Creed II reviews starting to come in

kind of average, hope critics not grading on curve , and this is an honest score

TOMATOMETER
73%
Average Rating: 7/10
Reviews Counted: 33
Fresh: 24
Rotten: 9

Critics Consensus: Creed II's adherence to franchise formula adds up to a sequel with few true surprises, but its time-tested generational themes still pack a solid punch.

Really enjoyed this. Not as strong as Creed, and the dialogue at times feels a little more clunkier (for some reason, i keep on thinking about the scene where Adonis is outside of the LA gym in his mustang contemplating going back and Tony and him are just...talking about coming in, felt awkward).

But, the fight scenes are good. Lack the fluidity of the last movie but do carry a "Fight Night" type of feel. And, I like the inversion of the theme from Creed. In Creed, Donny's fighting for himself, and Rock even says as much (...you're not doing this for me, not for your father, but you). That was powerful, but it isn't something that can last. In this one, Donny does still fight for himself, but, he is fighting more for others, which seemed to be a driving theme of the movie. Found it interesting.

Great tracks too, been playing the Vince Staples one consistently. Nothing as hot as "If I Fight, You Fight" but precise work from Ludwig again.

I'd obv watch another, but, I definitely wouldn't mind them ending here. Just about everything is wrapped perfectly, even his revenge on Danny Stuntman Wheeler lol!

I feel like if Creed is Rocky 1, than this one is Rocky 2. Not as good as the original, but solid and enjoyable

Hah! No, I think that would be the height of camp. But I still think there is one more chapter in the relationship between Creed and Rocky.

I concur, and the only reason why I feel that Creed II even reaches mediocrity is the quality of its cinematography, with some commendable compositions and impressive backlighting. But the narrative and dialogue are clichéd, contrived, and predictable. Aside from Sylvester Stallone, the actors give the impression that they are going through the motions, that they cannot improve upon the banalities of the script and that the director (Steven Caple Jr., a novice) provided little inspiration. And I did not find the fight scenes especially impressive—they lacked the verve of, say, Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood, 2004) or Southpaw (Antoine Fuqua, 2015) or even the more self-consciously artistic Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980). 

As you indicate, Creed II is bloated, in addition to being about as predictable as a boxing movie could possibly be. I only viewed it because I enjoyed the original Creed from three years earlier—that movie is "good," an emotionally honest and less sentimental film about different people dreaming, connecting, and finding their way through struggles. Creed II, conversely, epitomizes the reasons why Hollywood sequels tend to disappoint: they become both overly spectacular and more maudlin. And the fact that the original's director, Ryan Coogler, did not direct this one—he served as an executive producer yet did not direct—clearly did not help. 

In my view, what Creed II needed was more of a sustained focus on the nominal villains—the father-and-son Dragos. They receive some attention, but not enough to cultivate character and create empathy. The film required greater balance; without it, it became a perfunctory melodrama to simply serve the interests of the protagonist. 

And the rap song that plays over the closing credits (and which briefly appears earlier in the movie), "Kill 'Em With Success," suggests the film's lack of wit and creativity. 

You might be right my friend. But at least Drago was more human in this than he was in Rocky 4. I remember thinking he was nothing more than a Frankensteins monster in that movie. In this he actually shows pain and ambition and ultimately love. Even the son shows emotion. The scene where Briggitte Nielsen shows up is powerful.