Can ‘Creed II’ continue to knockout?

The Thanksgiving season starts with a punch with the newest installment in the “Rocky” franchise, “Creed II,” being released Wednesday, Nov. 21. In 2015, “Creed” breathed new life into the 40-year-old film series thanks to its breathtaking direction, engaging atmosphere, electrifying musical score and some rock solid performances that succeeded at feeling fresh while still respecting the legacy of its predecessors. Will the sequel bring the power back in a new way?

“Creed II” revisits Adonis Creed who, now holding the Heavy Weight Championship of the World, must defend his title when Viktor Drago, the beefed up son of Ivan Drago, steps up to take him on. Adonis, wanting to avenge his father’s death, must take him on with caution, as new responsibilities open up that raise the stakes.

Whereas the first “Creed,” as well as many of the other “Rocky” movies, play out as huge, hard-hitting experiences, “Creed II” goes for a slightly more held back approach, with mixed results. In doing this, the film chooses to allow more energy to be focused on the slower character moments.

The scenes between Adonis and Bianca continue to have a good sense of energy and tenderness thanks to actors Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson’s exceptional chemistry. Similarly, the scenes between Rocky and Adonis, particularly one taking place in a hospital, have some real weight to them and Sylvester Stallone continues to effortlessly play Rocky with the same heart he has had previously.

This strong focus on character extends out to the opponents as well, an element never focused on previously with the other films of the franchise. The dynamic between Viktor and Ivan Drago is far more complex than one might expect walking into this. Neither of them even say a word for many of their early scenes but the audience can understand what they’re going through. This level of depth made many of their scenes the highlight of the film, also making the final fight more impactful.

This, however, is where the problems begin. “Creed II” is sadly a sequel with not much new to offer in the long run. The film’s plot follows the basic “Rocky” formula and contains a number of elements from both “Rocky II” and “Rocky III” that are noticeably distracting for those who have seen these films.

Aesthetically, the film is a toned down version of the first “Creed.” While it is far from a poorly made film, the music, cinematography and editing don’t bring anything new to the table and feel lacking in comparison. For a film where the stakes are supposed to be raised to a higher standard, it’s sad that the technical elements remained more or less the same.

This ultimately made the emotional moments not hit as hard as they could have and made others feel rather forced. One particular subplot involving Rocky’s son from the previous movies felt tacked on just to give the Italian Stallion something to do throughout the runtime, but felt largely unnecessary.

While “Creed II” does succeed on a number of levels in its approach to some characters and keeping the love for the franchise strong, a good chunk of its general concept came off feeling disappointing. The film remains largely entertaining and is sure to give audiences a fun time, but for big fans of “Creed” or the “Rocky” franchise expecting a heavy weight champ, this entry may not pack quite the punch they’re looking for.