Creed II Film Review: A Excellent Second Fight

Is avenging your father's death, ever worth it? Creed II attempts to answer these question. But does it work in movie form? ComiConverse reviews Creed II

Creed II Film Review: A Excellent Second Fight

Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa, light heavyweight contender Adonis Creed faces off against Viktor Drago, the son of Ivan Drago.

Creed was one of the most surprising hits in 2015, as it took a dying franchise and reinvented it for modern audiences while staying to the original “Rocky” with slow drama-filled moments. Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) delivered a movie that didn’t just focus on boxing. Instead, it was about Adonis (Micheal B. Jordan) struggling to live up to his fathers legacy. Everything about the movie just worked, as the script was written to fathers with both Adonis (Micheal B. Jordan) and Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) fighting their battles together. Fans adored the soft-reboot of Rocky, as it paid respect to the original films but also respected new generations.

I was amazed by levels of compliance, Creed (2015) gave to the original series taking its messages of never giving up and implanting them into itself. Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) knocked it outside the park, even garnering attention from Academy executives and various award shows. The boxing reboot grossed a whopping $173.6 million at the global box office, indicating that Adonis Creed journey had an audience.

But what happened next, surprised me. A sequel to the boxing hit titled Creed II got announced in 2016, but without Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) in the director chair and focusing on Adonis (Micheal B. Jordan) revenge against Soviet boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) who killed his father in the ring. In the era of sequels expanding universes, can Adonis Creed get a successful follow up to his Oscar-nominated classic? Will he win the fight? All these questions are answered in our ComiConverse review for Creed II.

Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Creed II is set 30 years after Soviet boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) killed former heavyweight champion boxer Apollo Creed, during an exhibition fight in the Las Vegas trip. Apollo Creed’s son Adonis (Micheal B. Jordan) has now become a renown boxer, seeking to avenge his father's death by fighting Ivan Drago’s son Viktor and the meanwhile tackling fundamental personal issues. Director, Steven Caple Jr. manages to make an emotional film about revenge and growing up - which feels more fluid than the original. Story-wise it doesn't deviate from boxing movie cliches, but the dialogue sequences are where Creed II (2018) shines. As both acclaimed actors, Micheal B. Jordan (Black Panther) and Sylvester Stalone (Creed) deliver knock out performances in their roles.

Creed II is another knock-out punch with a surprisingly emotional sports drama and epic fight sequences, as Adonis Creed (Micheal B. Jordan) trains to get revenge for his father's death. Luke Cage writer Cheo Hodari Coker excels in creating a dark story about revenge which pushes boundaries and pays respect to the original “Rocky” movie. There is parallel to first Rocky instalments, which might annoy long-term fans but the film still feels like a fresh adventure. Each emotional beat hits perfectly, with Sylvester Stalone’s Rocky given tons of character development and engages in severe discussions about Adonis Creed’s search for redemption.

Acclaimed thespian Micheal B. Jordan (Black Panther) returns as Adonis “Donnie” Creed, talented underdog heavyweight boxer and son of world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. Jordan is flat-out terrific in the role as delivers more likeable charm, making him an easy hero to cheer for.  The actor stands tall against the iconic Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), as the pair share a close bond which works wonders on screen. Both are struggling to fight their inner demons and create a legacy.

Iconic actor Sylvester Stallone (Rambo) is also back as the renown Rocky Balboa, a two-time world heavyweight champion and rival turned a friend to Apollo Creed. Who becomes the trainer and mentor for Adonis Creed (Micheal B. Jordan), while balancing his current stint with ill health. Sylvester Stallone oozes with wiseness and personal regret, making for a solid performance as the actor feels more human than the generic hero types he always plays. Warner Bros. pays respect to the actor who created Rocky’s original adventure.

Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren (Universal Soldier) returns as the USSR prize champion boxer, who with the use of steroids and advanced training garnered worldwide attention due to his inner brute strength which has never seen before. The disgraced boxer is now seeking to restore reputation through his son, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) a newly trained boxer who has spent his entire life trying to carry on his fathers legacy. its Dolph Lundgren’s return to the Rocky franchise is excellent, as the actor is given his best role in decades. I loved seeing him so determined in his position, as Ivan Drago fights to stay relevant in the boxing arena works wonders.

Verdict

Creed II is another knock-out emotionally driven sports drama from Warner Bros. Studios, which pays respect to its origins and tells a solid tale of what revenge indeed works. The expanded story makes for a tenser film that the original release, as the directors, go for a more streamlined experience for audiences. A worthy successor to the original Creed.

Director, Steven Caple Jr. somehow can capture the original films magic and changes it enough for it to still feel like a condition of Ryan Coogler’s Creed. Adonis is given a worthy successor which should be acclaimed for its quality boxing drama. I’d love for Creed’s story to be around for multiple rematches and fights.

What did you think about the movie? Plan on checking it out next week? Let us know below.