Review of Rocky IV (1985) by Céline D — 05 Sep 2011

If there were any decade of film in the contingent history of the cinematic century to suppurate on the integrity of 1970's cinema, it would be Rocky IV. This is not only another Rocky sequel. Nor is it just another macho action film. It's a statement and a symbol of the 1980's, where flashy colors, steroids, imbecilic morality, and Cold War mistrust were rampant. For those reasons alone, I'd consider Rocky IV equally important as it is equally terrible. For now, I'll settle with the latter hypothesis.

Unlike Rocky II which was about the hero's penultimate redemption, or Rocky III which was the resurrection of his fighting spirit, this one is just a cheaply directed (and hastily made) revenge flick. Yeah, revenge flicks were about as common in the 80's as STDS were common in the 60's. And Stallone knows this. Speaking of Stallone (who directs, produces, wrote, and stars), he seems to have lost track of what made the original Rocky--and character--so integral. This isn't Rocky. This is a narrow-faced fitness junkie who blathers like an idiot. There is no more dignity. Gone are the dreams of going the distance. Stallone literally murders Rocky by sending him into Soviet territory, in blithering cold weather, to take on Ivan Drago and avenge Apollo Creed. Sadly, I wish I could say more but that's all there is to this movie. It's a testosterone rush heralded by an unrealistic fight sequence, flashy 80's fashion, and a god damn robot that falls in love with Paulie. There's even a cameo appearance by James Brown who acts hammier than usual. Rocky IV is miserable. It emulates a Rambo movie. No progress, no character development, no STORY.

Stallone luckily redeemed this installment with Rocky Balboa twenty one years later. Now reconsider my thesis: Rocky IV is an action movie, but still an important picture. Some skeptics argue that the film ended the Cold War. And in a period where mistrust and cold-shouldered haranguing was constant, maybe all the world needed WAS a stupid action flick where a Russian and American slug it out for all of civilization to see. I'm not too convinced that anybody would really fall for Rocky's melodramatic speech--but hey, this was the 80's. Since when was world peace as important as fluffy hair?