A film so silly and unbelievable that it actually rises above criticism on normal terms.

Rating: 5/10 (31 January 2007)

The fourth Rocky movie retreats into a realm of fantasy that has to be seen to be disbelieved. It is by far the dumbest movie in the series, with a plot that defies credibility, and a closing boxing match that would surely prove fatal for both fighters if a contest like it were to take place in real life. What the film has in its favour is a sense of courage in its own absurdity. It's like everybody involved knows that they're working on something ludicrous, but they give it their all anyway  the actors, the cinematographer, the composer, the editor and the director all pull in the same direction, united in some kind of cheerful conviction that they can make an enjoyable movie from this silliest of premises.
Life is good for boxing champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). He has a mansion, he has money, he has incredible public support and he has the all-important heavyweight champion of the world title. But news is spreading fast that there might be a better boxer on the face of the planet in the shape of Russian goliath Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). Drago comes to America for an exhibition match against Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), once Rocky's greatest adversary and now Rocky's greatest friend. The match is supposed to be a straightforward contest for Creed, giving him a chance to reassert himself as a top fighter, but it goes terribly wrong when Drago literally pulverises his opponent and kills him in the ring. Distraught at the death of his buddy, Rocky agrees to fight Drago. The venue: Moscow. The date: December 25th. In the middle of desolate northern Russia, Rocky trains for the fight of his life against a near-superhuman opponent. Not only is the honour of his dead friend at stake, but so is his life. not to mention the hopes of every man, woman and child from the free world!
It seems kind of wrong for a Rocky movie to go all political on the audience, but Rocky IV indirectly does just that. Rocky's closing speech is a cringe-worthy plea for tolerance and change amongst the different societies of our world, and if I hadn't heard it with my own ears I would scarcely have believed anyone could put such infantile politics on film. The movie is much better when it concentrates on the sport aspects, especially the pulsating training sequences. With rapid-fire editing and rousing music, these parts of the film are quite inspirational and make you want to get out of your chair and put yourself through your paces in a gym as soon as possible! The final fight itself is a pretty exciting sequence but, given the fact that the film shows us that Drago has an impossibly strong punching-power, one finds it rather hard to believe that Rocky could still be standing after fifteen seconds let alone fifteen rounds. Rocky IV is totally unrealistic, totally simple-minded. and totally entertaining if you look upon it as a guilty pleasure!