Right so now its time for part four of my Rocky posts and this times it all about Rocky IV (funnily enough!) in which Rock takes on the big muscle bound Ruskie, Ivan Drago in the sternest of tests of the champ's abilities. So let's have a look...
So the film starts off where Rocky III left, with the reprise of the ending with Rocky defeating Clubber Lang, and afterward he has a private bout with Apollo, who wants to prove that he can still beat Rocky (the result of which is left undetermined, but Rocky has a black eye!). After this the story moves to 1985 where Rocky is still the reigning world champion, but a new challenger comes to town in the form of the giant Russian boxer, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lungren). Drago is accompanied by his wife Ludmilla (Brigitte Nielsen) along with his team and manager Nicolai Koloff (Michael Pataki) and in front of the press during a training session, Drago shows his formidable strength and punching power. Apollo takes notice of Drago and in an effort to prove himself he decides to take the big Russian on in an exhibition match, convinced that he can beat him, Apollo persuades Rocky to train him. At a press conference things quickly turn hostile between the Apollo and Drago's camps as Apollo ridicules Drago and the big guy pushes Apollo back and leaves Drago coldly incensed by Apollo's actions.
On the night of the match, which takes place at the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas, Apollo makes a spectacular entrance, wearing his old Uncle Sam boxing outfit, and with James Brown singing "Livin in America" in the background. The bout begins with Apollo tamely landing a few punches on Drago, but things soon take a turn for the worse as Drago starts to beat Apollo relentlessly until he can barely stand. At the sit down, Rocky pleads with Apollo to stop the fight, but Apollo refuses and insists that Rocky keep the fight going no matter what happens. In the second round Drago continues to brutally beat Apollo and Duke (Tony Burton) Apollo's former manager pleads with Rocky to throw the towel but Apollo says no just before Drago lands one last fatal blow which puts Apollo down permanently, as Rocky enters the ring, Apollo dies in his arms. After the match Drago is interviewed and shows no remorse whatsoever over his actions and says regarding Apollo "If he dies... he dies".
Rocky as a result of Apollo's death decides to relinquish his title belt (which he places in Apollo's coffin) and he agrees to an unsanctioned 15 round fight against Drago in the Soviet union (due to Drago receiving death threats in the US) to take place on Christmas day. Adrian (Talia Shire) expresses her fears to Rocky about how he too could get killed if he fights Drago and she thinks he can't win, regardless however Rocky goes to Russia along with his trainer Duke and his brother-in law Paulie (Burt Young). In Russia, Rocky is given a log cabin as his training base where he starts to train traditionally and in stark contrast Drago trains using very high tech equipment where he has a team of trainers and doctor monitoring his every moment. Adrian soon decides to join Rocky in Russia as well to give him her full support, which motivates Rocky even further. Come the night of the bout, Rocky enters the arena where he Russian audience boo him and as Drago arrives, a huge patriotic display is put on for the Russian fighter, and from here both men get down to business as they lock horns in an intense battle.
Rocky IV it has to be said is admittedly the cheesiest the Rocky film series ever got, however despite that it still remains a highly enjoyable film and with its rather short running time of 90 minutes its also easily the tautest of all the films as well. And with Stallone at the directorial helm again as well as on the writing duties, he uses the cold war theme between the American and Russians and the film itself even had some criticism levelled at it as a propaganda piece. And this is certainly mirrored in Apollo's death at the hands of the ice cold Drago where the Russians draw first blood in their contest with the Americans and both sides also display fierce patriotism during both bouts. The film was also noted for during its production where Stallone and Lundgren actually engaged in an authentic contest in early sections of their fight scene, which lead to Stallone sustaining a serious injury to his heart after a direct blow from Lundgren, and Stallone was forced to leave the production and spent eight days in intensive care. Stallone also later stated that Carl Weathers nearly quit the film's production as a result of Lundgren's overly aggressive approach during the filming of Apollo and Drago's exhibition fight, and it took Stallone to resolve the dispute and convince Weathers to come back to the film. So even the film's production wasn't short on drama either!
As for the performances well things are mostly good, but they are a bit of a mixed bag as well, although Stallone still manages to provide a fine performance as Rocky, who suffers the loss of his good friend Apollo and has to face the might of the formidable Drago. Stallone also potrays Rocky as being more resilient this time round after Apollo's death he actually maintains his focus while training for the fight even despite Adrian's refusal to support him, although she eventually reunites with him and does. As for Stallone's dialogue as Rocky, he gives himself some good lines, such as where he speaks to Apollo on the phone, which is on a large robot, which Rocky bought as a present for Paulie's birthday, and he has to move around as the robot spins in a circle and he says "Yo, Apollo, how you doing? How am I doing? I'm getting dizzy!". Stallone also has a good scene with Talia, where Rocky and Adrian argue about his agreeing to fight Drago and he says "I am fighter. I can't change what I am. We can't change anything we just have to go with what we are". And after Adrian yells at him that he can't possibly win the fight, Rocky says "You're right maybe I can't win. Maybe the only thing I can do is take everything he's got. But to beat me, he's going to have to kill me. And to kill me, he's gonna have to have the heart to stand in front of me. And to do that he's got to be willing to die himself." And his last scene where he addresses the Russian crowd he delivers his memorable, albeit corny speech about "If I can change, then you can change... everybody can change!".
