Creed II (2018 Film) Review
Michael B. Jordan returns as Adonis Creed in "Creed II," the sequel to the 2015 surprise hit. The sequel takes place three years after the first and finds Adonis continuing to make a name for himself. But when Ivan Drago returns with his son Viktor to challenge him to a fight, Adonis must train to defeat Viktor while also struggling to not make it all about revenge since Ivan is the man who killed his father.
Reprising their roles are Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago, Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, and Tessa Thompson as Bianca Taylor, Adonis's now-fiancée. Joining them is Florian Munteanu who plays Ivan's son, Viktor Drago.
Since Ryan Coogler went on to direct "Black Panther," he was unable to direct "Creed II." In his place, Steven Caple Jr. takes the reigns. He most recently directed "The Land" and two episodes of the TV show "Grown-ish." The screenplay was written by Juel Taylor and Sylvester Stallone. Stallone also produced this film along with Kevin King-Templeton, Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, and Irwin Winkler. "Creed II" was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Introduction
For those of you who have read my ranking of the then-seven films in the "Rocky" franchise, you'll know already that I believe "Rocky IV" to be, in my opinion, the worst of the franchise. I'll admit that it presented some new and interesting ideas, but it's too much of a product of its time for its own good. The people behind that film forced in not-so subtle commentary, songs popular in the 80s, and a robot, resulting in a film that did not feel like a "Rocky" movie. With that in mind, you must think that I dislike "Creed II" for bringing back a few elements from that film. If so, you couldn't be more wrong. Bringing Ivan Drago back and the drama that comes from his return while adding his son is a great idea. It's a natural challenge for Adonis to face next, so I'm glad that the filmmakers made the decision to do bring back that dormant plot element. As long as we don't see that robot again, I'll be good.
Overall Thoughts
Thank goodness, the robot didn't make an appearance, but that's not important. What is important is the fact that "Creed II" is one of the best experiences at the cinema that I have had this year. Let's see. There's "Ready Player One," "Avengers: Infinity War," "A Quiet Place," "Mission: Impossible - Fallout," and now this. What makes it rank among the best? I'll be detailing out my answer throughout this review.
First off, yes, this film does follow the traditional formula, a formula that was cemented for this franchise since its inception back in 1976 and one that every following sequel has based its structure off of. Here, that is not a bad thing. The best films in this franchise aren't about whether they changed the formula. You could change the formula and it could suck. The key element is what story you're telling with your characters. "Creed II" wouldn't be one of the best films in this franchise if it wasn't growing its characters by giving them heart-breaking dilemmas that emphasizes their passion and drive. This isn't a mere boxing movie, or a mere continuation of this franchise for that matter. It's a film that gives its heroes and villains similar dilemmas, problems that don't have an easy resolution.
The theme of "Creed II" is one of its best parts. "If we don't do what we love, we wouldn't exist." That line, said from Adonis to Bianca, resonated with me on a personal level. This movie digs in and digs in deep. "Creed II," more than anything else, is about passion and the motivations for pursuing our desires. There's a deeper meaning about the ways we can act on our passions and how our desire to follow our dreams could result in us making rash choices that come from selfish desires. The message also shows how not doing what we love could create a sense of emptiness that has the potential to may take us over and also lead to arrogant choice. It's a complex message in a layered story that doesn't get caught up in its matureness to the point of making it feel heavy-handed. It's balanced just right thanks to the script and the cast's performances.
First off, yes, this film does follow the traditional formula, a formula that was cemented for this franchise since its inception back in 1976 and one that every following sequel has based its structure off of. Here, that is not a bad thing. The best films in this franchise aren't about whether they changed the formula. You could change the formula and it could suck. The key element is what story you're telling with your characters. "Creed II" wouldn't be one of the best films in this franchise if it wasn't growing its characters by giving them heart-breaking dilemmas that emphasizes their passion and drive. This isn't a mere boxing movie, or a mere continuation of this franchise for that matter. It's a film that gives its heroes and villains similar dilemmas, problems that don't have an easy resolution.
The theme of "Creed II" is one of its best parts. "If we don't do what we love, we wouldn't exist." That line, said from Adonis to Bianca, resonated with me on a personal level. This movie digs in and digs in deep. "Creed II," more than anything else, is about passion and the motivations for pursuing our desires. There's a deeper meaning about the ways we can act on our passions and how our desire to follow our dreams could result in us making rash choices that come from selfish desires. The message also shows how not doing what we love could create a sense of emptiness that has the potential to may take us over and also lead to arrogant choice. It's a complex message in a layered story that doesn't get caught up in its matureness to the point of making it feel heavy-handed. It's balanced just right thanks to the script and the cast's performances.
