Creed II [SteelBook] [Includes Digital Copy] [4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Blu-ray] [Only @ Best Buy] [2018]

The "sins of the father" idea has been played out time and time again since first making its appearance in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, but never has it been so deliciously executed as it is in Creed II given the poetry or, as one commentator within the film calls it, "Shakespearean" nature of one Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of former heavyweight world champion Apollo Creed, coming face to face with the son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) some thirty-three years after he killed his father in what was supposed to be an exhibition match. The weight of these circumstances would certainly be hailed as nothing short of mythic to any innocent bystander filled in on the details just prior to the projector heating up and then rolling the whole of Creed II, but for anyone who has seen or been a fan of the Rocky franchise for any amount of time and has specifically basked in the glory of all that is simultaneously great and terrible about Rocky IV then it's not as difficult to see how easily Creed II could have turned into an unmitigated dumpster fire that was unable to capitalize on the great mythology of these events because it couldn't re-configure the tone. The tone of Rocky IV, while featuring Rocky's most formidable opponent and the death of his former enemy turned best friend, is somehow largely light and alarmingly disengaged from the consequences of any of the actions any of the characters take, but what it has afforded this new generation of Rocky films that take the name Creed is the opportunity to see these events through an era where sequels aren't simply cash grabs, but rather that they are taken seriously and can be exceptionally executed pieces of cinema depending on the creative team and the amount of freedom afforded them. In taking advantage of the studio who wanted to take advantage of credible filmmakers who were interested in continuing the story of Rocky Balboa, the result so far has been two films that not only revel in the training montages set to motivational music or intensely choreographed boxing matches (though they still take full advantage of these staples), but films that are also genuinely interested in chronicling the present generation and how they operate based on the influence (and sins) of those that came before them. Whereas 2015's Creed showed us Jordan's Adonis figuring out who he wanted to be and overcoming the obstacles and shadow of his father to get there, Creed II continues this development by pushing our protagonist past the point in life where his father found himself; forcing the new heavyweight champ to determine how history will define him outside of being the son of Apollo Creed.

Built on the foundation of a very good premise, Creed II is the follow-up to not only Creed but also Rocky IV. Pitting Adonis against the son of the man who killed his father 30 years ago was a very good (some would say obvious) decision. Providing not only great emotional growth for the character of Adonis Creed, but it also gives Rocky the great closure he needed to end his story on the franchise with. This 4K UHD blu ray is very much worth the money if you’re a fan of the franchise. The experience really peaks during the actual boxing matches as the colors really pop and you get the full effect of the improved sound. If I had to throw some negatives at it, I would say that the special features are a bit lacking they don’t really take full advantage of going in-depth into the production. I really would’ve loved to have gotten a commentary track with Sly and Dolph taking about Rocky IV and then reteaming in this movie.

Creed 2 is a great movie that may be even better than the first one. I gave this movie 4 stars for a great story of how Creed wants to avenge his father's death from Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and fight his son, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). The one thing that bothered me a little though, was that Rocky is back. I thought they did a great farewell to Rocky in the last one, but than again, they never showed him die and I thought this movie wouldn't of been as good without him in it either. That's the only minor complaint I had. I sure hope they keep making more sequels if they keep making them this good. I like Rocky being the new Mickey and Michael B. Jordan playing Apollo Creed's son. He's really good at it and definitely has the physique of a boxer. I highly recommend this movie if you liked the first one and even if you haven't seen the first one, I would still highly recommend watching this one.

Creed 2 is a great movie that may be even better than the first one. I gave this movie 4 stars for a great story of how Creed wants to avenge his father's death from Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and fight his son, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). The one thing that bothered me a little though, was that Rocky is back. I thought they did a great farewell to Rocky in the last one, but than again, they never showed him die and I thought this movie wouldn't of been as good without him in it either. That's the only minor complaint I had. I sure hope they keep making more sequels if they keep making them this good. I like Rocky being the new Mickey and Michael B. Jordan playing Apollo Creed's son. He's really good at it and definitely has the physique of a boxer. I highly recommend this movie if you liked the first one and even if you haven't seen the first one, I would still highly recommend watching this one.

I'm a total junkie when it comes to movies and especially when it comes to collecting them. While I don't think Creed II is as good or powerful as the first Creed, it is still a really great movie that takes its characters and fleshes them out in a natural way that is entertaining for the audience. I also really liked the Dragos in this movie as well. As for the Steelbook itself, it is fantastic and is among my favorite in my collection. I love the design on the front and back (spoilers for the back: it's Rocky with the II behind him also) and I think it's more than worth the buy if it's available!

A rock solid follow-up to the astonishingly great post-Rocky Rocky movie. The worst that can be said about CREED II is it follows the familiar story beats of past Rocky sequels, and misses some of the freshness and artistry of Ryan Coogler's direction. That said, the drama is on point for everyone involved - and even garners sympathy for Drago and son, lifting them above being merely "the bad guys" - it delivers all the training montage goodness you could hope for, and even made good on one thing I absolutely wanted to see that had me grinning like a goof when it happened.

Great Action Movie! Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family's past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what's worth fighting for, and discover that nothing's more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion.

Like many other recent films released on 4K discs, this was actually mastered at a 2K intermediate, so it's not "legit" 4K. That said, you'll still notice a difference above the standard Blu-ray. Very good movie, better than the first Creed which was basically just a Rocky remake. Creed II takes elements of both Rocky III and IV and then adds unexpected turns to keep it interesting. It's disappointing that there weren't some better bonus features, but it's not a deal-breaker.