History Film / RockyIV

* NotSoDifferent: During the training montage, it is shown that despite having all the advantages, Drago is working just as hard to prepare for the bout as Rocky.

Preceded by ''Film/RockyIII''. The film's success led to a fifth entry, ''Film/RockyV'', released in 1990. Stallone later made a [[ReCut Director's Cut]] of the film, titled ''Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago'', which is set to be released in theaters on November 11, 2021.

Preceded by ''Film/RockyIII''. The film's success led to a fifth entry, ''Film/RockyV'', released in 1990.

Stallone is currently working on releasing a Director's Cut of the film, titled ''Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago'', which is set to be released in theaters on November 11, 2021.

Stallone is currently working on releasing a Director's Cut of the film, which is set to be released in theaters on November 11, 2021.

* ThemeMusicAbandonment: Rocky’s classic theme, “Gonna Fly Now,” is absent from this movie, although a few notes are used near the end of the instrumental at the end of "Hearts on Fire."

* ArtisticLicensePhysics: Ivan Drago has a measured puto nching pressure of over 2000 psi. Considering the average size of someone's fist, this would equate to roughly '''15,000 pounds of force'''. To put this in perspective, a T-Rex's bite power was estimated at 7700 pounds of force, so ...

* ArtisticLicenseCars: While Rocky is in Siberia, the KGB officials arrive and depart in two Mercedes-Benzes. In addition to the fact that the KGB would never have used a Mercedes-Benz car since it was a symbol of Western might due to the company operating in West Germany, which was capitalist as opposed to Communist East Germany, domestics GAZ Volgas and ZiS limousines were used instead and even though Mercedes cars were sold in the USSR, both Benzes in the scene are the United States import variants, the 1977 model sporting 4 round headlights instead of the standard two rectangular lights.
* ArtisticLicensePhysics: Ivan Drago has a measured punching pressure of over 2000 psi. Considering the average size of someone's fist, this would equate to roughly '''15000 pounds of force'''. To put this in perspective, a T-Rex's bite power was estimated at 7700 pounds of force...

* CasualtyInTheRing: [[spoiler:Rocky returns to the fold to avenge Apollo Creed, after Ivan Drago kills Apollo in the ring. ]].

** As the Soviets themselves mention, Apollo isn't in proper condition to beat someone of Drago's physique and single-minded determination, and that he could learn a painful lesson attempting to fight Drago, between a lengthy absence from the ring and the fact that (as retroactively revealed in ''Film/{{Creed}}'') he's been going through a mid-life crisis, which has resulted in him conceiving Adonis through an extramarital affair. [[spoiler:Apollo's stubborn refusal to give up or let Rock throw in the towel gets him killed in the ring.]]

** In classic Rocky faction, the referees also don't stop over cuts above the eye as they would in real world boxing, despite the fact both Rocky, Apollo and even Drago acquire pretty bad cuts above the eyebrow during their fights which are probably impairing their eyesight. Lastly the final match against Drago also has Rocky being hurled to the canvas no less than ''8 times'', sometimes twice or thrice in a row within what seem to be a handful of seconds (and with Rocky not even trying to block or dodge), which should be enough to make even the most stubborn referee stop the fight on TKO to Drago's favor.

Stallone is currently working on releasing a Director's Cut of the film.

* CasualtyInTheRing: [[spoiler:Apollo, bringing Rocky back to the fold]].

* AcceptableBreaksFromReality: Subverted. Ivan Drago blatantly pushed the referee away during the fight in which Apollo loses his life. He obviously should have been arrested and charged with manslaughter, at the least. However, being from the Soviet Union, the United States chose to let him walk free, rather than risk WorldWarIII and/or a Class 2 Main/ApocalypseHow over a boxer.[[note]]The prospect of WorldWarIII would have been unlikely in this case, as the US and USSR ''did'' have an extradition agreement in place and several criminals were exchanged between both countries during the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, either directly or via Interpol. A high-profile figure like Drago would, however, end up the subject of intense diplomatic wrangling. Drago would be more likely to die of old age than to ever set foot in a US courtroom over a death in the boxing ring of another boxer who fully understood the risks of the sport. He would, however, likely have been permanently banned from boxing anywhere within the influence of the USA, and might have to be worried about being forcibly arrested by American agents and taken to the United States for trial should he ever set foot outside the confines of the Soviet Union.[[/note]]

* EnforcedMethodActing: Both Stallone and Lundegren revealed that during shoots it was Stallone's idea to actually hit each other for realism. Sylvester even provoked Doplh into hitting him with full strength by hitting him earlier than he said. Though that did not entirely work out as Stallone [[RealityEnsues was dropped with one punch to the chest by the professional boxer]] and eventually had to be hospitalised due to internal swelling.

Stallone is currently working on releasing a Director's Cut.

* TrainingFromHell: Both Ivan and Drago go through one for the final bout, pushing themselves to their absolute limits. Ivan at one point is nearly in tears due to the stress and collapses at the end.

** In classic Rocky faction, the referees also don't stop over cuts above the eye as they would in real world boxing, despite the fact both Rocky and Apollo acquire pretty bad cuts above the eyebrow during their fights which are probably impairing their eyesight. Lastly the final match against Drago also has Rocky being hurled to the canvas no less than ''8 times'', sometimes twice or thrice in a row within what seem to be a handful of seconds (and with Rocky not even trying to block or dodge), which should be enough to make even the most stubborn referee stop the fight on TKO to Drago's favor.