Rocky IV

Probably the best installment of the entire series—the essence of Rocky. Ivan Drago is unorthodox, ruthless, and intense. The 80s vibe is spot-on, and the soundtrack is genius—every track is an absolute hit. The plot is incredibly straightforward, yet it maximizes its impact, setting the stage for the following films. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. "If he dies, he dies." (07/05/2021)

One of the best Rocky movies, primarily because it features five fights like in the third installment, but this time they are brilliantly balanced with human stories. The change in Rocky's relationship with Apollo reached its peak here, but the star of this film is simply the great Dolph Lundgren, who begins his career with a truly significant role. An unforgettable installment with a great finale and a message that might sound silly today but had its justification at the time. (18/03/2014)

"I see three of him." - "Cut the one in the middle!" Many people consider this one of the best, while for me it's the first one I don't give a full rating to. Something is missing (Conti's music especially), something remains (the robot, the horribly long flashback montage before Rocky's departure). Otherwise, it is a perfect spectacle with a killer Dolph Lundgren and a determined-to-death Stallone, who gets a standing ovation from the politburo members at the end. The training part of "modern technology versus barn and nature" is still overwhelming. (03/01/2016)

Nostalgia’s a bitch. I loved this movie when I was little; an irresistibly naive echo of the Cold War. It's impossible not to root for an American who has to lift a log and run across a snowy landscape to train, as opposed to a Russian who is groomed by a team of physiotherapists in top-notch conditions. I almost felt like pulling out the American flag and cheering Sly on at the top of my lungs :) (28/09/2003)

The clash of East and West in a thrilling performance. Dolph Lundgren is truly demonic and hardly anyone could have done this role better. Of course, there's no shortage of ideology, revenge on a friend, and the fact that an honest workout is worth twenty steroid injections. Rocky IV is an immortal classic and a brilliant example of 1980s cinema, where we didn't mind a simple, even plain, story. With the passing of the years, we can reminisce with nostalgia and let ourselves be carried away by the haunting atmosphere and incredible feeling that this film has without a doubt...... “to beat me he's gonna have to kill me” (24/12/2005)