Parents' Guide to

Creed II

By Michael Ordona, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Strong sequel has boxing violence, language.

Movie PG-13 2018 130 minutes
Creed II Poster Image: Characters face off, with angry looks on their faces

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • 1:00
  • Creed II Movie: Rocky and Adonis before a match
  • Creed II Movie: Adonis working out with Rocky in the ring

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age 13+

Based on 8 parent reviews

houseofboys2008
houseofboys2008 Adult
December 15, 2018
age 14+

Great except one scene

The scene when the couple gets engaged is quite intimate. While there is no nudity, it was WAY more than what I was expecting based on the official common sense media review. My teenagers were uncomfortable seeing it with mom in tow. And my younger kids just closed their eyes. I think CSM review needs to be more specific about this scene.
Charlie H.
Charlie H. Adult
March 5, 2023
age 12+

Such a solid addtion to the Rocky and Creed legacy!

Some people are going to disagree on what I’m about to say, but I really hold fast to what I’m going to say. Creed 2 is better than its predecessor, Creed! Like, look, I know a lot of people love the first Creed movie a lot more than this, but this one . . . this one made me feel what was at stake! I liked how Creed 2 kept with its same formula from the first film but yet change it up. It developed more of Adonis Creed’s story arc and Rocky while we are at it. It is such a step up from the first movie in not only storytelling but what is at stake, that I can’t help but really, really enjoy Creed II. It’s amazing to see that even Adonis Creed can be defeated, and I felt like he needed that. To remind himself why he fight. He had a strong opponent to face, and he went in with the wrong mindset which led him to lose more than just his title. Rocky is such a strong, loving mentor to Adonis Creed and knew right from the beginning what Adonis was getting into. Rocky warned, but Adonis having a hot mind and wanting to keep his title went in blindly. Even after ignoring him and moving on from him, Rocky comes back to train Adonis for the final fight of the movie. It’s what makes me love Rocky. That he isn’t about to give up on Adonis, but keep on going. He still feel like he’s also doing it out of loving will for his friend, Apollo Creed! Without a single doubt, I felt the stakes for this movie. This movie builds up the stakes. For the first fight against his opponent, I never felt like much was at risk, but after that . . . it was the changing game of the whole movie. Adonis’ who was not only broken, but his title I could say he lost it for a point. But when you realize — when you realize the pain and endurance he is willing to go through it gain it all back, you just can’t help but cheer Adonis all the way through! For me, I felt like Viktor didn’t box out of his own free will, but out of his father’s command (you could even say it was a demand) to do it. His father lost everything to Rocky in the earlier franchise of the Rocky series, and Viktor’s father out of hate and jealousy wanted to have revenge on it by attacking not Rocky himself, but his trainee: Adonis Creed. Viktor I felt like knew what he was getting into, but I don’t think his whole heart was in it — he was doing it mainly I felt like out of the obligation of his father. Creed 2 uses a lot of familiar themes/formula from its predecessor movie and I really love it. It also adds a nice touch of the power of loss and what you’re willing to do to get it back. It has a strong and maybe even emotional story knowing that family, friendship, and love also plays in this movie. It’s powerful at times and gripping. It knows what it’s doing, and above all: it shows the power of loss!
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In CREED II, newly crowned heavyweight champion Adonis "Donnie" Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is challenged by Russian-Ukrainian behemoth Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) -- the man who killed Adonis' own father in the ring. Mentor Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) doesn't want Donnie to take the fight. The young boxer has just gotten engaged to his love, Bianca (Tessa Thompson), and they're expecting their first child. But after a devastating event in which Adonis is seriously injured, he seeks Rocky's help to face down the monster who's been training his whole life to destroy him. This film marks the eighth entry in the storied Rocky franchise and is the second, after 2015's Creed, to star Jordan.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8 ):
Kids say (23 ):

Despite some plot predictability and a little clunky dialogue, this film ably follows up Ryan Coogler's fine Creed with strong performances and emotional depth. New director Steven Caple Jr. displays a deft touch with his actors and brings interesting cinematic touches to a franchise that's not really known for them. You pretty much know what's going to happen in Creed II based on the trailer; heck, you pretty much know what's going to happen if you've seen any previous Rocky film. But it's not hard to go all in thanks to both the exciting boxing scenes and the chemistry between Jordan and Stallone in their surrogate father-and-son relationship. Jordan's boxing skills are impressive, and so is his acting. There are layers of doubt and regret in the faces of the four main father-son boxers here (especially Lundgren, delivering probably his best screen work to date) -- and deeper, more grown-up concerns than you might expect from the series. Creed II doesn't have the street-level grit of Creed, and women recede into the background to make room for men's storylines more so than in Coogler's vision.

It's clear Caple has another take in mind. He makes some subtle but interesting choices, such as manipulating audio during a swimming pool training scene. He and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau (Thor: The Dark World) capture some of the most arresting images in the Rocky franchise, particularly in the obligatory training montage and when Donnie psyches himself up with quiet repetitions of "I'm the champ" as darkness envelops him. The boxing action feels particularly intense and unusually realistic for the series; when a character suffers a serious injury in the ring, we feel it. For some, the obviousness of the plot and dialogue ("I'm a chunk of yesterday tryin' to be today"), and its disservices to female, deaf, and/or hard-of-hearing characters may blunt the film's appeal. But though the script lags behind the direction, acting, and action, Creed II is a clear stylistic win.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the violence in Creed II. Does it seem realistic? Is it necessary? Does it feel different from the violence in previous Rocky movies? If so, how?

  • Does the movie glamorize the sport of boxing (and the violence inherent in it) or provide an even-handed view of it? How does this kind of violence compare to what you might see in an action movie? Which has more impact, and why?

  • Father-and-son relationships are a key part of the film. How did that part of the story affect you?

  • Is Rocky a role model? What do Rocky and Adonis bring to each other's lives?

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