Movie Review: 'Creed 2' Still Packs A Winning Punch Eight Movies Into The "Rockyverse"

Eight movies into the “Rockyverse” and you might be thinking it would be hard to come up with a compelling, original idea for a new entry into the series. And well, you would be right. It could be argued that Creed 2 is nothing more than a remake of Rocky IV. In Creed 2 reigning heavyweight champ Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is challenged to a fight by Viktor Drago, son of Ivan. Ivan Drago, of course, killed Adonis’ father Apollo in their fight in the aforementioned Rocky IV.

A lot of the movie’s beats felt a little too familiar, which does hold it back a little bit. But the movie is so well put together and so well acted that it doesn’t much matter. And the 33 year wait certainly plays in the movie’s favor. It is fairly predictable at points, but there are enough small twists and other changes that help it feel fresh and new. There are really only two notable problems.

The first is the role of Adonis and Bianca’s (Tessa Thompson) infant daughter. She helps ground Adonis and he’s able to find new motivation. And those points track, but she ends up coming off as not much more than a cheap plot device to give Adonis some emotional depth (granted, that was needed). The second – and bigger – problem was how the Dragos were handled.

In the boxing and training scenes, Ivan and Viktor were great. They were exactly as you would expect them to be, but still great. However, the movie tries to go deeper with their father-son dynamic. And that just didn’t fit. It felt very forced and awkward. They’re not supposed to be the sympathetic characters. And when the movie presents them as such, it ruins the flow.

Other than those two issues, though, the movie is great. It’s highlighted by fantastic acting across the board. Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone deliver potentially Oscar-worthy performances. The rest of the supporting characters all fit the bill perfectly. Phylicia Rashad especially has a strong turn as Adonis’ step-mother Mary Anne.

There are of course the usual Rocky tropes and they work just as well as they always do. I loved the different training montages here. Adonis’ training regimen was a bit different this time around and that was one of the more enjoyable stretch of scenes in a movie full of quality scenes. There’s the usual high-energy, “get hyped” music. It has a killer score and soundtrack, highlighted by “Runnin'” by ASAP Rocky, ASAP Ferg, and Nicki Minaj.

The one caveat here might be this: If you’re not a fan of the Rocky franchise – in particular the first Creed – this probably isn’t the movie for you. But for those that are fans, and anyone who loves a good sports drama, this is the fix you’re looking for. Creed 2 may not be in my top 10 best movies of the year, but it very well might end up in my top 10 favorite movies for 2018. It’s just a fun, enjoyable watch.

Oscar hopes: This could be a dark horse come Oscar time. I personally don’t think it will get any nominations, but it would be hard to argue with any of the following.

Best Picture
Best Director: Steven Caple Jr
Lead Actor: Michael B. Jordan
Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone
Supporting Actress: Phylicia Rashad
Original Screenplay: Sylvester Stallone and Juel Taylor