Director Ryan Coogler brought the Rocky series back to life with his new movie Creed II. The movie is a continuation based off of the son of Apollo Creed, Rocky’s enemy-turned-friend. While this movie might not have been nearly as popular as Rocky, it is still an entertaining sports movie which brings depth to the Rocky series that inspired it. Even though Creed II is a meaningful spinoff of the Rocky series, it does not meet the same artistic heights as its inspiration.

The movie picks up a few years after the events of Creed I. Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is on the edge of becoming the next heavyweight champion and about to take his relationship a bit further with his longtime girlfriend (Tessa Thompson). Just as this all comes to the surface, Creed is challenged by his rival, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), an up and coming Russian boxer, the son of the man (Ivan Drago) that killed his father. When Adonis accepts the challenge, his mentor Rocky decides to let him do this fight on his own. Throughout the movie the same question follows, is Creed fighting for his father or his pride?

With an impactful ending, the meaning of the movie lets viewers leave theaters with a warm feeling inside. Although not as popular as it’s successor Rocky, Creed II is still a movie that is full of substance and worth, definitely a must-see.