The Rocky Franchise Continues to Suprise Me

Rating: 9/10 (4 December 2018)

So when I saw that Creed II was coming to theaters this year, I became extremely excited. At the time, I had only seen Rocky 1 through 3 and Creed. Creed proved to be a massive surprise for me and grew to become one of my favorite films of the past few years. I decided this year to watch the remaining Rocky films that I hadn't: Rocky 4, 5, and Balboa. After watching them, I would definitely recommend a watch of Rocky 4 before going to the theater to see Creed II. With all of that being said, Creed II has become one of my favorite films of 2018.
This film is exactly what I wanted from a sequel to the first Creed. The relationship between Adonis and Rocky is maintained and is my personal favorite part of the film. The villains, Ivan and Viktor Drago, might be my favorite of the entire franchise. Like the best villains in cinema, the audience learns and understands their motivations. Tessa Thompson also gives a great performance. Although somewhat formulaic, Creed II is a fantastic follow-up and one of the most satisfying experiences in the theater that I've had this year.