There’s a Confucius-style tenant written somewhere in the annals of screenplay writing 101—presumably written by a giant like William Goldman (R.I.P.)—that goes a little something like this: if you truly and deeply care about the characters everything else is gravy. To augment that somewhat, if you deeply empathize with a superhero, his fate and everyone they care about, all their epic battles and obstacles are that much more gripping—you are invested emotionally in what happens because the movie has successfully captured your heart. This very basic, but often forgotten, story fundamental is thankfully not forgotten in the ongoing superhero genre of boxing movies. And in “Creed II,” director Steven Caple Jr.,as well as writers Juel Taylor and Sylvester Stallone, understand emotional investment and stakes which make every blow in the film land that much harder.
Not a lot happens in “Creed II” that hasn’t happened in any number of “Creed,” “Rocky,” or other boxing films. The champ, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is at the top of his game but is suddenly taken down a huge peg. Obstacles surmount, life circumstances up the ante tenfold, the pugilist begins to self-doubt, and it’s up to his trainer, Rocky Balboa (Stallone), and support system (his fiancé, Tessa Thompson) to help build him back up from a devastating loss to rise again and hopefully triumph over seemingly impossible-to-defeat odds and foes. But it’s also about self-will and determination: ultimately friends, lovers, and family can’t help you if you can’t help yourself. “Creed II” is about as by-the-numbers as you can get, but it is a huge testament to the film that it doesn’t feely cynically formulaic, nor does it matter one iota.
Taking cues from Ryan Coogler’s “Creed,” but pushing the emotional side of things even further, “Creed II” is perhaps much more of a drama than it is a boxing movie, and this distinction has terribly good consequences, allowing you to feel the end of each uppercut in your gut. It’s also, again, just like “Creed,” about legacy, getting out from under the shadow of heritage, and forging your own path. It’s arguably, the same damn film thematically and yet still feels fresh.
The twist, as it were, is the double crushing weight of legacy and having to prove oneself, and in this case, trying to restore a family name. In “Creed II,” former Russian boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) from “Rocky IV” has resurfaced, and this is a smart legacy-quel idea given that Drago killed Adonis’ father Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) in that aforementioned Rocky film, allowing the stories to be intrinsically connected. Drago has essentially been disgraced ever since. His wife (Brigitte Nielsen) left him after that match and Mother Russia kicked him to the curb. Drago has spent a lifetime doing the one thing he knows how: training his monster of a son, Viktor Drago (a hulking Florian Munteanu), to learn how to decimate people in the boxing ring. When Adonis wins the heavyweight championship of the world, an ambitious promoter (Russell Hornsby) connects with the Russians and exploits the drama of the Drago/Creed legacy— a fight the whole world wants to see—with all the class of an ugly street fight, essentially forcing the young boxer to take on a fight he may not be prepared for.
Thus, a meta-narrative emerges both for the characters on screen and the audience: a potential legendary sequel where Creed can avenge the death of his father and Drago can possibly restore honor to his broken family name. It’s mythic and clever the way how it works on two levels. An irresistible narrative for the sports media in the film, but also for an audience who presumably grew up on these ‘Rocky’ movies—a sequel to a narrative told 33 years ago (the way the movie gives the Dragos a small, but powerful, arc is really effective too).
Suffice to say, “Creed II” is built on a familiar and rock-solid foundation and the filmmakers and actors all bring their A game. Like Creed and Drago, director Caple Jr. has big shoes to fill, taking over for Coogler. But if he’s sweatin’ it, you can never tell. “Creed II” never feels like it’s trying too hard, it’s a natural born fighter. Like the original film, Sylvester Stallone is remarkably good in the role of Rocky, delivering yet another melancholic, regretful, and soulful performance full of the trademark quips and wise words. It’s extraordinary how good Stallone has been in these two ‘Creed’ movies and how unremarkable he remains in everything else. One wishes the actor had time and space to inject this kind of authentic poignancy elsewhere.
Likewise, Michael B. Jordan keeps impressing as an actor, imbuing the character with so much heart (and justifiable anger). And his better-half, Tessa Thompson, proves, both in the writing and the acting, that she’s not here to just play supportive eye-candy (her “buck up, dude, I’ve got a career to maintain too” attitude in the film is refreshing). ”Creed II” has all of two fights, really, but Caple Jr. makes sure they count. There’s a terrific buildup to the climactic bout, a ton of misapprehension, anxiety, self-doubt, and then earned comeback narrative and even when we know Creed has to win the fight, the movie is dramatically set up so we still feel nervous, as he faces overwhelming odds.
In the ring, “Creed II” isn’t particularly flashy (and not trying to be, either), but it’s effective nonetheless. Once again, the matches are designed to focus on the drama first, action second. But what it may possibly lack in long-take flair, it more than makes up in punishing punches. And this is really the key takeaway: More than anything, “Creed II” is visceral and grueling in the ring. These characters are in spiritual pain before the bell even rings, so by the time the unremitting head shots and body blows being to clench you up and force you to grit your teeth in anguish, you’ve already been feeling hours of sympathy pains. “Creed II” is exactly what you want from a ‘Rocky’/’Creed’ film: it’s engaging, emotional, gripping, and entertaining and as a part two nudges the characters forward in all the right ways. At the very least, “Creed 2” should act as friendly reminder and benchmark for genre films, hopeful sequels, and even aspiring athletes: we’re not going to give a shit about that knockout punch to the teeth if you haven’t put in the work first. [B+]