4 stars out of 5
I was glad they made this sequel, because it’s pretty cool to have a film series within a film series: i.e. Creed II is Rocky VIII.
Well, kudos to all involved, because — if not quite as artfully made as the first Creed — it more than gets the job done, hitting many of the same notes without repeating the story. It certainly helps that most of the cast is back: In addition to Sly, we have the terrific Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, Tessa Thomson as his girlfriend turned wife, Avon Barksdale, Phylicia Rashad as Creed’s mom (seemed extra good to see Mrs. Huxtable doing well), and of course Michael Buffer.
Yet, I was concerned about quality, because golden-boy writer/director Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther) had passed the directing reins to the less-experienced Stephen Caple Jr. And, after skipping screenplay duties last time around, Sylvester Stallone returns with a co-writer who has far more sound-department credits than writing ones.
As a bonus to those of us of a certain age, the plot revolves around the return of Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago (and even Brigitte Nielsen shows up). You’ll recall that Drago killed Apollo Creed in the ring, but then lost to Rocky. Now Drago wants his son to fight Adonis Creed to regain the family honor. That’s some real Greek tragedy shizznit going down!
The framework is a standard two-fight boxing flick, or, spoiler alert, is this really about what it means to be a dad? Some stuff works — a pleasing downbeat pace, an undercurrent of loss, and action-wise a training sequence unlike any I’ve seen before. Some doesn’t, including zero character development for the seemingly important role of Drago’s son. Or too much Jersey Mike’s product placement though at least they once again film at Max’s Steaks in Philadelphia). Or that the movie makes a big deal about shifting setting from Philly to Los Angeles, and yet then the first fight is suddenly in Brooklyn without any real mention. But maybe that makes sense in a world where Creed doesn’t find out till watching TV later in the day that he’s been challenged to a championship fight at an earlier press conference. Nobody texted him?
So if the first Creed was a somewhat better movie than this one, why am I giving Creed II a half more stars? Because it sticks the landing, baby! During the climactic fight, I suddenly noticed that both my hands had curled into fists, so they must’ve been doing something right. Who cares if some moments are telegraphed more obviously than a Mouse Strauss overhand right? They add up to a winning combination.
Jack Silbert, curator