Posted: 02/09/2011

Rocky IV Review

by Robert Baum

Review: Rocky IV (1985)

Having put an end to many a Communist and rescuing more than a few POWs as a supersoldier in Rambo: First Blood Part II this summer, Sylvester Stallone seeks to KO the box office competition this Christmas season. Stallone returns this year not only as John Rambo but as the bruiser from the City of Brotherly Love, Rocky Balboa. America’s great white hope faces an opponent from the USSR in Rocky IV.
Having regained his title from a rematch with mohawked brute Clubber Lang (Mr. T), which is glimpsed in the opening, the Italian Stallion isn’t exactly itching to get back into the ring. Not anytime soon, anyway. He heads home to help wife Adrian (Talia Shire) and Rocky Jr. (Rocky Krakoff) celebrate the birthday of his grump of a brother-in-law Paulie (Burt Young). A robot presents the birthday boy with a cake.
From Russia comes a stoic, stone-faced Soviet boxer named Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren, a Swedish-born karate champion glimpsed briefly in this summer’s 007 film A View to a Kill) hoping for a piece of the rock. As he is looking to take on the Italian Stallion. Not From Russia with Love exactly, more like From Russia to the City of Brotherly Love, hopefully; as the bout is meant to serve as an act of benevolence. Dethroned champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) is interested to hear of the Russian fighter’s plans but is disappointed to find that Drago is interested in taking on the man who beat him in Rocky II.
Initially reluctant to take on the former champion, the Russian accepts the challenge of fighting Creed. Rocky isn’t keen on this realizing his former nemesis-turned trainer is no match for the powerhouse of a pugilist dubbed “The Siberian Express” by the media. Rocky knows that Apollo is more interested in wanting to recapture the fame and adoration he once enjoyed.
Creed and Drago meet for their bout in Sin City at the site of…the MGM Grand Hotel. I’ve got a feeling arranging for the use of the venue didn’t take much effort. But what do I know? Creed is introduced to a packed house via a stage show spectacular starring the Godfather—of soul, that is—James Brown.
Creed, like Muhammed Ali a few years back, finds age and inactivity have diminished his once formidable fighting skills. He proves to be a better punching bag against his adversary than a worthy opponent. Despite getting the stuffing pounded out of him, the former champion, like Ali, refuses to yield. However, the outcome for the celluloid fighter insures against his appearing in another sequel should one be made.
Feeling mostly to blame for his friend’s demise, Rocky decides to fight Drago, on the Soviet’s home turf, no less. Adrian is against it, echoing her’s and her husband’s earlier sentiments when each separately, unsuccessfully, tried to keep Creed from taking on the Russian. However, she is unable to stop him and he heads to the USSR with Apollo’s trainer Duke (Tony Burton, who is a bit underused this time) for a Christmas Day melee in Moscow.
By now, it’s quite apparent that Rocky is on a different road than in the original. It’s exciting and lively yet something of an eyesore. Awash with brilliant color and a rock music soundtrack bound to attract MTV devotees who probably never saw the original in theatres. The script is far less developed than the physiques sported by Stallone, Weathers, and Lundgren. The drama is overshadowed more than a bit by overly opulent production values even more so than Rocky III and are virtually on par with Stallone’s low blow (and low brow) Saturday Night Fever sequel Staying Alive.
The fights between the two pugilists representing embittered superpowers is a replay of the two fights between onetime American-born heavyweight champion Joe Louis and German champion Max Schmelling. That historic bout won’t be evident to young filmgoers though. One other item of mention: Louis’ final years found the former heavyweight great and seviceman greeting entrants to the famed Vegas Caesar’s Palace.
Stallone is reeling from last year’s Rhinestone and comes back strong with his return to Rambo and Rocky, which should garner him a sizable purse. Is he punch-drunk from having put his energies into directing (though not in his ill-fated teaming with Dolly Parton last year), writing (he co-wrote the script to his first foray into comedy since his pre-Rocky days of Bananas and The Lords of Flatbush), singing (he did so not only with Parton but in his directorial debut Paradise Alley) and making a pec-tacle of himself?
Great Dane—as in tall- Brigitte Nielsen, recently seen onscreen in the title role of the she-warrior Red Sonja with Sly’s fellow cinematic muscleman Arnold Schwarzenegger, plays Drago’s wife; along with Michael Pataki, she does the talking primarily for Drago. Lundgren is left to show his physique and appear stoic. Perhaps the demise of Burgess Meredith’s beloved crusty trainer Mickey in the last film should’ve prompted Stallone to retire Rocky. He has probably gone a few rounds more than many real heavyweights have.
Still, Stallone manages to surprise us. As the montage contrasting the training of Balboa and Drago for their bout is edited well. We also get to hear the Soviet National Anthem. It’s a shame though to think that a little film called Rocky released to critical acclaim and come from nowhere to take the Best Picture title would eventually give rise to an effort like this.

Robert Baum is Currently a Bryn Mawr, PA-based film afficanado and pop culture junkie.

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