Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) | Release Date: November 21, 2018
7.0
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Generally favorable reviews based on 273 Ratings
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190
Mixed:
63
Negative:
20
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6
JLuis_001Jan 7, 2019
Solid and sober. Elements that were always needed in the Rocky sequels, however my biggest fear became reality because the film is completely structured as all those Rocky sequels and it feels so predictable that it takes away much of theSolid and sober. Elements that were always needed in the Rocky sequels, however my biggest fear became reality because the film is completely structured as all those Rocky sequels and it feels so predictable that it takes away much of the charm.

It's still a very entertaining film and a remarkable sequel. I definitely recommend it. But you should see it with the mentality that this film is completely devoid of surprises and while it doesn't disappoint, it's not memorable or worthy of more attention.

Also they must definitely stop here. A third film would only commit the same mistakes. And it will definitely not feel so fresh anymore
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2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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6
eli_fjrNov 26, 2018
The first CREED was an excellent film. This second one suffers from pacing issues. The fight scenes at times were comical in that you could tell they were overtly fake. Good acting and excellent music. I would rent it and watch it at home.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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5
amheretojudgeDec 11, 2018
Caple Jr.'s persuasive anthology on this boxing match to prove it is essential, makes it less essential.

Creed II Caple Jr.'s persuasive anthology on this boxing match to prove it is essential, makes it less essential. You can practically
Caple Jr.'s persuasive anthology on this boxing match to prove it is essential, makes it less essential.

Creed II

Caple Jr.'s persuasive anthology on this boxing match to prove it is essential, makes it less essential. You can practically see him sweat behind the screen like Jordan sweats in front of you, to grab your attention, and once you give it to him, he doesn't have anything new to say. It is old book testimony and in fact the film itself confesses it once, "the history might repeat itself" and unfortunately it does. The entire structure of the script is similar to the previous Drago chapter in Rocky series.

The boxing matches, the songs, the routines, the mistakes, the family drama and rebirthing itself once again, all the antics installed in here is a seen-this-seen-that conflict and also the solution. It merely feels like an episode of a series, and neither is this the middle chapter where everything gets flipped, nor is this the grand season finale, no one's wiser after the dust settles. Still there is something gutsy about Jordan's looks that makes you want to stay in this fight till the last round.

His work is more than admirable, primarily because along with all those hokum strategies, irrelevant slow motion shots and at times impressive tactics, he can also act. And that's very hard to find. He makes sure you are looking in his eyes when he is on screen. And he does what he couldn't do in the previous Creed chapter and that is to make you choose him over Stallone. On Stallone's defense, he doesn't have much to invest in this one. Reminiscing the repetitive melodrama of his personal life, Stallone is completely out of this ring. He is underused for the most part of it.

The peak moment of the film does allow both of these heavyweight championship to play the higher cards. A genuinely moving showdown of Stallone and Jordan in the middle act does makes your heart pump faster. In that hospital room, where Jordan's idol has fallen in front of him, somewhat and somehow the film promises you to take this into newer territories with justified reasonings. But as soon as you raise your hopes high, it beats you down to the ground with a knockout punch. What was Coogler's head spinning punch in the previous installment, it is left out dry and numb by Caple Jr.

Arguably, the execution isn't bad, it is weak at times, but it also has its moment, the real culprit though is the script, confined in its own bubble no one is ready to pop it out. Thompson, Rashad and Lundgren as the supporting cast isn't impressive enough to hold on to their own ground, they are handed over a stereotypical space to fill in. As far as the action is concerned, both Jordan and Munteanu has done a bravura of work, it is surely a more gritty fight than the previous one but then these are empty punches. Creed II is another Monday on this training boxing match, the tactics or methods may change but it still is a regular physical training.
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1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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6
tropicAcesNov 21, 2018
I love the first “Creed”, it was one of my top films of 2015. This has a much more committed and emotional Michael B. Jordan and some of the energy that made the first film so great, but in between is filler, predictability and a moreI love the first “Creed”, it was one of my top films of 2015. This has a much more committed and emotional Michael B. Jordan and some of the energy that made the first film so great, but in between is filler, predictability and a more workmanlike execution. Expand
3 of 4 users found this helpful31
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5
TVJerryDec 4, 2018
Ryan Coogler is back, having solidified his title of heavy weight champ. Out of Russia appears a challenger, the son of Drago (the Russian villain in "Rocky IV" played again here by Dolph Lundgren). Of course, Stallone is back to continuallyRyan Coogler is back, having solidified his title of heavy weight champ. Out of Russia appears a challenger, the son of Drago (the Russian villain in "Rocky IV" played again here by Dolph Lundgren). Of course, Stallone is back to continually dispense wisdom and inspiration. The plot follows the same structure as always: intimate personal moments, dramatic encounters, training montage, big fight…repeat. The cast does fine, but this sequel doesn't possess the emotional power of the first (and believe me, it tries). The staging of the fights isn't remotely original and the script is highly predictable. Not much here unless you just wanna follow the legend's predictable progress. Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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6
dennis_gtNov 26, 2018
This was...OK. A totally adequate sequel with some good acting (Jordan & Thompson), some good fight choreography, and some questionable writing. It's not as subtle or original as the first Creed film, and it's also not as entertaining orThis was...OK. A totally adequate sequel with some good acting (Jordan & Thompson), some good fight choreography, and some questionable writing. It's not as subtle or original as the first Creed film, and it's also not as entertaining or over-the-top as Rocky III or Rocky IV. If I had to compare it to the earlier Rocky films, it feels the most like Rocky 2. A movie that was more predictable and not as good as the original and was overly weighed down by clunky family drama that wasn't written particularly well and didn't advance the plot or add depth to the characters. On top of that, this movie has what must be the tenth "you can't take this fight, you can't win!" speech given in a Rocky film, but it makes absolutely no sense. The writer DID do a good job of giving Drago and his son more depth and motivation then any villain in the latter Rocky sequels, but it also has a fight in RUSSIA in 2018 and never mentions the political climate...and never really explains WHY it has to be in Russia since Drago is a contender looking to fight the champ and would have zero leverage to dictate his own terms. Sly was GREAT in Creed. He's kind of lost here. And that's probably the writing, too. It's like they have no idea what to do with him. And for some reason he's still broke despite managing a super star boxer that I would assume exists in a world similar to the real world, where even a middle weight champ like Canelo Alvarez has sponsorship deals worth over $300 million.

