Creed II: A passing of the torch

Rating: 9/10 (11 December 2018)

Reel Nerd Review: Creed II
By Nelson Nantanapibul
Directed by: Steven Caple Jr.
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu and Phylicia Rashad
Creed II is the follow up to the surprise critical and box office hit that was spun off from the massively popular Rocky franchise of films. Jordan returns as Adonis Creed the son of the late boxer Apollo Creed who was Rocky's closest friend and one time opponent. Steven Caple Jr. takes over directing duties from Ryan Coogler who serves as producer and co-writer alongside Rocky himself Sylvester Stallone.
I loved Creed II even more than the first because it felt like classic Rocky. Whereas the first Creed much like the first Rocky was a more traditional sports themed movie the sequel goes into a full on hero vs villain soap opera. Jordan and Thompson have really great on screen chemistry and are the heart of this film. Stallone is great is great as an older wiser Rocky who is a surrogate father to Adonis.
The son of Ivan Drago, Victor comes out of the shadows to challenge Adonis. Rocky enthusiasts know that Ivan killed Apollo in the film Rocky IV. At first Adonis is reticent to fight Victor but gets baited by a shady promoter looking to make a buck and his ego overrides his better judgement. Ricky tries to talk Adonis out of fighting Victor but his mind is set and he chooses to forge ahead with or without Balboa's assistance.
What I really like is that the so called villains of the piece are not just cookie cutter baddies they have a reason and purpose for what they are doing. Ivan Drago has seen better days after his defeat at the hands of Rocky Balboa. Many of the past films in the franchise including the first Creed never spent too much time or focus on the antagonists.
I must say by the film's end I did feel for Victor and his father Ivan and for all they had endured through their lives in virtual exile. This film is very much about the sins of the fathers coming back to haunt their sons. There is fallout from the way both Victor and Adonis choose to deal with how life has treated them and neither necessarily choose the right path or choose their paths for the wrong reasons.
Needless to say Adonis takes on more than he bargained for and has a crisis of confidence and with the help of Rocky must find his way back to peak physical and emotional condition. Is this film formulaic? Yes it is but many films are and just because a particular film chooses to follow a formula does not mean it will be good or a success.
Creed II is a classic David vs Goliath story and it hits (pun not intended) all the right beats. Stallone through his script brings back all the flair and finesse that made all of the original films in this franchise so much fun and made them classics. There is a scene in this film where Rocky symbolically passes on the torch to Adonis as it his franchise now. Rocky's story has come to end and from here on out it's all about Adonis. If they make a Creed III I'll be there at the theaters ready for the next chapter in this saga.