Parents Say: age 13+ 
8 reviews
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A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
a little
Like the other Rocky movies (and so many other sports stories), the film has clear messages about courage, resilience, perseverance, determination. But the film also indulges in toxic masculinity, measuring men's worth by whether or not they win and forcing women into stereotypical roles as supportive moms/wives.
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Positive Role Models
a little
Rocky is a loving, paternal figure. Adonis bravely faces his own demons, but he tends to think with his fists and acts selfishly. Adonis' adoptive mother, Mary Anne, and fiancée, Bianca, love and support him, but the film ignores their own needs. Bianca, especially, takes on immense labor as she takes care of their newborn baby alone while Adonis trains for a boxing match in a different state.
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Diverse Representations
some
Directed by biracial Black/Puerto Rican filmmaker Steven Caple Jr., the film features Black and White main characters, Adonis and Rocky. Supporting characters of color include Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and Donnie's adoptive mother, Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad). Russian-Ukrainian villains -- played inauthentically by Swedish and German-born Romanian actors who stumble through poorly accented Russian dialogue -- are stereotypically ruthless, though they're sympathetic characters. Female characters feel less developed here than they did in the first Creed film, filling stereotypical roles as emotional anchors. Bianca has progressive hearing loss and wears a hearing aid -- her journey is portrayed respectfully until she and Donnie find out their baby may be deaf. The following overwrought scene -- parents crying -- strongly uses a non-disabled perspective, as the baby's condition is used as a plot point for Donnie's growth.
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Violence & Scariness
some
Boxing-related violence. Though it's not more graphic than previous Rocky films, the intensity is stepped up slightly because the fights seem/feel more realistic. There's also a seriously depicted internal injury.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a little
Characters kiss. In one scene, a newly engaged couple undresses and kisses passionately, sex implied. No nudity, but shirts come off, and a bra is visible.
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Language
some
Strong language includes "s--t," "bitch," "hell," "damn," etc.
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Products & Purchases
very little
Main character owns a Mustang car. Tecate and Jersey Mike's logos are prominent in a boxing ring. Glimpse of an Uppababy carseat.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
Adults take prescription medication, drink wine, and toast champagne at dinner. Background smoking.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Creed II -- the follow up to 2015's Creed -- is the eighth boxing drama in the Rocky saga and the second film to feature Adonis "Donnie" Creed (Michael B. Jordan) as the main character. This time around, with Rocky's (Sylvester Stallone) help, Donnie must fight the terrifying son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), the man who killed Donnie's father in the ring. Donnie is seriously injured at one point, and you can expect plenty of boxing-movie violence (some of it pretty intense/wince-inducing). Characters swear ("s--t," one comical use of "bitch") and kiss, and there's a scene of implied sex between an engaged couple (no nudity). Adults drink socially, take prescription medication, and smoke in the background. Viewers may take away clear messages about the importance of courage, resilience, perseverance, and determination. But female characters feel less developed here than they did in the first Creed film, filling stereotypical roles as emotional anchors for a male lead who's sorting through his own issues -- and not always in the healthiest of ways. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
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Creed IIMovie Review 1:00
- Creed IIOfficial trailer
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Creed II
Community Reviews
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- Parents say (8)
- Kids say (23)
age 13+
Based on 8 parent reviews
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. 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!
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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?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 21, 2018
- On DVD or streaming: March 5, 2019
- Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson
- Director: Steven Caple Jr.
- Inclusion Information: Black actors, Female actors, Latino actors, Black writers
- Studios: Annapurna Pictures, MGM
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts
- Run time: 130 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: sports action violence, language, and a scene of sensuality
- Last updated: September 8, 2023
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Creed II
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Where to Watch
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