Rocky IV (1985) * *

Directed by:  Sylvester Stallone

Starring:  Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Carl Weathers, Burt Young, Talia Shire, Brigitte Nielsen

It's official with this film.   Rocky Balboa is no longer human, but a superhero who withstands punishment that would likely kill any other man, only to come back and stand tall for America.    Rocky IV was released during the Cold War period when things were beginning to thaw between the Superpowers.    That doesn't prevent Stallone for trotting out a Soviet villain named Ivan Drago (Lundgren) who exists as a symbol with no personality except to sneer and say hateful things in the one or two scenes of dialogue he has.   The rest of his talking is done by his wife (Nielsen) and his trainer (Michael Pataki), who rile up the crowd at press conferences by spewing even more anti-American vitriol.     I think it wouldn't be wise for a Soviet fighter to speak which such hatred towards Americans, but realism is the last thing anyone thinks of here. 

One of the bigger issues in Rocky IV is Drago is built up as so strong and powerful that the entire fight with Rocky can no longer be believed.    A computer helpfully displays Drago's punching power as somewhere around 2000 pounds per square inch, or something like that.    By that standard, he should be able to crush any human being's skull with one punch.    He kills Rocky's friend Apollo Creed in a Las Vegas exhibition match after landing a series of head and face shots, yet Rocky is somehow able to withstand 15 rounds of them.    Is Rocky's face and skull made of something other than bone and flesh?    Yes, it is well documented that Rocky is a fighter with plenty of heart and courage, but that can't outduel the laws of physics and human anatomy.

I know I'm supposed to just shut up and enjoy the fight.   But because Drago is such a cartoon supervillain and is not presented as human, I was aware at all times of how ludicrous the showdown was.   Plus, if memory serves, this epic fight between titans representing the US and Soviet Union was broadcast on the USA Network, which back in 1985 was a fledgling cable network at best.    You would think HBO would've been able to get dibs on this battle.    Oh, and the fight takes place in Moscow and the Soviet crowd becomes rabid Rocky fans by about Round 8.   Rocky was able to win them over while remaining a glorified punching bag.     He somehow knocks out Drago in the fifteenth round and then gives a ridiculous post-match speech saying how things can change between the Soviets and Americans.    I'm amazed his brains weren't scrambled eggs by this time.  

So we have the fourth installment in a series that clearly lost its legs.  I didn't hate it and there are moments of action which work,  but Rocky Balboa isn't a superhero and never should be portrayed as one.    By the time Rocky IV rolled around, he was about as human as Drago.   The only difference is he wore the American flag trunks.