Overall, this is a clumsy film. Which doesn't mean it's not entertaining or there aren't good parts. But I can't see it becoming an all time favorite of anyone like Creed, Rocky, Rocky III, or Rocky IV.
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2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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6
AceZachRocks2Nov 21, 2018
A very mixed film in the Rocky Franchise. While Michael B Jordan gives an even better and larger performance then he did in the first this film feels cliché and predictable. You have seen it before, Cheer for the underdog, get revenge, StandA very mixed film in the Rocky Franchise. While Michael B Jordan gives an even better and larger performance then he did in the first this film feels cliché and predictable. You have seen it before, Cheer for the underdog, get revenge, Stand your case. Its the same in every rocky movie but its still fun. Actors are great, it moves at a quick pace and the Boxing scenes are as good as they can be. I believe Creed is finished his side story but somehow we will get a 3rd one. 6/10 Expand
2 of 6 users found this helpful24
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6
sirrongApr 8, 2019
While the boxing scenes were outstanding, nothing in this movie feels necessary. Even the film's most moving moments were so predictable and cliched that it felt like homework just to get through.
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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5
TyranianApr 30, 2019
Has cool fight scenes but Creed 2 does nothing new or interesting. Should return to focus on Rocky.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
Voodoo123Mar 26, 2019
+Great cast
+Excellent soundtrack
+Cinematography is impressive +Looks great in 4k HDR -Plot suffers from predictability -Screenplay is uninspiring -Side characters feel unimportant In spite of its flaws Creed II is an entertaining watch
+Great cast
+Excellent soundtrack
+Cinematography is impressive
+Looks great in 4k HDR
-Plot suffers from predictability
-Screenplay is uninspiring
-Side characters feel unimportant

In spite of its flaws Creed II is an entertaining watch like the previous movies. It's a shame when it boils down to the same old big fight at the end which is set against an awfully low budget seeming CGI crowd... While the cast are excellent, the film itself feels flimsy with outmoded pacing that doesn't fit the modern clean visuals. The poorly paced and simplistically constructed drama is put to the side to allow for more 'boxing montages' in which old school choreographed fights take center stage. A missed opportunity to deliver higher quality fight scenes with a better dramatic quality.
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0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
andre27Aug 15, 2021
Não é tão bom como o primeiro, é mais obvio o que acontece mas mesmo assim mais uma vez Michael B Jordan brilha no papel e só isso faz o filme ser melhor.
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6
CoreGamer1408Apr 25, 2019
As much as I was entertained by this sequel this didn't wow me like the very first Creed movie. Personally I liked the actual Rocky 4 more than this rehash of this Rocky 4 plot. Michael B Jordan and Dolph Lundgren had the of standout roles.As much as I was entertained by this sequel this didn't wow me like the very first Creed movie. Personally I liked the actual Rocky 4 more than this rehash of this Rocky 4 plot. Michael B Jordan and Dolph Lundgren had the of standout roles. Everyone else just seemingly went through the paces for a pay check. Expand
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6
Starwarsfan1977Aug 22, 2020
While this was a solid movie and entertaining from start to finish, there was something missing, something in it that evoked melancholy. In contrast, the 1984 movie between Stallone and Lungren was awesome. It was now, it evoked the height ofWhile this was a solid movie and entertaining from start to finish, there was something missing, something in it that evoked melancholy. In contrast, the 1984 movie between Stallone and Lungren was awesome. It was now, it evoked the height of the cold war, and there was no has beens, but right nows. Even in this movie when the big fight finished, there was a silent sequence while Rocky observed it from an old man point of view. This made it kind of a rehash. Let me put it this way: Back to the Future was the exciting original. Remember in Back to the Future Part 2 they had to rehash it and go to some of the same places he originally was in the 50s and it wasnt quite as good? Same thing. Great fight sequences however. Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
Bertaut1Dec 14, 2018
Decent enough, but adheres too rigidly to the Rocky template

