Rocky IV
Rocky IV
Rocky Balboa accompanies his friend Apollo Creed to the ring in a boxing match against a Russian Boxer named Ivan Drago. Drago is too strong for Creed, and unfortunately kills him in his match. Balboa blames himself for Creed's death and is determined to defeat Drago in a boxing match. He gains the help of Creed's former manager, Duke and travels to U.S.S.R. to take on Drago.
Jacob O’Neal reviewedJuly 7, 2025
From my Joe Bob Briggs collection of old MonsterVision/Hollywood Saturday Night. Rocky IV, the most patriotic propaganda film of the 80’s. I am a big fan of the Rocky franchise, but I am not afraid to say when Stallone makes a misstep. And he did here. It’s still a fun movie with some good emotional beats, but it gets lost in the spectacle of the 80’s with flashy song and dance numbers by James Brown, a robot sidekick for Paulie, too little to do for Adrian and lots of US vs Russia propaganda.
I might be in the minority here, but this movie is lower on the scale than part III for me. I’ll explain my reasoning. First, I was caught up as a child in the Cold War propaganda machine of Red Dawn, Iron Eagle and Rocky IV. I was a red blooded American boy in the era of suspecting my neighbors were Russian spies (I really did think they were communicating with Russian satellites via Morse code from their porch light..but I digress). As I got older, I came to realize that there was less substance and less at stake for Rocky in this. He was only really there as a stand in for America. I do have a better appreciation for this movie after seeing the new cut Stallone did a few years ago around the same as Creed II came out and continued the Drago story. Those two pieces made the characterizations and events of IV better in my view. The original cut, which is the one I am reviewing has in some ways become better to me while the new cut improves upon it.
This movie was uneven and nothing but a tool to unite the country against a common enemy. And a few years later that enemy tore down the wall in Germany and communism collapsed. Some, Stallone included, like to think this film played a small part in uniting our peoples. Maybe it did. Who’s to say? It’s not a terrible movie, but look for the Rocky Vs Drago cut. It’s shorter, there’s less robots and more heart. Then watch Creed II to fill in the characters more.
If you see the Joe Bob episode of this you’ll be treated to some bits and jabs at Stallone’s directing. He also talked about Dolph Lundgren being an athlete, MENSA member, bodyguard and fiancé to Grace Jones before being in this movie. But that’s not weighted in my review’s ratings, FYI.