Why not name this Creed II? Because this title is more dramatic. I’m going to be honest right off the top. I have never watched a Rocky movie but I watched the first Creed two reasons. One, shirtless Michael B. Jordan (C’mon! You knew that was coming.) and two, Ryan Coogler. Unfortunately, I did watch Fruitvale Station. (I say unfortunately because at the end I was heartbroken, sad and angry AND I KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. Skill, that man has. Skill.)
At at any rate, when last we left Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), he’d lost (yes, LOST) the fight to world light heavyweight champion “Pretty” Ricky Conlan. (Who has a legal battle he was going through. What happened to that?). The fight he was counting on that would prove he was worthy of wearing the name “Creed”. He got the girl, Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and his Uncle Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) was by his side. His mother, Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad), watched from her mansion and was both terrified and proud at the same time. (I loved her disappointment in her child but also the protective nature of it at the same time.) But at the end of the first movie, he had finally garnered the respect he so desperately wanted.
This second film picks up there. Where is Donnie now? What is he doing? Obviously still fighting. Now, I do want to point out that Ryan Coogler has sat out for this film (he deserves a break after Black Panther.) Our new director here is Steven Caple Jr. “Who is he?” you might ask. Well, I have no idea but he got a cosign from Jordan and Coogler and he has a degree from USC, so let’s roll with it. From quick research, it looks like he has a few indies under his belt AND he’s directed an episode or two of Grown-ish.
Back to Donnie. What I can’t help but notice is that this last trailer is quite different from the first. What threw me in the first was the scene of Donnie in a hospital bed, looking as if he was seconds from death, and Bianca being by his side. There was also the scene where Unk (Rocky) tells him that if he takes this fight against Drago that he will not be in the ring with him. Both scenes do no play out in this final trailer.
Here’s what I need from this movie. My favorite thing from the last film wasn’t a fight scene or him trying to get Bianca to turn her bass-ridden music down…it was the stats. Every time, Adonis came in contact with a fighter, the frame froze and stats appeared at their side. I NEED that in this film. I know very little about boxing (and by little I mean nothing at all) but those stats put in perspective how this person matched up to Donnie or any fighter around for that matter. I also enjoyed the ESPN clips that were added in. ESPN is not a need but it was nice to have.
From the looks of it, it seems like we will get to see Adonis as a parent, which I imagine he will turn into a speech about his dad not being there for him. Maybe they won’t go in that direction….who am I kidding? This is exactly where they’re going with this.
Also, I know I’m going to see Tony “Little Duke” Evans, who is played by my favorite person Wood Harris. Not only do I want to see him, I want to see how he is with Donnie. If you recall, he was adamant about not training Donnie. His reason? He worked with kids who really had something to fight for. The kids were in the streets, poor and needed an outlet. They had the energy needed to be a great fighter. Donnie, on the other hand, was a rich kid who literally was raised in a mansion. (Sidenote: Mary Anne adopted him when he was in juvenile detention. So technically, Donnie was just like the kids Evans trained but I digress.) I wonder how is demeanor will change now that everyone knows who Donnie is. We see him in the ring with Donnie in his big fight…
Also, let’s be honest, people. Rocky has to die at some point. They gave the man cancer in the last film, and I hear you, there are people all across the world battling and beating cancer right now. I know. I have a family member battling right now, but this is a movie and this is Rocky. Every body LOVES Rocky and would be crushed if he died. And that’s exactly why I think he will die in either his movie or if they do another, that one.
I also wonder about Bianca. She has a progressive condition where she will eventually lose her hearing AND she has to deal with her kids and Donnie (who is a huge child himself). In this trailer, we see her talk with Mary Anne about her apprehension to him fighting. Need to see how that plays out.
Last but not least, I have a prediction. The Drago scene, the big fight scene with all the lights and pom and circumstance will happen…wait for it…in the MIDDLE of the film. We did the big fight last time at the end of the movie, Why do it again? That’s predictable. I think the scene in the first trailer where Bianca is at his bedside in the hospital is after that fight. The first thing we see in this trailer is him training with Rocky. I think that maybe he won the Drago face off but almost died in doing so, had to find Rocky and convince him to train him again and start all over again in Mexico (for some reason that’s where I think he is in the beginning of this new trailer). So…
Should you go see this movie when it comes out?
Yes! It will be worth it. The boxing alone and a shirtless Michael B. Jordan. Take your girl and get a gym membership.
When should I expect this film?
Thanksgiving but I will be going opening night which is usually the day before at like 8.
My predictions maybe be wrong, and if they are, it’ll be the first thing you see when I write about it that Friday.
BLACK WATCH 