Creed II, currently in theaters, basically has the plot of Rocky III, while functioning as a sequel to Rocky IV, with it all being held together with the same quality acting and subtle, skillful direction that we saw in the initial film in this series, Creed.
It's a little longer than it needed to be, and a little more predictable and by-the-numbers, but if you enjoyed the first film, and more or less were into all the Rocky movies before that, there's no reason not to see this.
It was a little strange to see the Ivan Drago character, who was basically a cartoon villain in Rocky IV, return here as a character with newfound subtlety, nuance, and depth (Ivan's son is the one who fights Adonis Creed this time), but that's certainly not something to complain about.
So, all in all, this was a good time. Creed II has the big drama of a blockbuster film but with enough overall quality and grace notes to make it sometimes feel like one of those holiday season-prestige films that chase after Oscar gold.
