Rocky goes up against a brutal Russian fighter named Ivan Drago, who
brutally kills Apollo Creed in the ring prompting a vengeance bout. DRAMA/SPORT
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Rocky IV (1985)Written and Directed by Sylvester Stallone
Starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Dolph Lundgren, Brigitte Nielsen, Tony Burton, Michael Pataki Sequel to 1982's Rocky III |
Rocky IV is 80's camp at its finest. Where else would you find a talking robot in a sequel to a film that won Best Picture in 1976? I gotta be honest, though. If you can tune out the ridiculousness of the robot, this could be the best sequel of the bunch. Rocky goes up against a six foot five Russian hulk whose punch packs as much power as a train. Basically, this is the film that finally answers the question of who would win between Rocky Balboa and Superman.
Despite this film having a pretty brutal death scene where Apollo's neck is broken by Drago, nearly all the seriousness is drained out of the franchise. The outrageously corny montage song "Heart's On Fire" is definitely no "Eye of the Tiger," and all it does is make me laugh while Rocky trains for the fight of his life. Also, I doubt I'll ever understand Stallone's attempt to singlehandedly solve the Cold War with a film about boxing. While Rocky's match against Drago slowly turns into a battle of nations, I sat there wondering exactly when the Rocky franchise had jumped the shark. Having said all that, the final fight is absolutely stellar. Drago is the most intimidating opponent Rocky has ever faced and for the first time in the franchise, you actually fear for his life. Apollo Creed was a champion, Clubber Lang was a brute, but Ivan Drago is a monster. Dolph Lundgren did a phenomenal job keeping his physique up for this film, which isn't usually something I praise in a movie but I think he earned it. With all of its faults, Rocky IV is still a fun and heartwarming film just like its three predecessors, even if it does feature a robot for some reason. |