Creed II
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) | Release Date: November 21, 2018 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
66
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 46 Critic Reviews
Positive:
30
Mixed:
15
Negative:
1
Watch Now
Stream On
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New York TimesA.O. ScottNov 21, 2018
Creed II is a terrific movie, a boxing picture full of inspired sweetness and shrewd science that honors the cherished traditions of the genre while feeling like something new and exciting in the world. Read full review
88
The Associated PressMark KennedyNov 19, 2018
Creed II pulls off a rather amazing feat by adding to the luster of its predecessor and propelling the narrative into a bright future while also reaching back to honor its past, resurrecting unfinished business from “Rocky IV” and adding a dash of “Rocky III.” Pound per pound, the sequel might even be better than its predecessor. Read full review
83
The PlaylistRodrigo PerezNov 16, 2018
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. Read full review
83
Entertainment WeeklyChris NashawatyNov 16, 2018
Creed II slavishly follows the sentimental-palooka Rocky template as if it were a sacred text. Still, it doesn’t make those old rope-a-dope tropes any less effective. Read full review
80
Total FilmJordan FarleyNov 26, 2018
Blow for blow Creed 2 is a closer match for its heavyweight predecessors than anyone dared hope. Transparently formulaic at times – but boy will it get your blood pumping. Read full review
80
Time OutJoshua RothkopfNov 21, 2018
impressively, the movie compensates with some fascinating father-son Drago tensions, the Russian oligarchs swarming, redemption at hand. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesJustin ChangNov 16, 2018
If it lacks its predecessor’s bracing sense of emotional discovery, it nonetheless understands and impressively re-creates the chief source of that movie’s delight: a group of characters who, for all their stresses and struggles, were a warm, easygoing pleasure to spend time with. Read full review
80
VarietyOwen GleibermanNov 16, 2018
Creed II has been made with heart and skill, and Jordan invests each moment with such fierce conviction that he makes it all seem like it matters. Read full review
80
The GuardianBenjamin LeeNov 16, 2018
There’s a delicate intimacy between the characters that feels raw and authentic and like Coogler, Caple Jr’s indie beginnings seem to steer him toward filling a big film with small moments. Read full review
75
The Seattle TimesMoira MacdonaldNov 21, 2018
“Turn off your brain, and let your heart do da talking,” advised Rocky, and he was right. This franchise just might go on forever, and my heart kind of hopes that it does. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperNov 21, 2018
The script by Stallone and Juel Taylor is solid, adhering to the time-honored “Rocky” formula of relatively intimate character scenes, training montages and of course a couple of big fights. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeTom RussoNov 20, 2018
At its best moments, Creed II manages a feat nearly as striking as anything that Michael B. Jordan’s Rocky Balboa protégé pulls off in the boxing ring: It doesn’t play all that much like a sequel. Read full review
75
USA TodayBrian TruittNov 20, 2018
If the original “Creed” was a straight-up knockout from bell to bell, the sequel takes its time with body blows – from all directions – to ultimately get you right in the feels. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Barry HertzNov 20, 2018
Whatever you normally do during the rousing finale of a Rocky movie. It will feel familiar, but just go with it. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleNov 20, 2018
Creed II can’t be new this time out, but it does prove that the characters and relationships introduced in the first movie have staying power. People can keep making these movies and no one will mind. Read full review
75
New York PostJohnny OleksinskiNov 20, 2018
If the sequel is a notch less than its astounding predecessor, that’s because — like Adonis Creed does during moments of doubt — the filmmakers are overcomplicating things. Read full review
75
Film Journal InternationalStephen Whitty Nov 19, 2018
Jordan really commits, and his scenes with Thompson have genuine warmth and intimacy. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comOdie HendersonNov 19, 2018
It’s commendable that the film is committed to the character-based world building evident in the first “Creed.” With this sequel, however, the Creed franchise seems destined to travel the same road the Rocky franchise did; the intensely personal and original vision of its creator is slowly being corrupted by the seductive demons of fan service. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubJesse HassengerNov 16, 2018
Ultimately, Creed II feels a little muffled by its workmanlike touches, especially when it gets in the ring. Just as Rocky was too low-key and charming to spawn a fully worthy successor for several decades, Creed so elevates its franchise roots that even a pretty good sequel can’t land with the same impact. Then again, a 2018 movie called Creed II expanding on Rocky IV to become one of the better Rocky movies may be another minor miracle on its own. Read full review
75
IndieWireEric KohnNov 16, 2018
This slick and involving sequel finds Adonis continuing to work through the weight of his father’s death in the ring, follows all the familiar motions revived with Creed. But in the context of this resilient franchise, the movie hits each beat with the calculated precision of its tireless fighter. Read full review
70
Arizona RepublicGarrett MitchellNov 21, 2018
The matches between Adonis and Viktor are captivating even for non-boxing fans wrapped up in the drama as slow-motion punches swing right at the camera. This deeply personal, high-stakes battle is a chance to change history for both characters who may become just as iconic as their predecessors to a new generation. Read full review
70
New York Magazine (Vulture)Bilge EbiriNov 19, 2018
While it’s broadly predictable in all the usual ways, Creed II admirably toys with our emotional allegiances just enough that we’re not always sure of how we feel about where it’s all headed. Read full review
70
UproxxMike RyanNov 16, 2018
There’s a lot going on in Creed II, more than a movie featuring Ivan Drago really ever needed to have. But at its core, Creed II is about family. Read full review
70
ScreenCrushMatt SingerNov 16, 2018
Creed II is very much a Rocky sequel. It’s bigger, louder, and more over the top than its predecessor, with a more formulaic story and more absurd boxing matches. It’s satisfying as a pop confection, but it’s not as special or as rich as its predecessor. Read full review
67
ConsequenceMichael RoffmanNov 21, 2018
Creed 2 is a commendable chapter in the franchise, thriving from a strong commitment to character, mostly thanks to Stallone’s reverence to his own legacy and the new one being created for Jordan. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleSteve DavisNov 20, 2018
The casting is solid, with an even more pumped-up Jordan once again anchoring the movie as the conflicted young boxer in the title. But it’s the underdeveloped villains of the piece who ultimately prove more intriguing, despite their one-dimensionality. Read full review
63
LarsenOnFilmJosh LarsenMar 9, 2023
Adonis’ motivations are less compelling here than they were in Creed—especially in the way they sideline his relationship with the pregnant Bianca. In the end, he does what he does so that there can be a Creed II, nothing more, nothing less. Read full review
63
Washington PostAnn HornadayNov 21, 2018
Creed II is a respectable if not revelatory sequel to the sequel, even if it lacks its predecessor’s grace and narrative texture. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsNov 19, 2018
By the end, the movie has become a shameless and, yes, effective ode to fathers and sons everywhere. Read full review
63
Philadelphia Daily NewsGary ThompsonNov 16, 2018
The movie sticks to formula, and spells everything out. Read full review
More From This Movie

66 Critic Reviews

7.0 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 77 Project Hail Mary
2 75 Send Help
3 73 Hoppers
4 71 The Sheep Detectives
5 68 Crime 101
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL