Punch Drunk

Rating: Null/10 (1 June 2014)

'Rocky' was a wonderful movie about a fully realized three-dimensional character with his own unusual way about him. We liked him and we wanted him to succeed and even when he didn't we still loved him anyway for facing insurmountable odds. 'Rocky II' was less effective but still maintained Rocky's charm and dealt nicely with his fight for self respect. 'Rocky III' was mindless but still energetic and entertaining and I accepted it as such. 'Rocky IV' is glossy, stupid and drains all of the personality traits about Rocky that we liked in the first movie.
This go around is simply baffling. It begins with Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) facing off on an exhibition match with a Russian behemoth named Draco (classic non-actor Dolph Lundgrin). Creed is killed in the ring and that leaves Rocky to think that he has to get into the ring with Draco to .. . what? Teach him a lesson? That leads to the inevitable. There are a list of clichés that this movie must follow and 'Rocky IV' does not deviate from them one bit. Following the tragedy we must see: 1.) The mourning scene complete with flashbacks. 2.) The press conference. 3.) The conflict about whether or not to go through with it. 4.) The training montage which ends with a victorious freeze frame. 5.) The pre-fight pep talk. 6.) The fight which begins with the two men facing each other down and exchanging macho one liners. 7.) The moment when it looks like Rocky will lose. 8.) The people at ringside yelling for the fight to be stopped. 9.) The victorious punch in which Rocky knocks out Draco. 10.) Rocky's lame post-fight public announcement. Believe me, I haven't given anything away.
Draco the villain is played by Dolph Lundgrin one of the most lifeless actors that I've ever seen, especially here. He stands straight up looking stone-faced and barely says a word. His wife does all the talking for him but there is never a scene the shows the two of them together or for that matter ever shows Draco as any kind of human being. In the third movie, Mr T. was a silly comic book caricature but at least he has some energy.
The first two Rocky movies were loaded with personalities. Apollo Creed was a man with much pride but still wounded and very human. Adrian was an understanding woman baffled by having so much attention from this lug who was trying to win her over. Paulie was a wounded drunk constantly living in his brother-in-law's shadow. All those traits are gone. The supporting cast now stands by and looks concerned from their places in the background. I would say that Stallone should quit this series while he's ahead but that would have been two movies ago.