Rocky IV 1985

Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune: [Stallone] creates credible villains worthy of his heroic character. Read more

Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times: This is grim and witless storytelling, and what makes it so depressing is that it hasn't improved by so much as a chemical trace since the days of the first Rocky. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: The new film's narrative is stripped down to essentials, which gives it an emblematic quality. Read more

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine: Padded with clips from earlier Rocky pictures, adding nothing to his mythic, let alone human dimensions, it lacks even the primitive suspense and crude capacity to release underdog emotions that permitted its predecessors to conquer one's better judgment. Read more

Janet Maslin, New York Times: 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. Read more

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: 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. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: 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. Read more

Chris Peachment, Time Out: Film reduced to the barest of three acts. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: 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. Read more