The ULTIMATE showdown at a time where its do or die IN RUSSIA...

Rating: Null/10 (13 May 2001)

I don't know what possessed me to comment on Rocky IV. Oh wait! IT IS AWESOME! This is my favorite in the series. Don't get me wrong, I love them all, but this one ultimately stands out as where the character "Rocky" (Sylvester Stallone) goes from a great fighter to a legend. This film is a tremendous kaleidoscope of action, drama and entertainment.

If you have seen the previous Rocky films (which I recommend as well), you will remember Rocky's greatest rival Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), who is a brash and outlandish fighter who will remind you of a young Muhammad Ali. However, now since that they have earned each others friendship and respect, they are now on the same side against a common enemy: Ivan Drago, the top amateur fighter from Russia. Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) is an impressive sight at nearly seven-feet in height. Apollo Creed is the first to get a crack at Drago, and is ultimately defeated to the point of death in the ring. Now the film gets serious. The film uses terrific music & video montages to show what Rocky is thinking.
Either its friendship or patriotism combined with a little ego that forces Rocky to lay down a challenge as well. However he demands the fight to take place in Moscow, Russia on Christmas Day, using the most basic circumstances of training.
To feel a little patriotic is an understatment as you see the differences and ethics in methods of training. Ivan Drago trains in the most comfortable gymnasiums and uses state-of-the-art equipment, as well as taking large doses of anabolic steroids. This is proven by his dramatic increases of power as he goes from 700 to over 2,000 pounds of pressure in ONE PUNCH! Rocky trains by running in the snow and up mountains, by chopping logs, lifting large sacks of rocks and pulling wagons. By the time of the fight, both men are in incredible condition, and the only thing that will prove victorious is who has the most heart and desire.
You can't get much more influential elements to stroke the American ego than those included in this movie. Basically simple: USA vs. RUSSIA on their own turf in a complete gutter war. Its the Clash Of The Super Powers during the last years of the bitter Cold War.