Truly astounding continuation of the remarkable series

Rating: 9/10 (9 January 2007)

Rocky IV is an incredible film and completely makes the series worth while. Not only that Rocky IV encompassed such an important message for the time it was made in. It only made sense for America's greatest underdog hero to take on America's most feared opponent...Russia. And Dolph Lundgren completely carried the weight of being Russia and pulled it off brilliantly becoming what I think was Rocky's hands down best adversary. Rocky IV featured more of and better scenes of what made the Rocky series great. Hands down Rocky IV had the best musical montage training scene in the winter scape of Russia, it also had the brutal match between Rocky and the Russian which was the best of his fights without a doubt. It had emotion and death losing one of the great characters from the Rocky series.
Sylvester Stallone once again for the third time directs, writes and takes the lead role as Rocky Balboa. Now Stallone has proved numerous times that he can direct and write and yes even act but especially when it comes to Rocky. Nobody knows Rocky Balboa the way Stallone does and I think he does an incredible job of really capturing Rocky at a turning point in his life. His best friend is dead, killed in the ring with Rocky watching, his mentor is gone, his wife doesn't understand him, he has all these riches and is unsatisfied with his career and his life thus far which drives him back to the ring on the other side of the world to prove his strength. Stallone is very emotional and almost moody and quiet as he drives himself against his greatest opponent in a nation that hates him. And finally Stallone looks incredible!! When he finally gets in that ring opposite an equally impressive looking Lundgren Stallone looks built like a rock, the best he's ever looked before or since. The original crew returns once again including the short lived Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed who holds nothing back in his brief yet flamboyant and loud performance as always. Taila Shire as Rocky's wife Adrian who once again for the second time doesn't get as big of a part but she is still vital to the story as she comes around to Rocky's cause and reasons for fighting. And Burt Young returns in his unstoppably hilarious and important role as Paulie, Rocky's brother-in-law and friend. They have some very emotional moments together in this film. New to the cast is lovely but very hard looking Brigitte Nielsen (the future real life Mrs. Stallone for two years) as Ivan Drago's wife and promoter. Her hard steely glares and Russian accent makes her the perfect voice to Drago's physical presence. And as mentioned before cult favorite actor Dolph Lundgren is Captain Ivan Drago, the monstrous man who is destroying everything in his path. Lundgren has very, very few lines but the lines he delivers become instant classic "If he dies...he dies," and my favorite "I must crush you." Lundgren easily looks frightening and towers over Stallone and is impressive to watch fight and train. He plays his role to perfection and is the best Rocky opponent period!!
Stallone directs the final battle to absolute perfection. The crowd that boos him and then slowly turns, his moving and politically important speech at the end, and the absolutely damaging blasts Rocky takes from the drug induced pumped up Drago. This film is the reason Rocky after Rocky film has been made because great sequels can be done. I still feel that Rocky IV was aiming more mainstream than the original two but nonetheless it is a terrific film and an absolute eighties classic. You can't see any Rocky without seeing them all but this is worth while!! 9/10