Adonias Johnson Creed is at the top of his game after winning the World heavyweight title, what is he to do next. In a similar action to the original Rocky, Adonias decides to propose to his girlfriend who had stood by him throughout his journey, but before they get married two things happen. First she realizes she is pregnant. As they attempt to prepare for an unexpected arrival, a familiar Russian from the past challenges his title, but will he be able to win and is it worth the risk that ultimately took the life of his father, Apollo Creed?
Creed 2 stars Michael B. Jackson and Tessa Thompson as the new couple caught up in the heat of boxing by way of his name. Ultimately there are a lot of similarities to that of Rocky and Adrian in their relationship especially given the proposal after taking the title. The only thing that is slightly different is that unlike Rocky, this time there is no marriage that the audience knows of. It just kind of fast forwards to that of the birth of their daughter, which I think has a lot to do with the age and time the movie came out. That being said, the chemistry between Jackson and Thompson is spot on. I especially liked the idea of Thompson singing at the introduction of Creed in the final match.
The film also stars of course the incomparable Sylvester Stallone, reprising his role as Rocky Balboa who more or less takes Adonias under his wing to train and mentor him on the road to his fight with Drago’s son. Overall, Stallone excels at his role even when he faces fear of watching Adonias attempt the first fight with the son that killed his best friend. He carries himself with the same determination as in the original Rocky films and of course when all else is said and done, he eventually returns to stand by Adonias in the final fight.
Looking at the music, it’s definitely geared more toward the culture and age with hip hop selections, however the iconic Rocky theme when Adonias prepares for the final fight is a highlight of the film and reminds the audience that Creed 2 is after all spinoff of the original Rocky films as Stallone was also the lead producer for this film.
Overall, Creed 2 is a film that will have fans of Rocky coming back to the theater and cheering on Apollo’s son as well as inviting new fans into the wide world of Boxing. The film came out in theaters November 21, 2018 and is currently playing in a theater near you.