Benz Eye View: Creed II

Creed II

Pros: 

1.) It should not be much of a surprise in this film series, but the acting is great.  Michael B. Jordan returning as Adonis Creed as a man who desperately wants to prove that he can do what his dad could not.  Sylvester Stallone returning as the great Rocky Balboa who still feels the weight of his shoulders of letting Apollo Creed die right in front of him.  Dolph Lundgren as the aged Ivan Drago who had to deal with so much humiliation after his fight with Rocky, and pushed that hatred towards his son, Viktor Drago.  Great performances all around, both from old and new actors.

2.) Adonis has a good conflict.  He wants to fight Viktor Drago as a way to prove that he can win a fight that his dad could not.  However, this blind determination and pride not only hurts himself, but others around him.  It fits into the theme of family to the point of some characters receiving some redeeming qualities, like Bianca becomes a good character (despite in the last film where I thought she was painfully average compared to Adrian Balboa).  It does help that one of the writers for this film is Sylvester Stallone himself, so the film is already in good hands.

3.) Even the antagonists themselves have some interesting character arcs.  Remember that Ivan Drago lost his fight against Rocky Balboa back in Rocky IV (unless if you did not see the movie, then watch it after you seen the first three), so he pushed his hatred towards Balboa to his son, Viktor.  I prefer not to say more, because I prefer you watch it with little spoilers as possible.  All I can say is that the antagonists have some interesting character arcs…

 

Cons: 

1.) …I just wish we can see these antagonists more.  The film managed to make Ivan Drago, an over-the-top antagonist in Rocky IV, so interesting that it is disappointing that he along with his son do not get as much screen time as I hoped.  I get that the film concentrates on what Creed is doing, but it would be nice if the film slightly balances how much it shows what Creed and Drago are doing.  That is my personal taste, so it does not really detract the film that much.

2.) If you are looking to see some boxing, there is surprisingly little of it.  To be fair, few of the Rocky films had little boxing up until the last act, and they concentrate more on building up the fight and developing the characters.  However, there were certain points where I felt that they are going on a little too long, and the pacing slows down as a result.  It is most noticeable in the first half, so keep that in mind for people who are going to watch it for the boxing matches.

3.) As much as I love this film, it is formulaic to the point of being a bit predictable.  If you have seen any Rocky films, you might know what to expect for this film.  The first half is the most formulaic.  While the formula has been executed well, it does not really excuse that most people have seen this before.

 

Overall: 

I love the Rocky films.  The first Rocky is an instant classic.  Rocky II and Rocky III may not be as good as the first, but they are still great.  Rocky IV is enjoyable despite its over-the-top moments.  I actually enjoy Rocky V despite Sylvester Stallone and many others not liking it.  Rocky Balboa is a great return of the main character despite the franchise’s sixteen-year hiatus.  Creed is a great reintroduction to the series with a new interesting character: the only son of Apollo Creed (despite having an unnamed son and daughter we never see after the original five films), Adonis Creed.  With the sequel continuing the Rocky/Creed series, I was excited and worried at the same time considering it was dealing with Adonis Creed vs. Viktor Drago.  While the film does not break any new grounds, it is executed very well.  It continues to make the Rocky franchise look good, and it is a good addition overall.  If you love the Rocky franchise and boxing films in general, you will enjoy this film despite the predictable formula.

8/10