Movie Review: Rocky IV

Rocky returned after the excellent Rocky III in the fourth movie of the series starting with the ending from Rocky III with Rocky putting Clubber Lang down for the count. Sylvester Stallone was back as the Italian Stallion once again and back as the champion, also back was Apollo Creed the former champion (Carl Weathers) and this time a new enemy was on horizon in the form of a giant Russian. Though the movie takes a look at the personal side of the Rocky story, looking at the relationships between Rocky, his wife (Adrian played by Talia Shire) , his son and his brother in law (Paulie played by Burt Young) it's mainly the rivalry between the US and the former USSR that the story features on.

Ivan Drago (played by Dolph Lundgren) seemed to accurately predict the announcement of the current crop of Ukrainian heavyweights who are tall, impressive athletes who mix almost robotic boxing skills with speed and power. Though the story often borders on calling the Russian a drug cheat (due to the experiments that were done on Soviet athletes that often caused a lot of problems, including almost turning some women into men). Though the footage seems very "high tech" around Drago this contrasts well to Rocky's more "old school" and blue collar background as a hard working fighter who reached the top on work alone. It's decided that for Drago's US debut he'll face Apollo in an exhibition bout as Apollo tries to extend his career that seems to be on the verge of ending, possibly boxing's greatest flaw, the fact many fighters don't know when to get out.

The exhibition starts after one of the movies best show pieces, a James Brown song ("Living in America" for Apollo Creeds introduction, funnily it now seems to be fights in the east that actually feature these sorts of over the top live music performances. Most notably Arthur Abraham who has rocks bands "Scorpions" and "Reamonn" doing his introduction songs as a mini concert style thing. The flamboyance of Apollo is wonderfully shown and seems to put much of the Russians camp into a slight worry. Though the exhibition would see Apollo go in as an obvious crowd favourite and Drago booed dramatically by a very partisan crown it would quickly turn from "exhibition" into a tragedy that would lead the rest of the movie.

Though in real life it wouldn't be until 2008's fight between Nikolai Valuev and Evander Holyfield that an American and a Russian would clash in a world heavyweight title fight, it doesn't stop Rocky and Drago from their own bout in the movie. Rocky would pass up the title to fight for revenge against Drago in Moscow, Christmas day. Though the fight would be sold as the Russians trying to look at the fact Americans hate Drago for what happened in the exhibition, the fact that it's sold as east v west is again something that now looks dated but at the time was perfectly with the Cold war still very much the flavour of the day (1985). The training for the fight sees rocky going to Moscow to train as the typical Rocky Montages are worked well as he travels showing the footage of his friendship with Apollo. In the middle of nowhere Rocky Trains for the fight in a snow covered environment that's obviously made to toughen him as more of the typical and charming old school training that Rocky showed early on in the series is brought back. As he pulls Paulie on a sledge, cuts wood and carries logs.

Whilst Rocky is out in the snow toughening up Drago is shown training in top quality labs and gyms with the high tech equipment that had helped him become a "monster" of the ring. Sparring partners are knocked out as he gets into perfect condition to fight Balboa. He spends almost the entire time training whilst being monitored by computers tracking things about him to try and get him into perfect condition. Although he is shown being injected with something (supposedly steroids) it's now an accepted part of sport that a clever nutritionist will provide legal supplements which are sometimes injected (though usually digested).

The final major scene of the movie is the fight between Drago and Rocky in one of the better fights of the series, as Drago is seen as the national hero, a setting in which Rocky can't have felt himself in too many times previously. The tension going in is brilliantly done and the brilliant build up that the movie gives the fight is better than some real fight build up, though sadly it becomes quite predictable in the end. Though Rocky is rocked (excuse the pun) through out the early going of the fight it seems all the Russians way in what will suddenly becomes the ever predictable "super hero act" by Rocky. Though it is a bit predictable that Rocky will turn it around the fact it becomes a bit of a farce starts to turn the boxing fans away and the will lure the "action movie" fans to it all

The music is very 80's centric which suits the age of the movie though now sounds a bit out dated which often feels the same way as it looks at times, where the décor and the footage looks a little bit aged compared to modern day CGI and things. Though the most problematic feature of the sound is Stallone who never sounds the most clear speaking trying to sound more punchy than he does anyway, something that grates after a while. Though the rock music that's used throughout the movie is hard hitting and well thought out even if it does seem dated it still works for the movie and it's place in it. Such as the excellent "Burning Heart" ( by Survivor) and "No Easy Way Out" (by Robert Tepper)

Whilst the authenticity of the fights is debatable things like a fake "Ring" magazine cover do add something to the movie. In fact the press conference (for the bout between Creed and Drago) seems to start quite authentically as well before going over the top and crazier, though the American fighter lives up to the stereo typical loud mouth brash fighter (Ali style) whilst Drago seems the quiet mute sort. Though since the death in the ring of Benny "Kid" Paret boxing rings have had 4 ring ropes for the main fight between Drago and Balboa the ring only has 3 which damages the authenticity slightly. As does the fact that by 1985 a lot of commissions were cutting the length of fights to 12 rounds (though some were still 15 most were being cut to 12 for health reasons).

Overall the movie is one of the more "fun" Rocky movies though at times it's stupidly over the top and as the Iron Curtain is down now it can often feel a bit dated storyline wise as the American audience was obviously the original target for the film and as a result it feels a bit cliched and over predictable. It oddly predicted the rise of the Eastern Block heavyweights that now seem to dominate the sport's premier division. The music is as with all Rocky movies enjoyable even if it is out dated, though sadly the acting as ever is limited despite the movie being fun and having one of the better story lines in the series it just feels like the series should have called it a day here rather than going on to make the terrible Rocky 5.