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Blu-Ray : Recommended
Ranking:
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Release Date: March 5th, 2019 Movie Release Year: 2018

Creed II

Overview -

Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan reprise their roles in Creed II, a superb follow-up to the reboot series where the two men fight the ghosts of their past and featuring excellent performances by the entire cast. The sequel struts its stuff to the Blu-ray ring with a near-reference video presentation and a satisfying Dolby Atmos soundtrack, but a disappointingly light set of supplements. Still, the overall package is Recommended for sports fans everywhere.

Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. “Creed II” is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history.

OVERALL:
Recommended
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
Two-Disc Combo Pack, BD-50 Dual-Layered Disc / DVD-9 Dual-Layered Disc, Region Free
Video Resolution/Codec:
1080p/AVC MPEG-4
Length:
130
Aspect Ratio(s):
2.39:1
Audio Formats:
English Dolby Atmos, English Dolby TrueHD 7.1, English Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Subtitles/Captions:
English SDH, French, Spanish
Special Features:
Digital Copy
Release Date:
March 5th, 2019

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

You can read our full thoughts on the Sylvester Stallone-produced Creed II in our review of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray HERE.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray

Warner Home Video and MGM Home Entertainment bring Creed II to Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a flyer code for a Digital Copy. The Region Free, BD50 disc sits opposite a DVD-9 copy inside a blue, eco-cutout case with glossy slipcover. After a couple of skippable promos, the screen changes to a generic static menu with options along the bottom of the screen and music playing in the background.

Video Review

Ranking:

Adonis Creed enters the Blu-ray ring for a second time in top-notch form with a first-rate 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode yelling from its corner. The freshly-minted transfer comes out punching with excellent clarity during the action-packed boxing matches, showing clean, well-defined lines and wrinkles in the satin-polyester fabric of the shorts and gloves. Viewers can make out the stitching and threading as well in various other articles of clothing, such as the scarves and leather jackets worn throughout, and individual hairs are distinct. Facial complexions are highly-revealing, exposing every pore, wrinkle and negligible blemish with healthy, accurate lifelike textures. The people filling the stadium are plainly visible in the distance while some daylight exteriors, especially the training montage sequence in the California desert, reach the level of demo-worthy.

Presented in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, the HD video struts its stuff on its walk to the ring with contrast that hits hard, right on the money. Whether coming from the hot stage lights, the California sunshine or the warm lamps of the Creed home, the presentation is continuously bathed in crisp, brilliant whites, giving the comeback journey an upbeat, hopeful feeling. Likely the result of Kramer Morgenthau's stylized cinematography, brightness levels are not always the most consistent with a couple of poorly-lit interiors seeming somewhat lackluster, but for the most part, blacks are inky and opulent with excellent shadow detailing, providing the image with appreciable dimensionality. Morgenthau's photography falls a bit on the flatter side, lightly affecting the overall palette, but primaries are nonetheless full-bodied and richly-saturated while secondary hues are vibrant and accurately rendered. (Video Rating: 92/100)

Audio Review

Ranking:

The sports drama debuts on Blu-ray with the same wonderfully satisfying Dolby Atmos soundtrack as its Ultra HD counterpart. For a more in-depth take on the audio quality, you can read our review of the 4K Ultra HD HERE. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 84/100)

Special Features

Ranking:
  • The Rocky Legacy (HD, 15 min): Dolph Lundgren narrates this short piece on the entire franchise and its lasting impact with cast & crew interviews sharing various anecdotes from various productions, thoughts on plot themes and tons of BTS footage.
  • Fathers & Sons (HD, 7 min): Cast & crew interviews talking about this sequel's central theme and how it drives the motivation of characters.
  • The Woman of Creed II (HD, 6 min): Stars Phylicia Rashad and Tessa Thompson share their thoughts on the role their characters play in the lives of the men in the story.
  • Casting Viktor Drago (HD, 6 min): More interviews focused on actor Florian Munteanu and his character with a few words from the star himself about joining the cast.
  • Deleted Scenes (HD, 10 min): Four extended and excised sequences.
    • Rocky's Eulogy for Spider Rico 
    • Max's Cheesesteak Restaurant (Extended) 
    • Rocky Trains Kids 
    • Locker Room

Final Thoughts

Adonis Creed and Rocky Balboa return to the ring in Creed II, featuring a rematch against a familiar foe who manages to open old war wounds. With excellent performances from the entire cast, the two fighters fight for more than just the championship belt and the adoration of the public, but also against the ghosts of their past, haunted by the ramifications of bygone decisions. The sequel struts its stuff to the Blu-ray ring with an often-stunning, near-reference video presentation and an excellent Dolby Atmos soundtrack cheering it from the corner. Although the supplements are disappointingly light, they are nonetheless entertaining, making the overall package Recommended for sports fans everywhere.