Movie Review: Creed II, A Stunning Sequel That Lives Up To The Hype
‘Creed’ was a surprising smash-hit back in 2015. But is ‘Creed II’ even in the same stratosphere as its predecessor? Find out below…
Jeff Lowe (91/100): ‘Creed II’, jam-packed with a riveting story, emotional script, and gorgeous visuals, lives up to the hype and expectations set by its predecessor. The sequel to ‘Creed’ finds a way to honor previous ‘Rocky’ movies but still advance the franchise by diving deeper into the characters and their stories.
I will be the first to admit that I was nervous and skeptical about the product we would see with ‘Creed II’. While he did stay on to help consult and produce, Ryan Coogler not directing this movie made it less of a sure thing. Luckily, Coogler, along with Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan, found a gem in new director Steven Caple Jr. What he was able to achieve as director in his first major feature-length film is nothing short of impressive.
The visuals from Caple Jr. in ‘Creed II’ add to the weight of the story. He uses gritty, hand-held shots for the Dragos and the more bruised and battered parts of the movie. For Adonis’ side of the story, and the moments in the movie with more shine, he uses a smoother and more polished technique with his cameras. When it comes to the actual boxing, he makes sure you feel what it is like to take and throw punches with intense POV shots. Caple Jr. makes sure the emotion and tone are set for each scene by just what you see on the screen.
The script for ‘Creed II’ and the way the story plays out will leave you reaching for the tissue box. While it might follow the campy (albeit great) storyline of ‘Rocky IV’, ‘Creed II’ takes a deeper approach in showing you what drives and motivates Adonis, Rocky, and the Dragos. There is one scene in particular that will leave you speechless as the movie reaches its initial narrative peak and the character’s lives are flipped upside down.
A big reason why the movie works so well is obviously due to a bunch of great performances. Michael B. Jordan nails the role of Adonis Creed once again and Sylvester Stallone continues to pour everything he’s got into the Rocky character (he should have won the Oscar in 2015). Tessa Thompson’s performance is a huge part of what drives the movie, as well as the villainous, yet relatable, nature in which Dolph Lundgren portrays Ivan Drago. While he remains the bad guy, you get to see a more vulnerable human side to Ivan, a character who has lost everything since the events of ‘Rocky IV’. There is a method to what Ivan, and his son Viktor, are doing and that depth added to the characters is how the movie separates itself from being just campy fan-service. This movie adds layers to the franchise, rather than just rehashing old ones.
Just like ‘Creed’, the sequel has an incredible score and soundtrack. The music is another example of the perfect combination of old and new. The old ‘Rocky’ music is still there, but Ludwig Goransson is yet again able to weave it into a new score that matches up perfectly with the character of Adonis Creed. The training montage song (you might want to avoid listening until you see it on the big screen) is Oscar worthy in my opinion.
My only issues with ‘Creed II’ comes at the beginning of the movie as the exposition and set up for the story feel a bit clunky, but that’s small potatoes compared to the big picture. Some will say that ‘Creed II’ is formulaic, but that’s missing the point in my eyes. The movie pulls from the past on purpose but does so in a way to shape a new story and legend. ‘Creed II’ is one hell of an emotional, in-your-face ride, a fantastic sequel and a must-see movie.
KenJac (91/100): Making a sequel that lives up to the original is extremely hard, and making a sequel to a soft reboot to a storied franchise sounds damn near impossible. Well, call director Steven Caple Jr. Tom Cruise then, because he did the damn thing. It manages to capture all the nostalgia of the original films without being corny, and finds its own voice without too much effort. Bolstered by some strong and highly emotional performances from the cast, ‘Creed II’ is easily one of the best installments in the franchise.
The returning cast (Michael B. Jordan, Sly Stallone, Tessa Thompson) were all incredible, particularly Jordan. He takes an extremely emotional journey of ups and downs that feels somehow much different than what we are used to in the conventional Rocky arc. The new cast members in Dolph Lundgren and Florian Munteanu added a new dimension to the series in what turned out to be three-dimensional villains.
The cinematography for this movie was stunning for a director on his first major motion picture. They have a number of long cut shots in the same vein as ‘Creed’, and some POV shots that make you feel like you’re actually getting hit. The way Caple Jr. transitions to different shooting styles to represents different chapters in Creed’s journey throughout the movie compliment it perfectly, as well as the different lighting and tones for each location. I also really can’t say enough about how great the soundtrack was, a combination of composer Ludwig Goransson and Mike WiLL Made-It.
We had a chance to interview Caple Jr. after we saw the movie, and hearing how much heart he put into this movie made me love it even more after the fact. I highly recommend you watch ‘Creed II’ this weekend and listen to our interview with him on Sunday’s episode. The movie feels less about the pure action and more about the actual drama behind the story, which is incredible on it’s own. Maybe my only complaint for the whole movie is that there was too much Max Kellerman.
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This movie is not yet Officially Buttered and we will find out its fate next Thursday on Lights, Camera, Barstool with Trillballins and our audience’s scores. We have an interview with the ‘Creed II’ director, Steven Caple Jr., this Sunday. Remember to rate all 2018 movies below.
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