Creed II: standing half KO [Critique]

Very pleasant to watch, this sequel still suffers from a lack of audacity.

Released in early 2019 in cinemas, Creed II will return this Friday evening (late) on television, precisely at 11:15 p.m. on France 3. Good news: it is also available free replay. Here is the review of First.

At the exit of Creed – The Legacy of Rocky BalboaMichael B. Jordan said it was a one shot, I swear. The work of a fan/son, Ryan Coogler, who paid as much homage to Apollo Creed as to his father, a fan of Rocky II. But now, the success of the film has revived the Rocky franchise and, as we have known since Herodotus, revenge is the driving force of the story: in this case, Creed II play again Rocky IV with the son of Ivan Drago (the one who killed Apollo Creed in 1985) as Adonis' new adversary.

Very effectively shot (the boxing scenes are exhilarating as they should be), the film follows a predictable structure (fight, defeat, training sequence montage) with the originality of Adonis' confrontation with his own fatherhood. Stallone brilliantly plays his role as old Balboa who has come back from everything (we would definitely nominate him for an Oscar for the brilliant scene where he gently scolds the municipal services of Phidadelphia for a story about a broken street lamp), but Creed II does not offer Dolph Lundgren the opportunity to say goodbye to his role as Ivan Drago, reduced to a very big cameo (the appearance of Brigitte Nielsen will still please fans).

The face-to-face between Drago and Balboa could have been overwhelming: it is ultimately anecdotal. Creed II reproduced without daring too much. In the middle of the film, there is this fascinating scene where Bianca gives Adonis the choice to break the cycle of revenge. And remakes, and sequels galore, and American industrial logic. And very clearly, Adonis says no. He prefers to fight, and even if it's predictable, it's a shame.

Creed 2: Sylvester Stallone says goodbye to Rocky for good