Directed by:
Sylvester StalloneScreenplay:
Sylvester StalloneCinematography:
Bill ButlerComposer:
Vince DiColaCast:
Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Brigitte Nielsen, Tony Burton, Michael Pataki, Dolph Lundgren, Al Bandiero, Dominic Barto (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is a champ again. When there is a challenge from a Soviet giant named Drago (Dolph Lundgren), the challenger is laughed off. The Soviet government wants the prestige of a World Heavyweight Boxing Championship and stands fully behind Drago - a cold, blond, almost-bloodless fighting machine who is somewhat inhuman. Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) is now Rocky's manager and is appalled by the effrontery of the challenge. To teach the upstart a lesson in boxing, Apollo agrees to an exhibition match in Las Vegas. (Showtime)
(more)Videos (2)
Reviews (12)
Nostalgia’s a bitch. I loved this movie when I was little; an irresistibly naive echo of the Cold War. It's impossible not to root for an American who has to lift a log and run across a snowy landscape to train, as opposed to a Russian who is groomed by a team of physiotherapists in top-notch conditions. I almost felt like pulling out the American flag and cheering Sly on at the top of my lungs :)
()
Rocky IV concentrates, dramatically and explosively, almost everything that adorned and defined the 80s B-movies. Although this fairy tale with its classic "good vs. evil" boxing structure (or the Cold War is far from over) reeks of over-the-top platitudes and superhuman heroism, everything is put together in just the right way to entertain generations far beyond the Italian Stallion. After all, good looks so likeable, honest and humble, while evil is cold, heartless and greedy, and the final battle is so emotionally gripping that every time I watch it I stand by the screen cursing at the vile comrades who sent that doped-up beast after poor Rocky, which was likely the intent... :)) 80%
()
When I look back on the match in the USSR or even just reading some of the reviews here quoting lines directly from the movie, a chill runs down my spine, and it's the right moment to forget words like "propaganda". The long flashback while driving the car, the training in the snow, Drago destroying equipment in the gym, and somewhere in the back of my head a voice telling me that cheering like this is something I should perhaps do at the age of twelve, not in my thirties. The most bombastic and deservedly the best installment of the series.
()
With the fourth installment, the series of Rocky Balboa films has moved from films that bypass me thematically to the category of films that, pardon my French, piss me off. It is rare to see this sort of stupid propagandistic film. There are propagandistic works that have quality directing, polished screenplays, and excellent casts and performances, but Rocky IV has none of that. If I had to look at this matter objectively, I would have to be squatting on Jupiter. Overall impression: 10% (for Gorbachev with the large red spot on his head).
()
Probably the best installment of the entire series—the essence of Rocky. Ivan Drago is unorthodox, ruthless, and intense. The 80s vibe is spot-on, and the soundtrack is genius—every track is an absolute hit. The plot is incredibly straightforward, yet it maximizes its impact, setting the stage for the following films. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. "If he dies, he dies."
()
Ads