the Creed vs. Drago landscape is that it didn’t need to happen this soon. Perhaps in Creed III or Creed IV. But I don’t run Hollywood and as such, all I can do is sit back and watch one of my favorite young actors, Jordan, do his thing while an actress who I think the world of, Tessa Thompson, does her thing—which is a lot in this film, the couple are expecting a baby!
Rocky comes around and certainly does not want his BFF’s son heading off to battle a Drago without being in his corner. Thompson’s Bianca supports her man, but she too quietly shares some reservations about taking the fight that has the potential to be catastrophic to his career… and even his life.
Steven Caple Jr. steps into the director’s chair left vacant by Coogler (who is still an executive producer) and as such does a decent job bringing audiences the next chapter in the Creed saga. It is an interesting dynamic established by filmmakers in this sequel. I can’t even imagine losing one’s father before even being able to walk and then being haunted by it for years to come. At some level, revenge enters the mind and that is a dangerous thing when it comes to the strategy of trying to win a 12-round boxing match. Caple expertly paints that picture and the audience keenly knows from the get-go that this will be a battle to the end and each boxer has reasons beyond professional advancement for the fight. There’s a whole lot of history in that ring when the bell finally sounds and the fighters approach each other, dukes drawn.
What is done brilliantly in Creed II is how it roots its emotional pull in family. There’s even a storyline about Rocky trying to re-connect with his son (remember who played Rock’s son Robert Balboa? This is Us’ Milo Ventimiglia!). Adonis has a new family while he attempts to right a wrong done to his family all those years ago. What is so fascinating is that when personality plays a part in a boxing match, its lauded. But invoking family in that same match and trouble is brewing, especially when we’re talking about entering a ring and the man who literally killed your father is in the corner coaching his son who is coming at you with fists a blazing. It’s a fascinating landscape painted by filmmakers and one that is largely executed well.
Our issue is simply that this card should have been played later in the series. Creed isn’t even the champ yet and I believe that that would have made for an even more powerful playground for our players to toil in. The question now as the Creed II credits roll, is where do we go from here? A rematch? A new foil? It’s a fascinating inquiry that as of now has no answers. Creed II did well, box office-wise, to warrant another chapter. Perhaps Coogler will be able to return to the series he so successfully started and elevate it from the mildly entertaining place it resides. Creed II is a solid movie, it just doesn’t pack the same punch as Creed.
Given the father-son thread that weaves this film together, the Creed II bonus feature From Father to Son, Blood Runs Hot must be the one cued up first as the film itself concludes. Everyone from Lundgren to Stallone to Jordan and even Sugar Ray Leonard expertly analyze the multiple father-son storylines that permeate the film and even it could be argued, the entire franchise as a whole. The discussion about a son following in his father’s footsteps is especially interesting and left us wanting more expert opinions than we got in the just over seven minutes featurette. Some is good, more would be better!
Anotherthing that Creed II got right was the expanded role given to the women in Adonis’ life. The Woman of Creed II puts the spotlight on Rashad and Thompson. Of particular note was their thoughts on their characters and how they balance their emotions—a crucial aspect of the film. It’s fascinating to hear them talk about the insight they received from real-life boxers’ wives and mothers. A word that got utilized frequently, that might surprise when it comes to a story centered on boxing, is … patience. Like I said, fascinating!
Once filmmakers decided to go down the Drago avenue with their sequel, the key to the entire thing had to be finding the perfect person to portray the man at the forefront of this family-based revenge tale. Casting Viktor Drago illustrates why Munteanu was the perfect thespian to tackle the potentially thankless role that is at the heart of the entity that is Creed II. I especially enjoyed hearing the actor wax poetic about growing up a huge fan of Stallone and then to find himself face to face with his hero and having to still be professional when on the inside, he was freaking out! Adding their priceless two cents about Munteanu and what he brought to the film is Lundgren, Thompson, producer William Chartoff and Stallone.
Speaking of Stallone, a must-see for all fans of his and especially appreciators of all things Rocky is Rocky’s Legacy. The fifteen-minute featurette is hosted by Lundgren (a man who has gotten to know the man behind Rocky for decades now). His insight is powerful, and the professional admiration Lundgren has for his friend is palpable in this featurette. There is a slew of film clips to reinforce what Lundgren is saying as well as some sensational stories about making the Rocky movie that featured the Russian boxer and of course, Creed II.
Film Grade: B
Bonus Features: B+