Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is making a legacy for himself having proved his worth in the heavyweight arena only for the son of the man who killed his father to step out of the shadows and challenge him.

In today’s political climate, 33 years after Rocky IV was released it is interesting that the Cold War match up of U.S.A vs Russia could be so prevalent. When Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) steps out to challenge Creed it very much feels a political statement in the same way that Rocky IV was a propaganda machine. This statement feels different though, especially when I strongly felt that in one of the fights in the middle of the film it appeared as though a Black athlete took a knee.

Aside from the politics though this is very much about fathers and what they mean to their children and what their children mean to them. Creed still struggles with what he thinks he owes his father, even whilst he prepares to become one. And returning film boxing heroes Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago (Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren) both have complicated relationships with their sons. The relationship between the Drago’s is surprisingly well played out with very little words spoken by the two men.

Elsewhere, new director Steven Caple Jr. slots in all the appropriate Rocky movie touchstones. A montage, overcoming adversity and a finale that includes a fight that would definitely have been stopped by the referee long before it’s over. It doesn’t manage to be as revelatory as Ryan Coogler’s Creed was back in 2016 though. Somehow feeling more like it’s checking off the ingredients rather than adding some magic in amongst them. At the same time it is no slouch either, just like it’s two lead fighters.