Review of Rocky IV (1985) by Jordan K — 05 May 2015

Rocky IV shows a different look at the franchise, where director Stallone depends on current events to attract viewers to see the beloved Rocky Balboa against a steroids taking Soviet, all in the name of patriotism. Rocky IV isn't just a bad way at commercializing a franchise, it's one of the biggest franchise sellouts of recent memory.

A roided up Soviet with superhuman strength challenges Rocky's trainer and friend Apollo Creed and kills him with a hard strike. In honor of his late friend, Rocky continues the exhibition match in Russia while numerous counts of patriotism is shown off, from the cringeworthy James Brown cameo to the "weak American" threats to Gorbachev representations.

Rocky IV doesn't hold up well at all. Obviously the mid eighties were a tense time for the Cold War and, as a way of cheap patriotism, Rocky IV drew in both Soviet hating viewers and diehard Rocky fans. Rocky IV is filled with cheese aside from the aged story, with Pauly's silly slapstick antics to a few brief cameos by a house robot of all things, Rocky IV is the beginning of the end for Rocky's golden age. In all honesty, Lundgren, although he only speaks maybe 5 sentences in the whole film, is memorable and a fun character, but it doesn't matter who you pledge your patriotism for, Rocky IV is disappointing for any aspect.