After iron man Drago, a highly intimidating 6-foot-5, 261-pound Soviet athlete, kills Apollo Creed in an exhibition match, Rocky comes to the heart of Russia for 15 pile-driving boxing rounds of revenge.
Even Sylvester Stallone seems to be getting tired of the series; as the writer and director, as well as the star, he puts himself through the same old paces.
– Roger Ebert,
Chicago Sun-Times,
1 Jan 2000
rotten:
Even the hint of political power that Rocky garners by the end of this latest battle is made to seem like more of the same empty glory.
– Janet Maslin,
New York Times,
20 May 2003
rotten:
Film reduced to the barest of three acts.
– Geoff Andrew,
Time Out,
24 Jun 2006
rotten:
The crazed flag-waving would be a lot easier to take if it weren't so clearly a commercial calculation meant to salvage what is otherwise a crass, careless, shamelessly padded film.
– Dave Kehr,
Chicago Reader,
19 Dec 2006
rotten:
Sylvester Stallone is really sloughing it off shamelessly in Rocky IV, but it's still impossible not to root for old Rocky Balboa to get up off the canvas and whup that bully one more time.