For me, "Rocky IV" was the low point for the movie franchise, being it was cobbled together with a bunch of scenes from the prior three movies, loaded up with a resounding soundtrack, and having what I consider some of the most cliched dialog you'll ever find in any film. Oddly, "Creed II" follows some of the same pattern as 'IV', but works in a much more effective way by delivering new takes on the boxing angles and providing a human dimension to Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) and his relationship with wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson). Perhaps the most obvious similarity to "Rocky IV" was the desert training scenes that mimic Rocky's (Sylvester Stallone) intense preparation for the Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) match in the Russian countryside. That to be contrasted with Viktor Drago's more polished training regimen under the tutelage of his father, maybe not as technologically monitored as in the earlier film, but enough to demonstrate a contrast between the two fighters.

For whatever reason, it seemed to me like the actual fight scenes and the buildup to them were rushed in this picture. I had to watch the movie in two separate installments because of time constraints, so that might have affected my thinking. Given all the emotional significance attached to the importance of a Russian victory, both personal for Viktor and for the country's prestige, I thought it was out of character for Ivan Drago to end the match by the throwing in the towel for his son. However it did appear that Viktor's resolve to continue the fight crumbled when he noticed the empty arena seat vacated by his mother (Brigitte Nielsen),who left early rather than endure the despair of her son's defeat. That would also have played into his father's decision to end the bout.

Now that the Rocky franchise has spanned more than four decades since the original movie back in 1976, one would think it would be high time to call it quits, but I wouldn't bet on it. Adonis Creed is still the World Heavyweight Champ with additional challenges to face, and there's still that issue of baby daughter Amara's hearing left unresolved. That could have been successfully handled here, but if it can contribute to yet another sequel, then I guess, why not?

CREED II is yet another instalment in the spin-off franchise from the ROCKY series, with Sylvester Stallone playing his old role for supposedly the last time. The first CREED was okay as a spin-off, but this one stretches things too far despite having a decent premise. As a guy who loves ROCKY IV I was delighted to see Dolph Lundgren return to the franchise, this time as a proper actor rather than a mere musclehead. Sadly, the film is boringly shot and only comes alive in the on-fire boxing sequences, which are few and far between. All of the introspection and character building between the youthful characters is rather dull and tired, not to mention a retread of what's been done before in the ROCKY saga. Let's hope CREED II is the last outing for this former champion.

Viktor Drago is training under his father Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in snowbound Ukraine. Ivan has lived in sad infamy ever since his loss to Rocky. To regain their family honor, they travel to Philadelphia to challenge newly crowned champion Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) who has been carefully managed by Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). Meanwhile, Adonis proposes to Bianca (Tessa Thompson).

This is a rather simple idea. The franchise is revisiting Rocky IV and reconnecting with the old characters. In that way, I almost want to revisit that movie at the start with a few flashbacks. This time around, the most compelling characters may well be the Dragos. The best scene is Ivan surprising Rocky with a visit. I like Michael B. Jordan and I like him in this franchise. There are a couple of flat notes in a couple of scenes. His child's hearing test is one. I can accept his pushing the scene to the limit by crying although it would be more emotional if he stays stoic to please Bianca. He could force a fake smile for her until he can't anymore. The point is to transfer the emotional moment to the audience rather than to do a play by number cry scene. Another problem is the final fight. I can't buy him breaking his rib and almost immediately go Superman on Viktor. The rib punch is too much to come back from and Viktor switches from world beater to chump too quickly. Then there is Viktor himself. The size difference is overwhelming. There may be a way to use that but it would be much better to simply use a smaller fighter for Viktor. It's not like he's asked to do any real acting anyways. He's a machine. They should just find a smaller machine. There is also a need to set up Viktor's performance in the climatic fight much better. His montage shouldn't be his endless training with his father. His montage should be him partying and luxuriating in his victories. He should be caught by the siren calls of a Vegas lifestyle to the frustration of his father. That would explain his eventual collapse in the final fight as he runs out of fuel. Overall, this is really good although I would still make a few changes.