Review of Creed II (2018) by Steve H — 27 Nov 2018

While the production value was high and the acting decent, the plot was so predictable and formulaic that I definitely left unimpressed. I generally have the same feeling each year when the boxing/fighting movie is released, and that is "dear god, please give me something different this time", as 80% of these movies hit the same plot points in the course of their storytelling. I was intrigued by the slight glimpse we were given into the Drago family dynamics and would have appreciated a deeper look there. I think it is also perfectly natural for one to take less chances when writing this deep an installment into a franchise as you can't risk alienating those who are going for the warm, familiar, nostalgic feeling elicited by a widely loved franchise such as Rocky (ahem Star Wars). Michael B. Jordan was still engaging, even if the plot was not, and is what kept Creed II somewhat enjoyable throughout for me.

*AMC A-List #41.