Michael B. Jordan returns to the boxing ring in Creed II, the sequel to 2015’s soft reboot of the Rocky saga. In this chapter, Adonis Creed (Jordan) receives a challenge from Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), the man who killed his father in a boxing match set during the Cold War.
With the pressure of doing what his father couldn’t and his insecurities of having a normal life with his girlfriend Bianca (Tessa Thompson), Creed faces his most difficult challenge yet.
While it can be commonly agreed that the previous film was highlighted by the performance of Sylvester “Sly” Stallone, who returned to his landmark character Rocky Balboa, it’s Jordan who steals the spotlight in the sequel.
In Creed II, Jordan absolutely steps up to the front, portraying an Adonis full of internal anger and fear during the days before the big fight, making him more than simply Apollo Creed’s son.
That is not to say Sly, who also returned as Balboa, disappointed in this sequel. Since he also took the role of scriptwriter and producer, he made the decision to take his character to a more supporting, secondary role, which is greatly appreciated. As this movie is his reportedly last appearance as Rocky, he leaves the franchise on a good note.
However, surprisingly, the ones who pulled a great performance were Munteanu and Lundgren—especially the latter, who portrays a broken man that lost everything after the events of Rocky IV, and whose only drive now is helping his son receive the glory he couldn’t achieve.
Munteanu, on the other hand, as the ruthless Viktor, makes a more complex character as the younger version of Ivan Drago. However, Viktor carries the inner baggage and frustration of not disappointing his father—making him far more complex than the generic bad-to-beat.
Another highlight is Thompson, who returns as singer and Adonis’ girlfriend Bianca—providing her wonderful voice for some songs in the film, including one of Adonis’ fight entrances.
Speaking of music, the soundtrack composed by music producer Ludwig Göransson mixes orchestral compositions with rap songs by renowned artists like Pharrell Williams, Nas, and Kendrick Lamar. The combination works well, especially during training montages.
However, don’t expect Creed II to subvert your expectations on the story front. If you’ve watched all the previous movies, you won’t find anything new.
It is not to say that the plot is bad. In fact, some segments which directly call back to past films are done in a tasteful manner. For example, some classic music themes of the franchise are present, but only in certain moments.
Director Steven Caple Jr., while not as creative as previous head Ryan Coogler, managed to give the predictable overarching plot a fresh new coat of paint with its cinematography—getting fantastic shots during boxing matches and training sequences.
In the end, Creed II serves as a collection of the greatest hits of the Rocky-Creed saga. It serves as a good, albeit predictable, reminder of why the franchise is so beloved to this date.
My worries, however, rely now on the direction that the series will take on the future.
If Metro Goldwyn-Mayer wants to release more sequels, they must find a new direction. Otherwise, Creed’s winning streak will probably run out.
Graphic by Paloma Callo
