Review of Rocky IV (1985) by Clark B — 25 Mar 2010
CAUTION: This review contains many spoilers. I can't properly explain my problems with this movie without spoiling it. Since it's horrible, yet the most financially successful sports film of all time, I'm probably wrong anyway.
It's a reverse negative of Rocky III (5 stars) with a Russian filling the Mr. T role. Now, I understand that all the Rocky sequels are formula flicks, but the pandering here is just so shameless and cynical.
This time around Apollo Creed dies instead of Mickey, and Survivor belts out a terrible variation of "Eye of the Tiger" called "Burning Hearts". (YouTube that song to see how terrible it really is.
) Adrian, of course, doesn't want him to fight because, well, that's what Adrian does in every Rocky movie. And finally, after the obligatory training sequence (DRAGOOOO!)and an especially far-fetched fight sequence, it's capped by a ridiculous closing speech of Rocky singlehandedly solving the Cold War -- after he's finished Gorbachev stands up clapping, alone at first, but then the rest of the Russian crowd joins in tentatively before finally succumbing to wild applause, chanting ROCK-YYY! ROCK-YYY! That's just awful, isn't it? Isn't it?!? For bad movie lovers only.
This review of Rocky IV (1985) was written by Clark B on 25 Mar 2010.
Rocky IV has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
