Creed II Themes

                         

Creed II released this week and despite some rumblings it wasn't as good as the first, it's a damn good movie. In fact it's a worthy sequel to the first Creed and fits in perfectly in the overall Rocky series of films. This article is not a review of Creed but my observation watching it. It's not spoilerish but some parts may be interpreted that way.

If you've never seen any of the Rocky movies besides the first Creed this film will pique your interest. If you've only seen Creed, Rocky IV, and Rocky Balboa then you'll understand the history referenced in Creed II perfectly. One of the themes of Creed II is redemption and rebuilding oneself. A very relatable theme in itself, the primary theme is even more relatable to alot of people.

The primary theme of Creed II is that of father and son relationships.
No parent is perfect in their job of raising a kid,
it's a tough gig.
Love is expressed in different ways, and a child's parental legacy doesn't have to be their own.

Adonis spent the first Creed trying to find himself. He longed to have known his father
but also aimed to distance himself from the Creed name.

In the sequel some of those feelings still harbor.
While not completely closing the chapter on his father's death, he’s getting ready to become a father.

One thing I personally would have liked to seen would have been one of Adonis older siblings talking to him about Apollo as a father
(Apollo had two young kids in Rocky II).

This father and son relationship is one of a boy growing into a man never knowing his father.
Yet he still wants to make his father proud of him.

Rocky is still estranged from his son Robert, but Adonis is his surrogate son.

Being around Adonis and realizing age is catching up to him,

Rocky realizes he's alone in the world besides Adonis and wishes he and his son were closer.

Rocky V and Rocky Balboa provides great context to what possibly led to this relationship souring.
This father and son relationship is one of making amends and repairing things before It's too late.

Ivan Drago the man who killed Apollo in the ring has trained his son Viktor since birth to be a brute force of evil.

He lives vicariously through Viktor and shows him nothing but tough love.

Often making you wonder if Viktor actually hates his father.

Despite being rough Ivan displays some fatherly characteristics in his own brute way.

This father and son relationship is one of a father trying to make his son into something he wasn't,
either a better man or a better fighter. Selfish or not it's for a better life.

The father and son theme is a universal theme that reaches across generations.

It teaches let the past be the past,

be inspired by your parents legacy but set out to create your own.

If there isnt a Creed III, this film nicely completes part of Adonis story

and successfully bookends the entire Rocky film series.

If there is a Creed III hopefully it shows Adonis cementing his legacy

but for now  enjoy the film and appreciate the message.