Rocky IV *** (1985, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Brigitte Nielsen, Tony Burton) – Classic Movie Review 7827

Dolph Lundgren stars in writer-director Sylvester Stallone’s 1985 boxing movie sequel Rocky IV as Russian boxer Ivan Drago, the so-called ‘Siberian Express’, who delivers a final knockout blow to Rocky Balboa (Stallone)’s old rival and new pal, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers).

So then the world heavyweight boxing champion Rocky has to fight the huge, 6′ 5″,  blond, 261-pound fighter Drago to teach him a lesson and show him that the Yanks are not effete pushovers after all.

Rocky IV is still more of exactly the same soapy, sentimental boxing movie formula, just as the fans wanted, and it is at its best when it gets tough in the training sequence with Stallone in the Russian snows and Lungdren in the gym.

Useful star support performers Talia Shire and Burt Young are back as Stallone’s wife and slobbish brother-in-law, and Red Sonja star Brigitte Nielsen appears as Ludmilla, with Tony Burton as Creed’s former manager Duke.

Written by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky IV is a tall, jingoistic tale, engagingly told. At 91 minutes, Rocky IV is happily much shorter and punchier than the first two Rocky movies, the 1976 Rocky and the 1979 Rocky II. There is however also a director’s cut at 107 minutes. It was another enormous hit, costing $30,000,000 and grossing $127,873,700 in the US and $300,473,716 worldwide.

Also in the cast are Michael Pataki, James Brown, R J Adams, Al Dandiero, Dominic Barto, Danial Brown, Rose Mary Campos, Jack Carpenter and Marty Denkin.

Rocky V followed in 1990, with original Rocky director John G Avildsen returning to the franchise.

Dolph Lundgren reappears as Drago in the 2018 Creed II, which also finds a role for Nielsen.

Nielsen and Stallone were married from 15 December 1985 to 13 July 1987 but then divorced.

Stallone decided he and Lundgren should hit one another for real, and Stallone ended up in intensive care after Lundgren had punched him so hard in the chest that his heart had slammed up against his breastbone and began to swell, cutting off the blood supply and restricting the oxygen flow throughout the body.

And now there’s more. Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Vs. Drago: The Ultimate Director’s Cut from MGM will be screening at cinemas across the UK from 19 November 2021. After more than 35 years, Stallone reshapes Rocky IV,  delivering 40 minutes of never-before-seen footage. The fight scenes are more intense, the music is more powerful and the drama is heightened.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7827

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