Rocky IV is a complicated movie, far more so than it is given credit for. At least this is the view of anyone trying to analyse it. In regards to where it took the series it is a massive turning point, as it took Rocky from a simple love story or the story of a bromance into a new, unexpected direction.
Ivan Drago was the real factor that changed the franchise. Icy, murderous and cruel he raised the stakes of the series by murdering Apollo Creed in cold blood. To Rocky this was an uncrossable line, a violation that could not stand. And why should it stand? Sure Apollo was a blow-hard, and someone who sometimes bit off more than he could chew nad had a tendency to insult his opponents but it was simply for show. Deep down he would never cripple or seriously injure his opponents.
Drago though, was irredeemably, irretrievably evil. In the novel his practice partners are his former squad mates, and he murders them in practice by beating them to death.
Now there are two important themes that kick into the movie, from the moment Apollo dies; one is about nationalism (an important concept in the 80s and even before that era and in this one) and the other is justice/vengeance. Dan will be covering the other theme in a short while with his own essay, as this is a movie that should have two different essays looking at it from two different angles.
Without further ado let’s dive in; Rocky after the death of Apollo is a changed man. Before the death of Apollo he was rolling in the green, he was happy and was embracing change, considering once again retiring from boxing and was evidently quite fond of his son.
After the death of the only brother he had ever known, Rocky was to do a complete polarity shift. Adrien warns him that she doesn’t think he can win, and Rocky deems this to be true but still leaves for Siberia in Russia.
Now there’s a certain logic to his training there in the frigid cold of Siberia; namely he wishes to harden himself and use the elements that he thinks shaped Drago to defeat Drago.
But it turns out that the man who’s surname means ‘dragon’ is a paper dragon. A false one, forged together by science and by communist ideology. Drago has unbeknownst to everyone been cheating from the very start through the usage of a new steroid drug. He has also been training purely in a controlled environment so that he has little in the way of true weathering and elemental experience. The man never goes out into the cold, to train in the harshest of environments in the world, never pushes himself too far.
Rocky for his part is a different beast, and in this film he truly becomes one as he pushes himself past his breaking point. Pushes himself further than love, passion, fear, faith and into a realm that can destroy even the best of men. He pushes himself so very far not for any of these things but for that which has been known to corrupt and destroy even the best of men; hatred.
He hates Drago and wishes to destroy him. This is the secret of his training, which is no real secret if you watch the training montage of this film (the best in the series). Screaming Drago’s name like that in the most iconic scene of the movie, is important as it is his promise, his oath to punish Ivan, with nature and God as his witness.
The trouble is that once in the ring Rocky devotes himself heart and soul to the ‘duty’ of destroying and breaking his enemy. Never once thinking about alternatives, never once considering aught else than the task of punishing the man who murdered Apollo Creed.
And it is in this battle that we see Rocky’s peak but also how dangerous a man like Rocky can be. Underneath the Goku level gentleness, the courtesy, the pious faith lies a lion or better yet a ‘stallion’ that can run wild and can kill in a way.
Rocky doesn’t go in to murder Ivan Drago. But he does go in to cripple him. To destroy his career as a boxer, and break his future as a man.
Pay close attention in the fight scene to where all of Rocky attacks are focused after he nails Drago in the face in the ‘turning punch’ of the match. Even before that he had one clear focus, but afterwards he really steps it up.
Drago’s punches are random, Rocky’s are not. Rocky is aiming for only one thing; his foe’s ribs. Why? Simple; once these are broken and shattered, Drago won’t be able to punch back with the same ferocity and will need medical attention.
What Rocky does is nothing short of the controlled demolition of his opponent’s body. Possessed by the spirit of vengeance and hatred, he devotes himself to the destruction of Drago as a man and fighter.
Early in the fight it means he doesn’t do as well, but then later in the battle as Drago’s punches soften and Drago realizes what has been done he gets scared. But there’s nothing he can do, as Rocky breaks and destroys him.
Fuelled by hatred, Balboa once he has finished with the ribs taunts his foe, strikes out at the rest of him especially the face all while having stolen the last thing Drago could call his own; the support of the people of Russia.
The thing about the Soviet Union is that one should think of it as a cabal that ruled OVER the Russians, rather than being a ruling class of Russians for and by Russians. This is why in this movie the Russian crowd are won over away from the cabal, and against the icon of the Soviet Union, Ivan Drago.
There is also the fact that Russians are by their very nature great lovers of all the Western Civilizations that exist outside to the west of their borders and it should never have been in any doubt that they would cheer the destruction of Drago in the movie.
Rocky certainly did change himself in this movie, in order to secure victory. Never fully believing he could, he simply went in to break his opponent so that he might appease his own thirst for vengeance.
The trouble is that this poisons Rocky ever so slightly in Rocky V because he is now working on the fumes of the anger that gripped him ever so tightly in the fourth iteration of Rocky. Working on those vengeful fumes he begins a steady decline into ignominy so that there is a moral lesson to be had here about hate and vengeance. That said, there is also a positive lesson to be had (but I’ll leave that one to Dan to write about).
What is more is that Rocky comes out of this state of ‘possession’ a wiser, sadder and infinitely kindlier man in Rocky Balboa (Rocky 6).
James Brown appeared in the film to perform "Living In America", which fit in with the clearly jingoistic American theme.
Great timing for this article as I just rewatched Rocky IV a couple nights ago. The entire Apollo/Drago fight needs it's own article as it is truly a masterclass in cinema and my views of Stallone as a director went up a great deal after viewing it again. The prelude to the fight starts with Drago standing in what appears to be a broom closet, suddenly he starts rising in the air, the sounds of James Brown, after snorting mountains of PCP, signing Living in America surround Drago. As the platform rises to the ring Drago sees the depravity and carnival like atmosphere of American culture for the first time, the camera keeps going from Drago's eyes to what he is seeing around him for the first time and the look of disbelief on his face is one of horror/humor. James Brown continues his dance routine and is now joined by Apollo, who is being lowered to the ring on what can only be described as a giant bull/minotaur while doing his own dance routine to Living in America. The bull finally descends and Apollo dances into the ring while the crowd feverishly waves American flags. This whole scene is maybe 5-7 minutes long and, IMO, this movie would never have been as good as it is without it.