After Rocky Balboa (2006) did the seemingly impossible, redeeming and concluding the franchise after the damage done by Rocky V (1990), Creed (2015) did something even more
Decent enough, but adheres too rigidly to the Rocky template

After Rocky Balboa (2006) did the seemingly impossible, redeeming and concluding the franchise after the damage done by Rocky V (1990), Creed (2015) did something even more unlikely - revitalising the franchise with Rocky as a supporting character. For the sequel, Stallone is back as a writer (sharing credit with Juel Taylor, from a story by Sascha Penn and Cheo Hodari Coker), with Steven Caple Jr. directing. And whilst it hits all the beats one expects from a Rocky movie, the problem is that it hits them slavishly, and does little else.

Set 33 years after Rocky IV (1985), Ivan Drago's son Viktor (Florian Munteanu) is training as a professional boxer in Ukraine. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, three years after his professional debut, Apollo Creed's son Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) is preparing for a championship bout, unaware that the Dragos have him in their sight.

Thematically, legacy is a huge issue in Creed II, particularly as it relates to fathers and sons, examining the emotionally fraught terrain that can result when fathers try to live vicariously through their sons, and when sons must live with their father's failures.

In relation to this, the depiction of the Dragos is especially interesting. In Rocky IV, Ivan was a cartoon villain. In Creed II, he's still relatively thin as a character, but Lundgren is given enough room to portray him as essentially broken, living on nothing but bitterness, resentment, and shame. One gets the impression that from the moment of his loss he's been waiting for this, seeing his son as nothing more than the delivery method of his vengeance. Ivan has raised Viktor in pure hate, teaching him that the only thing that matters is winning, but you can see in every move that Viktor makes he's far more concerned with earning his father's respect - winning as an end unto itself means relatively little to him. There's a lot of pathos in that, and both Lundgren and Munteanu act the hell out of it.

The training montages also do something interesting in respect to Viktor. Showing him jogging through economically impoverished communities, stacking crates, lugging around bags of cement, and working with less than state-of-the-art equipment, the parallel is not to Ivan, who trained with hi-tech gizmos and gadgets in Rocky IV, but to Rocky's training in the original Rocky (1976). Indeed, whilst Adonis lives in a luxury apartment, Viktor and Ivan live in a dingy bedsit in Ukraine that recalls Rocky's original digs in Philadelphia.

The problem with all of this is that the Dragos' story is by far the most compelling one in the film. Set against the complex and fascinating Drago family drama, Creed's story is pretty insipid. And this feeds into the film's most egregious problems - its rigid adhesion to the Rocky template, and the concomitant predictability. Chances are that everything you think might happen in Creed II does, as the film makes no attempt whatsoever to be original. Aside from the Drago subplot, there is nothing here that we haven't seen before. Granted, the Rocky franchise has always tended to wear its predictability like a badge of honour, and the core template does work. But even when a film adheres to that template, one shouldn't be able to predict each narrative beat with near perfect accuracy. Even Rocky V, as awful as it was, tried something new. It didn't even remotely work, but the thinking behind it was admirable. Aside from two unexpected cameos, Creed II never once caught me off-guard, and because of that it's is interminably boring at times.

Even the boxing itself is not especially well-done. Kramer Morgenthau's cinematography is fine, but nothing special, and pales in comparison to Maryse Alberti's work in the first film. Aside from Raging Bull (1980) and Ali (2001), both visually unique in their own ways, Creed is arguably the most technically proficient boxing movie in terms of in-ring competition. Creed II, however, shoots all the fights conventionally, holding a fairly uniform three-quarters distance from the actors, with Caple Jr.'s only trick seeming to be slow-motion, which he grossly over-uses.

Although there are some laudable elements here, Creed II is a disappointment. Sure, the Rocky melodrama is there, the Rocky fights are there, the Stallone one-liners are there, but with a narrative focused almost entirely on the less interesting characters, this is a missed opportunity. Apart from the Drago subplot, everything is by-the-numbers. Yes, we care about these characters, but that's because of the previous films, and whereas Creed forged a path very much its own, Creed II returns to the overly familiar.
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5
BarkingstarJun 15, 2019
Sly Stallone rewrites 'Rocky 4’, utilizing cliches that were thin the first time around. If not for fine performances from Michael Jordan (Adonis Creed) & Tessa Thompson (Creed’s now-wife Bianca), some deft cinematography & fleet directionSly Stallone rewrites 'Rocky 4’, utilizing cliches that were thin the first time around. If not for fine performances from Michael Jordan (Adonis Creed) & Tessa Thompson (Creed’s now-wife Bianca), some deft cinematography & fleet direction (Steven Caple, Jr), round two would end the fight! Expand
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6
Sosmooth1982Jun 13, 2023
I like the 1st Creed alot. This one though is trying to be to much like the old rocky movie. He said he wants to be his own fighter. Yet the stories are just like the rocky movies.
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