Movie Review: “Creed II” is a formulaic but rousing continuation of “Creed” and “Rocky IV”

Movie Review: “Creed II” (PG-13)

First off, a confession: I enjoy “Rocky IV” quite a bit for what it is. But quite honestly, it’s always been my least favorite of the series. Yes, even the much despised “Rocky V,” for all its flaws and overstuffed nature, is a better movie. This isn’t to say that “Rocky IV” is bad. It’s high energy and features a couple of supremely badass training montages, and the final fight is pretty damn rousing. But the whole premise of “Rocky IV” is just so darn silly, most notably the idea that Balboa could end the Cold War in the ring. Quite frankly, that’s more of a job for Rambo!

The original “Rocky” used boxing as a backdrop. But the real key to that movie’s success was in the character work and the relationships. Even the other entries in this enduring franchise, as inferior as they are to the original, managed to steer clear of the cartoony nature of “Rocky IV.” Why even bring “Rocky IV” up in this article, you ask? Because “Creed II” is just as much “Rocky IV, Part 2” as it is a sequel to “Creed.”

This follow-up to Ryan Coogler’s outstanding 2015 hit finds Apollo’s son Adonis riding large on the boxing circuit following his victory at the end of the first picture. Trouble arises, however, when a money-craving boxing promoter (is there any other kind?) sets out to set up a much publicized fight between Adonis Creed and Viktor Drago, the physically imposing son of Ivan. Ivan, of course, is the monstrous Russian boxer responsible for killing Adonis’s father in the ring 30 years earlier before losing a big fight to Balboa shortly thereafter.

With his pride on the line, Donnie — as his friends call him — agrees to meet Viktor in the ring against a disapproving Rocky’s wishes. Rocky is of the humble opinion that Donnie has too much to lose while Viktor Drago was raised in hatred and has absolutely nothing to lose. Ultimately, Balboa chooses to walk away from training duties, causing a rift between himself and a bitter Donnie. What follows is a formulaic series of events that play a bit like a “Rocky” franchise milkshake. But in the end, I’ll be darned if this formula still doesn’t work.

The big question mark going into “Creed II” is clearly the absence of writer and director Ryan Coogler, who was too busy working on a little movie called “Black Panther” to commit to this sequel. Coogler was so integral to the success of the first picture that the thought of him not coming back to helm the second was almost too much to bear. Alas, the first film (or seventh, depending on your particular point of view) was such a hit that a follow-up was inevitable. So Steven Caple Jr. was eventually brought in to follow in Coogler’s mighty footsteps, working from a script co-written by Stallone himself. The end result is a movie that doesn’t quite pack the same emotional punch as “Creed” — Balboa will never fight a bigger opponent than cancer — but still manages to uplift and move even when we’ve seen a lot of this stuff before.

Be it the blossoming relationship between Donnie and Bianca (Tessa Thompson), an older and wiser Rocky still fighting the good fight, a brutal boxing sequence followed by a rousing rematch, and of course a training montage, “Creed II” is the very personification of familiar. The thing is, though, that the relationships here are charming enough and the character work strong enough that it all comes together effectively.

Not everything works. While Caple is more than capable at displaying Adonis’s quickness and finesse in the ring as well as Viktor’s size and undeniable power, the two key boxing sequences that take place in this picture lack the rhythm and build of the best fights in this iconic franchise. Further still, while the desert locale of the training montage is a nice change of scenery, it lacks the “get-up-and-cheer” vibe you might be hoping for. Again, though, there’s plenty worth noting in this picture.

What truly makes “Creed II” worth watching are the performances. A ripped Michael B. Jordan brings real swagger to the proceedings. With his fierce, charismatic, and often arrogant take on Adonis, he’s not always a character as easy to root for as his underdog mentor, Rocky. But quite honestly, that’s a bit of a plus because it helps distinguish this new series direction from earlier entries in the franchise. It should also be noted that Jordan is equally adept at being vulnerable and being fearful, both of which he displays to dramatic effect as he continues to try and live up to his father’s legacy, all while embarking on that crazy, unpredictable adventure that is parenthood. Speaking of which, Thompson is terrific in this picture as well, serving not only as the object of Donnie’s affection but as an independent character with challenges of her own. Bianca continues her quest in the music industry, even as her hearing continues to fail her, because as Rocky once famously said, “It’s not about how hard you can hit but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

As for Rocky, he’s more of a supporting character here, as was the case with the last picture, but he is still of the utmost importance. Obviously, the role of Rocky fits Stallone like a weathered boxing glove by this point as this legendary character has endured for the better part of 40 years, and as expected, Sly brings an undeniable charm to this lovable fighter. Further still, Stallone has a couple of moments towards the end of this picture that are moving in a big way. This is to say nothing of his spot-on chemistry with Jordan. According to Sly himself, this is his last turn as Balboa, and if that is in fact true, what a glorious ride it’s been.

Beyond wonderful work from Jordan, Thompson, and Stallone as well as the inclusion of a couple of surprise cameos that are best left undisclosed in this review, a quietly intense Dolph Lundgren returns to the role that put him on the map as a now disgraced Ivan Drago. Because of his monumental loss to Rocky on that fateful day way back in the mid-80s, he’s lost virtually everything, and payback has been on his mind for the better part of three decades. Despite little screen time, Lundgren is very good in this picture, and thankfully, he hasn’t been relegated to a stock one-dimensional villain as he was in “Rocky IV.” His Ivan Drago is given more depth this time around, and “Creed II” is all the stronger for it.

Florian Munteanu also makes an impression as Ivan’s hard-punching son, Viktor. This man has essentially been groomed to redeem his father, and there’s a lot of pressure that comes with that. This is Munteanu’s acting debut, and while the Russian dialect could have used a little more work, this professional fighter adapts himself nicely here. He’s terrifying in the ring, to be sure. But there’s sadness, anger, and confusion behind those eyes, and this gives “Creed II” an additional dramatic layer.

There’s a wonderful father/son thematic through-line in “Creed” that certainly continues in this picture. In fact, that through-line is even more apparent in this follow-up, not just in terms of Rocky and Donnie but with Ivan and Viktor as well, particularly in the final act as “Creed II” comes to an emotionally satisfying conclusion. One even gets the sense that an effective Stallone drew from the passing of his real-life son, Sage, to bring some of the more powerful moments in “Creed II” to life.

Finally, it should be noted that while certainly flawed, “Creed II” offers up a first for the franchise: Over 40 years of “Rocky” films and this is the first entry where I didn’t want to see either boxer lose the final fight. That’s saying a lot. True, “Creed II” isn’t as strong as the last picture, but it still serves as a worthy follow-up to both “Rocky IV” and “Creed.” Yes, there are cheesy moments and the film is overflowing with familiar tropes but it still emerges as a nostalgic rush filled with characters that believe in what they’re fighting for.

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