The Cast
It's official! The one-two punch of Michael B. Jordan's performances in "Black Panther" and now "Creed II" has cemented how much talent he has as an actor. Amid other great performances and brutal boxing bashes, he's no doubt the best part of the movie. As I've already mentioned, his character is taken in new directions that challenge him in mental and physical ways. I found myself wrapped up in the story the moment that I first saw him because, even without speaking, Jordan's very charismatic. In fact, the movie's quite humorous when Adonis, who's always collected when entering the ring, is scared stiff when giving a ring to the woman he loves. It's the kind of comedy that's not forced. It's the kind that just comes naturally because of how the actor handles it. No matter the situation, be it happiness or fear, Jordan's performance doesn't feel like he's acting, much like he was as Erik Stevens in "Black Panther." He's so talented that he automatically becomes the role he's in. Recently, I feel as though that all the effort that he puts in to his roles translates to this kind of performance.
Tessa Thompson is in a similar situation as Bianca. Like Michael B. Jordan, Thompson doesn't look or sound like she's reading dialogue that she memorized from the script. Somehow, it all feels natural. Her character's troubles are just as interesting as Adonis's. As you see in the trailers, Adonis and Bianca are officially a couple and have a baby girl. About halfway through the movie, when Bianca is already pregnant, they bring up the possibility of the baby having a hearing disorder similar to her mother's. As if it needed to be said, the drama is as powerful as it can be, thanks to both Jordan and Thompson's performance. Adonis and Bianca's relationship is at the core of the film's story and remains so as other plot elements get introduced. It's key to the entire film and is, I think, more interesting than the exhilarating fight scenes.
Sylvester Stallone's return to the role of Rocky Balboa also is crucial to the main story. After all, it was Rocky who beat Ivan Drago those three decades ago. So when Rocky finds himself meeting Drago at Rocky's restaurant, the tension ratchets up. To the point where you feel as if the two men are a few seconds away from coming to blows again. Outside of Drago, Rocky has a touching sub-plot that involves him trying to reconnect with his son who now has a son of his own. In some ways, it mirrors the same dilemma Adonis is facing, creating a clever dynamic between the two men as they banter with one another. Stallone made me emotional because the way his role in this film ends feels like the character's story ending. Such that if the actor is serious about retiring the Rocky character, this was a great way to go out.
Have there been better villains in this franchise than what "Creed II" delivers with Ivan and Viktor Drago? Come to think of it, the "Rocky" franchise hasn't had that great of antagonists. Apollo Creed was a great one, but he became a protagonist in the third film. After that, the rest of the villains are one-note and had no layers. Evan Ivan in "Rocky IV" wasn't at all a gripping antagonist, so "Creed II" might be the first time this franchise has had villains that hold significant importance to the story. Sure, Ivan is still a man of few words and so is his son, but they didn't need to use words to exercise their acting ability. You know what they're thinking just through a simple glance. You discover what kind of a relationship they have that way along with with what their plans are. When they first appear, both men are in pain, a result of Ivan's loss back in 1985. Ivan and Viktor's relationship and history elicits a few tears. You understand that they're broken men trying to become whole once more. It's only their way to become whole that makes them antagonists. Dolph Lundgren and Florian Munteanu give more than capable performances and hold their own against the more established characters.
Tessa Thompson is in a similar situation as Bianca. Like Michael B. Jordan, Thompson doesn't look or sound like she's reading dialogue that she memorized from the script. Somehow, it all feels natural. Her character's troubles are just as interesting as Adonis's. As you see in the trailers, Adonis and Bianca are officially a couple and have a baby girl. About halfway through the movie, when Bianca is already pregnant, they bring up the possibility of the baby having a hearing disorder similar to her mother's. As if it needed to be said, the drama is as powerful as it can be, thanks to both Jordan and Thompson's performance. Adonis and Bianca's relationship is at the core of the film's story and remains so as other plot elements get introduced. It's key to the entire film and is, I think, more interesting than the exhilarating fight scenes.
Sylvester Stallone's return to the role of Rocky Balboa also is crucial to the main story. After all, it was Rocky who beat Ivan Drago those three decades ago. So when Rocky finds himself meeting Drago at Rocky's restaurant, the tension ratchets up. To the point where you feel as if the two men are a few seconds away from coming to blows again. Outside of Drago, Rocky has a touching sub-plot that involves him trying to reconnect with his son who now has a son of his own. In some ways, it mirrors the same dilemma Adonis is facing, creating a clever dynamic between the two men as they banter with one another. Stallone made me emotional because the way his role in this film ends feels like the character's story ending. Such that if the actor is serious about retiring the Rocky character, this was a great way to go out.