Talia Shire is really good once again as Rocky's loving wife Adrian, although she is slightly sidelined in the film this time around. But her best scene is when she argues with Rocky over his decision to fight Dragon and she says "Its suicide! You've seen him, you know how strong he is. You can't win!!". Burt Young on the other hand is given a more prominent role here than before as he works Rocky's corner as part of his team and also travels with him to Russia. Burt once again get's some of the film's funniest moments such as during the press conference where he insults Drago's manager who asks whom he is and Paulie says "I'm the unsilent majority, big mouth!". And when Paulie arrives in Russia in the snow laden tundras he looks around and says "How the heck are you supposed to train here?! What a depressing vacation!" and he ends up falling into the deep snow. Also later on just prior to the fight, Burt get's another couple of good lines where he first says to Rocky "I just wanna say if I ever wanted to unzip myself from my own skin and be someone else, I'd be you. You're all heart, Rock!" and later after he sees Drago up close in the ring he says to Rocky "You remember what I said about wanting to being you? Forget it!". Tony Burton also provides a good turn as Rocky's trainer and Apollo's former trainer who trains Rocky in Russia. Burton also shares a good scene with Stallone where Duke talks to Rocky when they are in Russia, prior to starting Rocky's training he tells him "You're gonna have to go through hell. Worse than any nightmare you've ever dreamed. But when its over, I know you will be the one who is still standing".
Carl Weathers also provides another fine performance in his last appearance as Apollo Creed in the Rocky series, as Apollo eventually meets his fate when he faces the towering Drago in a "friendly" exhibition bout which ends very badly. Weathers again plays the part to perfection and displays Apollo's charisma, charm, confidence and arrogance. Weathers also get's some of the film's best lines such as in the press conference scene with Drago, where Drago is asked a question but he doesn't respond, and Apollo says "The man's tounge didn't come through customs!". And in the scene Weathers also shows Apollo's rampant ego and how he still thinks he is the greatest despite having boxed in five years as he says "Well I've been with the best and I've beaten the best! I've retired more men than social security!". Weathers also shares a good scene with Rocky while they re-watch their previous bout on film, and Rocky expresses his concerns about Apollo fighting Drago and Apollo says to him "Now I'm asking you as a friend, stand by my side this one last time." And Apollo also highlights the cold war theme again as he says "Its us against them, Stallion! Stallone you may not know what I'm talking about now, but you will when its over. Believe me, you will when its over!". And Weathers also has a really good moment when it probably finally dawns on Apollo that he might be totally screwed when he get's in the ring with Drago and just before the fight begins he taunts him by saying "Come on its time to go to school, son. Come on did you hear what I said?! Put your hands up, its time to go to school!" and Drago puts his gloves up and Apollo's gloves contact with them and he sees how rock solid physically Drago is, who coldly says "You will lose".
As for the new cast, Dolph Lundgren, while he hardly displays any real aptitude for great acting is still fairly good in his role as the mighty and merciless Ivan Drago who provides Rocky's sternest test in his career so far, as well as proving to be Apollo's literal nemesis. Lundgren's incredible physique was well noted by Stallone, who felt that Lundgren could even have become a professional heavyweight boxer himself. Lundgren's main highlights in the film are his two fight scenes with Apollo and Rocky, with the latter being one of the best fight scenes in the series, as it is a really intense and fairly even contest. Lundgren doesn't have much dialogue in the film, which is probably just as well as his delivery is so robotic, but what little he has does have still manages to make an impression, especially in the scene after he has just clubbed Apollo to death in the ring and he says "I defeated an old man. Pretty soon I will defeat a real champion!" and when he asked about Apollo's critical condition he says without a hint of remorse "If he dies... he dies". Also later on in the ring just before Rocky's bout with Drago is about to start, he says to Rocky "I must break you!". And surprisingly near the end of the fight, you actually gain some sympathy for Drago as the crowd turn against him and his manager angrily tells him he is a disgrace and he has to win, which leads to Drago picking him up by the throat, although he let's him go, but at this point you feel the Russians are just using him as a pawn in their game against the Americans. And he shouts to the crowd in Russian "I win for me! For ME!!".
