quite simply, Rocky IV delivers

Rating: 9/10 (18 May 2003)

The plot is paper-thin, there isn't any character development to speak of (watch Rocky 1 & 2 for character development), and the cold war setting is cliche'd and outdated. But you know what? The movie DELIVERS. It succeeds at what it sets out to do: entertain you for 90 minutes and leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. That's all you can expect from movies like these.
Rocky once again is the underdog, this time against a huge Russian played by Dolph Lundgren. Once again, Adrian is against him fighting. Once again, Rocky starts training anyway, without much motivation. Once again, Adrian comes around and decides to support him, which, once again, gives Rocky a big motivational boost. And, once again, he wins despite seemingly insurmountable odds.
The training sequences are beautifully done, with the classic 80's synthesizer music and parallels of high-tech indoor VS rugged outdoor training. I never get tired of watching those. Very motivational stuff.
Rocky IV is a movie that will make you *feel* for the underdog, and genuinely cheer when he wins. You will feel *good* after watching it. Despite its shortcomings (which are numerous), isn't that worth watching?
9 of 10, for entertainment value.