In 1985, Russian boxer Ivan Drago killed former U.S. champion Apollo Creed in a tragic match that stunned the world. Years later, Apollo's son Adonis accepts a challenge from Drago's son against the wishes of trainer Rocky Balboa. Under guidance from Rocky, Adonis trains for the showdown of his life as they both must confront their shared legacy.
Directed by Steven Caple Jr. and penned by Sylvester Stallone and Juel Taylor, Creed II continues the story of 2015's Creed (the first chapter in a new franchise stemming from the series of Rocky installments). Considering Creed was one of my favorite films in the year it was released, I've eagerly awaited this sequel but tempered my expectations since Ryan Coogler wouldn't be returning to direct (seeing as he was preoccupied with Black Panther). Coogler was largely responsible for Creed's success on account of prioritizing compelling, human drama over two blokes trading blows in the ring. With that being said, Coogler did invigorate the first film's boxing matches with an outstanding one-take fight and a heightened sense of ferocity during every other engagement. I say all this because I was unsure if another director could capture the unabashed intimacy of Adonis' personal troubles and the hard-hitting intensity of boxing as well as Coogler. However, I was thankfully proven wrong, to a degree.
Topping, or let alone matching, the quality of the predeceasing film is just about an insurmountable task, but Caple Jr. gives his all despite Creed II only being his second feature (much like Coogler coming into Creed). While Caple Jr.'s direction may lack the style and finesse of Coogler's work, Creed II compensates with a huge heart where it counts. Here, Caple Jr. demonstrates himself to be a capable director and does an excellent job furthering the story of this series as he, Stallone, and Taylor have wisely built upon the legacy of the Rocky franchise and solid foundation of the first Creed. Whereas the first film was an underdog story, Creed II explores Adonis' fall from grace as he must deal with the repercussions of Rocky's victory over Ivan Drago and face the son of the man who killed his father.
Though Creed II may be formulaic and a tad predictable at times, I was very invested in the outcome due to higher stakes and excellent character work. The continued exploration of father-son relationships and the subsequent baggage boded well for this entry, as the Dragos actually made excellent foils for Rocky and Adonis. The Dragos could have quickly become bland, clichéd antagonists, but their motivation is somewhat sympathetic as they strive to regain favor in the eyes of those who previously abandoned them. On the flipside, Adonis' struggle is made all the more interesting because he has everything to lose now that he's on top of the world (so to speak).
Putting story aside for a second, it's well worth mentioning that there was plenty of striking imagery captured by Caple Jr. and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau. Adonis training underwater, which can be glimpsed in the trailer, was a particularly cool inclusion while two invigorating training montages and the visceral hand-to-hand combat have stuck with me these last few days as well. I also must commend Ludwig Göransson on composing another superb score, complete with another couple rousing renditions of "Gonna Fly Now" (better known as the Rocky/Creed theme).
Of course, though, it's Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, and Sylvester Stallone who continue to embody the heart, soul, and mind of this series. Jordan is excellent, as per usual, maintaining his position as one of the most consistent actors of his generation and I'd even say that he tops his performance from the first film on account of everything required of him physically and emotionally this time around. Thompson's Bianca is still a steady, strong love interest while the chemistry between the two is off-the-charts electric. Stallone's role is less showy than his Academy Award-nominated performance from the first film since Rocky's now in remission, but no less impactful. Jordan and Stallone really have an effective on-screen rapport, so it was nice to see that dynamic be expanded and tested to its limits.
Lastly, Dolph Lundgren and Florian Munteanu carry an intimidating screen presence thanks to their monstrous physique and surly facial expressions. Watching their internalized rage broil to the surface and Viktor demolish opponents in the ring only further enhanced the credibility of the threat they pose to Creed and Balboa. They're admittedly not the best actors, but they make do with what's given to them and are satisfactory antagonists.
Assuredly stepping into the ring for a second round, Creed II's proven itself to be a worthy sequel and demonstrates that this franchise can still pack a punch even without Ryan Coogler directly in its corner.
