Written by: Kevin Berge
Who knew a movie as bad as Rocky IV would set up such an emotional sequel story? (Image Courtesy of: fandom.wikia.com)
Quick Take: Creed II continues the legacy of the first film, relying on the foundations of the Rocky franchise but telling far more complex stories. With an understandable villain and a strong evolution of the montage formula, this movie proves that the simple joys of watching underdogs rise above all still works.
***This review will focus on the overall themes and ideas of Creed II and only discuss the basic set-up of the film; however, it will spoil the events of the first film that frame the second. If you have not seen Creed and plan to do so, do not read past this point to avoid spoilers.***
Creed was a revelation of a film in that it proved the true power of a reboot. For all its success, the Rocky franchise has rarely produced great films, and it was running on dry with Sylvester Stallone carrying the franchise through six films. Michael Coogler changed everything by turning the story to the son of Apollo Creed.
With Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) as the new series lead, Creed was easily the strongest film since the original Rocky, and it made the franchise feel modern while holding up the same simple and sappy ideals that made the original so popular.
Sequels though are difficult especially with Coogler not returning to continue his vision. He handed the reigns off to Steven Caple Jr., a relative unknown director whose last movie The Land was received to a mixed and small reaction. In many ways, the film was expected to fail.
Creed II though didn't fail. By continuing to build on the human elements of Creed and adding a surprising layer of depth to a fairly simplistic Rocky IV, this film is a crowning achievement from Caple, who almost reaches the heights that his predecessor reached.
After Rocky took on Donnie at the end of the last film and coached him to an impressive split-decision loss to light heavyweight champion Ricky Conlan, the new Creed took the boxing world by storm and marched his way back into title contention as well as the careful focus on Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren).
The retired and disgraced fighter who killed Apollo Creed in the ring before losing to Rocky year back puts out a challenge to Adonis for a fight with his son Viktor (Florian Munteanu), forcing Donnie to decide what he is truly fighting for.
Creed was a revelation of a film in that it proved the true power of a reboot. For all its success, the Rocky franchise has rarely produced great films, and it was running on dry with Sylvester Stallone carrying the franchise through six films. Michael Coogler changed everything by turning the story to the son of Apollo Creed.
With Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) as the new series lead, Creed was easily the strongest film since the original Rocky, and it made the franchise feel modern while holding up the same simple and sappy ideals that made the original so popular.
Sequels though are difficult especially with Coogler not returning to continue his vision. He handed the reigns off to Steven Caple Jr., a relative unknown director whose last movie The Land was received to a mixed and small reaction. In many ways, the film was expected to fail.
Creed II though didn't fail. By continuing to build on the human elements of Creed and adding a surprising layer of depth to a fairly simplistic Rocky IV, this film is a crowning achievement from Caple, who almost reaches the heights that his predecessor reached.
After Rocky took on Donnie at the end of the last film and coached him to an impressive split-decision loss to light heavyweight champion Ricky Conlan, the new Creed took the boxing world by storm and marched his way back into title contention as well as the careful focus on Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren).
The retired and disgraced fighter who killed Apollo Creed in the ring before losing to Rocky year back puts out a challenge to Adonis for a fight with his son Viktor (Florian Munteanu), forcing Donnie to decide what he is truly fighting for.
It must be hard being Tessa Thompson, being a fantastic actress while getting cast in every big movie franchise. (Image Courtesy of: teenvogue.com)
Rocky IV was not a good movie. It tried really hard to be impactful but ultimately just amounted to an American beats the Russian story with flat characters. However, the same tricks that film pulled to make the movie matter now give much more weight to be used by a better writer.
This sequel will not shock anyone, but the Rocky franchise has never been about surprises. It's a story about how strong-willed people can rise above any adversity. Adonis must find a way to beat a man who is so much larger and stronger than him by first coming to terms with himself.
This film is about watching him truly grow up and embrace responsibility. He's now responsible for his family with his relationship with Bianca Taylor (Tessa Thompson) far deeper than it was in the first movie. He also has to come to terms with the fact that Rocky isn't his father and cannot always be there for him.
These are important character beats that allow Creed II to rise above its simplistic foundations. It is so much easier to root for a protagonist who has flaws and needs to learn to overcome those flaws before he can even start playing the hero.
It certainly helped that Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, and Tessa Thompson are all in top form here. The newcomer Florian Munteanu feels like he was cast more for his size than acting chops, but he does fine with his limited material. Caple keeps everyone working on the same emotional level.
This was Juel Taylor's first screenwriting credit of his career, working with Stallone who has been involved with every single Rocky film to date. Together, they are not exactly reinventing the wheel, but there's nothing here lets down the film either.
Ultimately, Creed II could have easily just been an attempt to imitate the success of Rocky II. It could have been a flat rise-to-success story for Adonis after he fell the first time. Instead, it is so much more, and it overcomes simplistic storytelling to be another success for a franchise suddenly back on the rise.
This sequel will not shock anyone, but the Rocky franchise has never been about surprises. It's a story about how strong-willed people can rise above any adversity. Adonis must find a way to beat a man who is so much larger and stronger than him by first coming to terms with himself.
This film is about watching him truly grow up and embrace responsibility. He's now responsible for his family with his relationship with Bianca Taylor (Tessa Thompson) far deeper than it was in the first movie. He also has to come to terms with the fact that Rocky isn't his father and cannot always be there for him.
These are important character beats that allow Creed II to rise above its simplistic foundations. It is so much easier to root for a protagonist who has flaws and needs to learn to overcome those flaws before he can even start playing the hero.
It certainly helped that Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, and Tessa Thompson are all in top form here. The newcomer Florian Munteanu feels like he was cast more for his size than acting chops, but he does fine with his limited material. Caple keeps everyone working on the same emotional level.
This was Juel Taylor's first screenwriting credit of his career, working with Stallone who has been involved with every single Rocky film to date. Together, they are not exactly reinventing the wheel, but there's nothing here lets down the film either.
Ultimately, Creed II could have easily just been an attempt to imitate the success of Rocky II. It could have been a flat rise-to-success story for Adonis after he fell the first time. Instead, it is so much more, and it overcomes simplistic storytelling to be another success for a franchise suddenly back on the rise.