Brigiette Nielsen on the other hand however proves to be the real weak link in the chain of the cast, as her potrayal of Drago's wife, Ludmilla is somewhat hammed up and she is given some atrocious dialogue to deliver. And Nielsen's worst scene comes where she speaks out against the Americans after Apollo's death and defends her husband. "You call my husband a killer. He's not a killer. He's a professional fighter! You have this belief that you are better than us. You have this belief that your country is so very good and our country is so very bad! You have this belief that you are so fair and we are so very cruel!". Gaawwwwwd! And finally (yep this has been a longgggg section!) Michael Pataki does fair better as Drago's manager, Nikolai even though he too is given his fair share of corny dialogue, which serves to heighten the tension and propaganda of the film. Although Pataki does get one good line when during a demonstration of Drago's incredible punching power he says "The results are obvious. Whatever he hits, he destroys".
Direction wise Stallone once again does a fine job here and he keeps the story and pace of the film very tight as it just clocks under 90 minutes running time, it is the shortest of all the Rocky films. Stallone also in the film produces some great moments such as the montage of Rocky training which really pulls you into the action of his preparations for the fight. And Stallone's direction of the fight itself is terrific and the fight is for me the best out of all six films, as the bout is both tense and exciting to watch. As for the music score, well this time Bill Conti is missing (as he was occupied with scoring the Karate Kid films at that time) and Vince DiCola took over the duties of writing the music, and his score is not too bad, although it pretty synth heavy and does sound rather dated. The film also has some other tracks by contemporary artists of the time such as Survivor, Kenny Loggins, Robert Tepper and Go West, and most notably John Cafferty who contributes the song "Hearts on Fire" used during Rocky's training montage.
So as we are just about done, its time to ask if Rocky has any niggles or flaws worth mentioning??? Yup it does. To start with it has to be said that while it is an entertaining film, it is also a very corny and at times cringeworthy one as well, particularly in scenes such as Apollo's overtly patriotic entrance to his exhibition bout against Drago as James Brown sings "Living in America". Not to mention the scene where Rocky unveils Paulie's birthday present, which is a big robot servant, which says in a robotic voice "Happy birthday, Paulie". And later Paulie has the robot's voice reprogrammed with a sexy female voice as its gives him a beer, Paulie says "She loves me!". At that point you just want to bury your head under the sofa or in the sand just to escape sheer cringe factor of it all! Drago also has an equally cringing entrance to his bout with Rocky in Russia, as presumably the country's anthem plays in the background and a large potrait on a curtain of Drago is unveiled with Drago standing in the ring looking on impassively (or perhaps he is secretly so bloody embarrassed at what alot of over the top patriotic pish he has to endure before he can even start the fight!!). And once again here Stallone ladels on the patriotism way too thick so much so the whole thing at this point just feels like total overkill and would be almost fair to say the film is on the verge of being xenophobic.
The film is also guilty of being a bit like a music video at times, especially with the montage of scenes where Rocky takes a long soul searching drive in his car after Apollo's death and Robert Tepper's "No easy way out" plays in the background and it replays scenes from the previous three films. And it feels like a long way from the down to earth reality of the first two films and more like a fantasy based film, where the Rocky series has started to lose its grip on the reality of the character and the story just seems to enter the realms of the fantastical.
Another problem I have with the film is with Adrian's decision to travel to Russia AND LEAVE HER SON BEHIND!!! I mean what the hell is that about???! In the absence of his parents, their son has no guardians to look after him apart from the big bloody robot, which is hardly a substitute is it?!!! And it hardly shows good parenting that both Rocky and Adrian are willing to leave their son behind and when Rocky reunites with her he doesn't even think to say "Wait a minute! Where is the kid??? Did you leave the kid at home????!". So if Rocky at this point can't remember his kid's name, what chance has he of remembering if the kid is still at home on his own!! So this in itself remains for me a sizeable plot hole in the film but for the sake of the intruige of watching Rocky get in shape in what is admittedly the best montage scene in the series, we conveniently forget all about it!
It also seems extremely unlikely given Drago's immense physical power that Rocky would be able to actually withstand a beating from him over 15 rounds in reality and it would be more likely that he too might have died in the ring. But hey this is a movie after all and it is Rocky Balboa we are talking about here, and to a lesser extent Rocky V deals with the extent of Rocky's injuries in his aftermath of his battle with Drago.
Achhhh anyway all that put aside, I still think Rocky IV is one of the most enjoyable films in the series, with its quick pacing and terrific final fight sequence between Rocky and Drago, which alone is worth the admission price.
So after that hugely exhaustive post I shall leave it there for now and bring up round 5 soon, Rocky V.
Until the next one see you later.
Ding ding!
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