A solid sequel that will hold up years to come.

Rating: 7/10 (9 March 2019)

"Creed 2" Review
(7/10)
This is by no means a Rocky Saga classic, but it is a solid sequel that will hold up years to come.
Ryan Coogler did a fantastic job with the first Creed, probably my favorite Rocky/Creed movie ever, but he did not return for the sequel which left me a little worried going into this film. And while the followup isn't a runaway success in the way that Coogler's installment was, it's still an effective boxing drama which brings greater depth to the Rocky sequels that inspired it.
Caple does an equally commendable job behind the camera on Creed II, even though his directorial approach lacks the impressive technical flourishes (like the single-take boxing sequences) that Coogler brought to the table on the first Creed. And sometimes it feels as though he's trying to do his best impersonation of Coogler on some of his shots. The soundtrack isn't as great as the first one, but solid nonetheless.
Much like their protagonist, the Creed movies continue to carve out a legacy for themselves, yet always keep one foot in the past and continue to honor the traditions of the past. Stallone delivers another moving performance as the older, wiser, and more regretful Rocky in Creed II, this storyline has as much to do with Rocky as it does with Creed. The biggest surprise in Creed II is how the sequel takes the Ivan Drago character - who was a pretty cartoonish villain and stand-in for the Soviet Union in Rocky IV - and transforms him into a genuinely tragic figure whose shattered ego and broken spirit have poisoned his relationship with his son, Viktor.
All in all, Creed II does a very good job of building upon the first Creed's story and themes in a satisfying fashion, while advancing the overarching narrative of the Rocky and Creed movies at the same time. It's not as inventive or groundbreaking as Coogler's film before it, but that's more of a testament to the high bar that Creed set than any failure on the sequel's part. Those who were fans of the original Creed should largely enjoy its followup and may even appreciate how it casts one of the sillier Rocky sequels in a more serious and tragic light.