Have there been better villains in this franchise than what "Creed II" delivers with Ivan and Viktor Drago? Come to think of it, the "Rocky" franchise hasn't had that great of antagonists. Apollo Creed was a great one, but he became a protagonist in the third film. After that, the rest of the villains are one-note and had no layers. Evan Ivan in "Rocky IV" wasn't at all a gripping antagonist, so "Creed II" might be the first time this franchise has had villains that hold significant importance to the story. Sure, Ivan is still a man of few words and so is his son, but they didn't need to use words to exercise their acting ability. You know what they're thinking just through a simple glance. You discover what kind of a relationship they have that way along with with what their plans are. When they first appear, both men are in pain, a result of Ivan's loss back in 1985. Ivan and Viktor's relationship and history elicits a few tears. You understand that they're broken men trying to become whole once more. It's only their way to become whole that makes them antagonists. Dolph Lundgren and Florian Munteanu give more than capable performances and hold their own against the more established characters.
Action/Score
The boxing sequences in this franchise reach their absolute best in "Creed II." I'll admit that I miss how Ryan Coogler chose to film these sequences in the first "Creed." Nevertheless, "Creed II" uses it's character-building story to gain further investment. When the boxing sequences come, you've already built a connection to all these characters such that when they're put through the ringer, you're simultaneously put through the ringer.
The fight scenes in this sequel ups the brutality. Don't worry, it's still within PG-13 territory and the wounds aren't so different from the previous films, but as every punch is thrown at both sides, the camera slows the move down. That way, you're able to take in in the impact of that punch. It gets especially brutal when Viktor starts throwing punches at Adonis. He makes hits that look and sound savage. While the sound effects were standard stuff in the older movies, "Creed II" uses sound effects that sounds like bones crunching and hearing it makes your stomach churn. The slow-mo allows you to immerse yourself in the fight. It helps that just before the fight begins, a great deal of tone is set. "Creed II" plays up the modern day theatrics seen before a fight begins. This franchise has done it before, but now it's evolved to the point where you feel that you're watching a real-world boxing match. This just happens to have fictional people, but if I'm being honest, it's more interesting than watching an actual boxing match.
Thus far, Ludwig Göransson is doing for the "Creed" films what Bill Conti did for five of the six "Rocky" movies. I was kind of let down by Göransson after his score for "Venom," but he quickly rebounds and knocks it out of the park with "Creed II."
We all know the training montages to be a critical part of these movies and the one for this movie is highly memorable due to its emotional resonance, greatly boosted by Göransson's score. Göransson does a revised edition of the booming orchestra used in the first "Creed." Rather than find some extravagant way to show how good the score is, I'll put it much more simply. If the music could speak, it'd shout "I'm AWESOME!" throughout the entire training montage. Fortunately, that's not the only part where the score shines.
As with the first "Creed," Bill Conti's original themes make mini cameos throughout Göransson's music. It's tweaked to make it's presence more epic, but it's not greatly changed from what Conti originally created. Another neat addition is the lyrical music from Tessa Thompson's Bianca. If you don't remember, Tessa Thompson's character is an aspiring musical artist and along with making appearances in the film itself, the songs that she creates have their own tracks and are included as a part of the score. If you decide to listen to the entire score, don't skip over those tracks. They are just as good as Ludwig Göransson's score.
Grade: A
After setting the "Rocky" franchise straight once more with "Creed," "Creed II" continues to show that this franchise had gas left in the tank to deliver a powerful punch, packed with character, intellectual themes, excellent music, and the best fight sequences seen in this franchise to date.
I highly recommend that you see "Creed II" in theaters, especially if you're a fan of this series. I went to see this with one and he loved it. It's a first-rate film to see this holiday season. However, it's hard to recommend this if you haven't seen the other seven films in this franchise. I would select individual films from this franchise for you to see beforehand in an attempt to make a potential marathon shorter, but it's hard to considering most of them are so interwoven together. It's almost impossible to without you getting confused at one thing or another. So if you haven't seen the other seven films, take a day to marathon all of them and then see this film.
Conclusion
This has been my review of "Creed II." Let me know your thoughts on this film if you've seen it as well as my review. If you have not seen this film yet, does this review encourage you to do so? You can let me know any thoughts you have regarding my work in the comments below. While you're at it, you're free suggest a film for me to review next. Thanks for reading, I'm Dallin, your resident Film Fanatic, and I'll return soon with another editorial.
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