Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Creed II & Robin Hood 2018

Dearest Blog: The busy holiday weekend having left no time for the cinema (!!), yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a Monday-afternoon screening of Creed II and Robin Hood 2018.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know or guess from the trailers.

First up: Creed II.

Apollo Creed's son looks to write a new ending to the Creed/Drago story.

The second Creed installment is another solid film that maybe follows the Rocky formula just a little too closely. I didn't love it less for playing out exactly as I expected, but getting there did seem a bit more tedious than last time.

Creed II's chief positive is its strong leads. Michael B. Jordan is brilliant in a title role that provides a perfect showcase for his talent. Sylvester Stallone wears Rocky Balboa like a comfortable old sweater, and his turn as the aging champ is once again sincere and a little bit heartbreaking. Creed II lays on the nostalgia, with heavy references and flashbacks to the tragic, three-decades-past match between the elder Creed and the elder Drago. There are the requisite training montages and brutal, well-choreographed boxing matches, with plenty of Agonizing Over Big Decisions for flexing those acting muscles. The movie doesn't hold many surprises, and--at two hours plus--it certainly could have used a trim, but none of that keeps it from being a great bit of feel-good holiday fare.

Creed II clocks in at 130 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sports action violence, language, and a scene of sensuality."

If Creed II is guilty of sticking too close to a formula, well, at least it's a good one.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Creed II gets seven and a half.

Next on yesterday's agenda: Robin Hood 2018.

A new take on an old legend.

Dear reader(s), I'ma be straight with ya: Like the Three Musketeers, Robin Hood is a story that, no matter how often or how badly you tell it, I'm going to fall for it every time. Every. Damn. Time. I am delighted to report that the streak continues with Robin Hood 2018.

Now...that is not to say this movie is not idiotic, because--oh!--it most certainly is. Rather, it is so willfully idiotic that, sans unrealistic expectations, you can't help but enjoy it, so...let's get started with why.

How about Taron Edgerton? Edgerton is a solid actor and a magnetic leading man, an outstanding fit for the action-hero mold. He's young, he's great, and he's only going to get better. Punching well below his weight class, Ben Mendelsohn chews the scenery with relish. Jamie Foxx is mostly over the top as well, though he does get one terrific speech to remind you he's got an Oscar. Fellow Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham, on the other hand, is sadly wasted. Action sequences are ridiculous, exciting, and well placed. The film doesn't slow down often, but it never feels like one endless fight either. Joseph Trapanese's score had me from note one. Like last year's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and the most recent BBC television version of Robin Hood (not-so-affectionately dubbed "Robin Hoodie" by critics), Robin Hood 2018 makes no pretense of authenticity, instead it's all perky bosoms and perfect dental work. Accents are all over the place, inappropriately modern touches are everywhere (midriff top, anyone?), some of the dialogue is so pitiful it actually hurts to listen to it, annnnnnnd...none of that is a complaint. For two hours, I didn’t stop smiling.

Robin Hood 2018 runs 116 minutes and is rated PG13 for, "extended sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive references."

Robin Hood 2018 is striking out at the box office, but it's a home run for me!

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Robin Hood 2018 gets eight.

Fangirl points: Let's hear it for Jamie Dornan speaking with his real Irish accent! *swoon*

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: CREED 2

In 1985, Russian boxer Ivan Drago killed former U.S. champion Apollo Creed in a tragic match that stunned the world. Against the wishes of trainer Rocky Balboa, Apollo's son Adonis Johnson accepts a challenge from Drago's son -- another dangerous fighter. Under guidance from Rocky, Adonis trains for the showdown of his life -- a date with destiny that soon becomes his obsession. Now, Johnson and Balboa must confront their shared legacy as the past comes back to haunt each man.

Director: Steven Caple Jr.

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby, Andre Ward, Phylicia Rashad

Release Date: November 21, 2018

Genres: Drama, Sport

Rated PG-13 for sports action violence, language, and a scene of sensuality

Runtime: 2h 10 min

Review:

Creed 2 is a well acted and directed sequel that delivers what people expect from the Rocky films even though there’s a strict adherence to the tired and true tropes and beats.  Steven Caple Jr. does solid work stepping in for Ryan Coogler who brought the franchise back to life.  Caple Jr. gives his film enough artful touches to give it a distinctive feel which makes some of the more predictable moments easier to sit through.  The biggest thing this sequel has going for it is its cast lead by the incredibly charismatic Michael B. Jordan.  Jordan’s profile has risen quiet a bit since the first film came out and it’s well earned.  He feels much more comfortable in the roles and explores other aspects of the character’s psyche.  Tessa Thompson is just as comfortable this go around which leaves us with an incredibly watchable on screen couple.  The heart and soul of these films is still Sylvester Stallone this remains true here even though his role is limited.  Bringing back one of Rocky’s most iconic adversaries could have been a major misstep but luckily it’s handled nicely.  It’s an interesting turn that expands on what was, and still is, a cartoonish type of character.  Some of the Drago story threads still come off as a bit silly but the story really does an impressive job of adding some interesting depth to Drago.  Creed 2 isn’t quiet as impressive as Creed but it more than holds its own in the Rocky ring.

B