Creed II

Battle fatigue sets in roughly halfway through this eighth installment of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky franchise.

Creed II fits the mold of every Rocky sequel-competent, entertaining, and a little passionless

There's... so much to enjoy in Creed II.

Creed II does beat you over the head with its sentimentalism - too much text instead of subtext. But it's generally effective,

Ultimately though, Creed II is as much a male weepie or old-school melodrama as it is a boxing movie, and this is actually where it succeeds best.

... refreshingly less concerned with trite triumphs than it is with fractured men forced to confront who they perceive themselves to be or aspire to be vs. who they are - and the fight to reconcile that.

In conclusion, Creed II is a solid film with a convincing performance of Michael B. Jordan who asserts himself in the character. This sequel is what the fans expected, but it must be admitted that it provides few innovative elements.

This film is the return of a Ford Mustang and a grudge match between Adonis Creed with the son of the man who killed his father, Viktor Drago, is predictable and you wonder if these two would be in the same division.

...essentially a remake of Rocky IV.

The movie adheres to every narrative beat predictably, including a climactic bout that proves deflated and visually uninspired.