Film Review: Creed II (2018) - The best of the bests among all the Rocky series films
Updated: Aug 3, 2021
#FilmReview #CreedII #影評 #王者之後重拳復仇
Rocky Balboa in the Rocky series films (1976-2018) and John Rambo in the Rambo series films (1982-2019) are not only Sylvester Stallone's life works, and also they represent these era's American lives, minds and goodness. I like them and highly recommend others to just see them if they call themselves to be film fans or filmmakers.
Creed II is the first Rocky film ever screened in Mainland China, and it delayed the originally planned theatrical release date in Hong Kong. Mainland showed it on January 4, 2019 and Hong Kong released it on January 10.
In general, its film structure is classical and easier to grab the core heart of the film narrative. The main conflict is predictable but it is precise. The WBC world heavy weight champion Creed is challenged by Victor Drago, son of his father's killer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). After failure to smash Victor on the ring without training support of Rocky due to Creed's reckless attitude for revenge, we can see personal and professional development of Creed.
On the final match, when we listen to the Bill Conti's familiar music and flashy fighting of Creed and Victor, you cannot keep seeing Creed wining over Victor at the end without touching your heart.
Narrative Elements of Creed II
Several key themes of story is that man-and-woman relationship (Creed and his wife Bianca have their baby born); trainer and student relationship (Creed and Rocky; Creed and old trainer Tony Evers; Ivan and Victor Drago); revenge (Creed and Rocky challenged by Victor and Ivan) ; disconnected family relationship (Rocky and his son Robert and grandson Logan). From protagonist-antagonist conflict, US and Russia conflict to ageing issues, the social themes and plots are perfectly organised into film narrative. It's not just simple and easy to grab because of a few elements shown but it is due to highly generalised and complexed structural work of art with various aspects of social relation issues involved by the main characters. It's true story telling.
As the result, it is very touching and meaningful in each part. Besides these, political and class conflict is obvious that the fate of Rocky and Ivan are contrasted as reflection of different cultural environment and its emotional temperatures. The good and the bad. The rich and the poor. The respected and the abandoned. However, Ivan and Victor's roles are still pretty mechanic. We can only feel sorry for them when Ivan's re-abandoned by his ex-Russian wife Ludmila Drago when the match is almost finished as Creed's victory.
Political Elements in Creed II
One politically realistic detail is that the Russian governmental officers including Ludmila Drago's bureaucratically cruel attitude against losers in Soviet era and the present Russian Federation is the same in this film. Stalinists are still Stalinists as capitalist officers. It indicates the nature did not change. This antagonises audiences against Russia. If the filmmakers further details the relationship of Ivan and Victor and their inner lives, it will more powerfully enhance its emotional impacts of narrative events. And will make it less political in terms of art of cinema.
Conclusion on Creed II
In conclusion, this Rocky film is the best of the bests in its cinematically touching simple and generalised structure and narrative. It fully includes emotional issues among the relative social relationships of main key characters. Some critics would say that it's pretty predictable. It does not matter that the important point of art of film is if it touches audience's heart and how deeply moved it.
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This film article is for educational purpose only.
