History Film / RockyIV

* JapanTakesOverTheWorld: Hinted at, there's some Japanese reporters at the final fight in Moscow.

* DeathGlare: Rocky gives one to Drago after Drago kills Apollo.

* {{Flanderization}}: In ''Rocky'', Apollo Creed's patriotism is for show. He denies that his "underdog" idea is patriotic and insists that it is intelligent. In ''Rocky IV'', he puts on a similar song-and-dance routine, but this time, it is a genuine expression of extreme patriotism, a quality not before seen in Apollo. It's possible that the increased UsefulNotes/ColdWar tension of the 1980s (and/or fighting a Soviet as opposed to other Americans) brought it out in him, but it's also worth noting that this was around the time he cheated on his wife and unknowingly conceived his son Adonis.

** Rocky's crooked accountant (unseen in the movie) who squandered all his fortune on bad business deals, disappeared, and left him broke in ''Rocky V''.

** Subverted and played straight in a single scene where Rocky helps a peasant farmer whose sleigh is stuck in the snow. The man shows gratuity and they seem to bond slightly in a help a stranger in need scenario. However the government officials watching the whole thing make no effort to assist in any way.

* MegatonPunch: Drago wields a punch force of over 2000 psi.

* ActorAllusion: In the [[DuelingDubs TBS]] Japanese dub, Ivan Drago is voiced by Creator/NorioWakamoto, who previously voiced another dreaded military-based boxer, Kim Yong-bi, in ''Manga/TomorrowsJoe''.

Also of note are the film's heavy UsefulNotes/ColdWar themes, what with Drago being touted as the pinnacle of Soviet superiority and patriotism being a big reason why Apollo challenged Drago. Hell, the final fight could be summed up more aptly by saying "America vs. Russia" rather than "Rocky vs. Drago".

Also of note are the film's heavy UsefulNotes/ColdWar themes, what with Drago being touted as the pinnacle of Soviet superiority, such that the final fight could be summed up more aptly by saying "America vs. Russia" rather than "Rocky vs. Drago".

''Rocky IV'' is a 1985 American sports film written and directed by Creator/SylvesterStallone, who also starred in the film. The film co-stars Creator/DolphLundgren and it's the fourth entry in the ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'' film series.

Rocky is pitted against Russian super-athlete Ivan Drago in a heavily UsefulNotes/ColdWar themed film, which mostly revolves around the two fights with Drago. In the first, the once-again retired Rocky coaches Apollo for an exhibition match with Drago that leads to Drago [[CasualtyInTheRing killing Apollo in the ring]]. In the second, Rocky uses good ol' fashioned patriotism to beat down the cold-hearted Russian as an act of revenge.

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'', was released in theaters on November 11, 2021 and on digital platforms the next day.

** Earlier, Drago is seen pushing himself to his limits to prepare for his fight with Rocky despite how easily he beat Apollo previously.

* ActorAllusion: In the [[DuelingDubs TBS]] Japanese dub, Ivan Drago is voiced by Creator/NorioWakamoto, who previously voiced another dreaded military-based boxer, Kim Yong-bi, in ''Manga/TommorrowsJoe''.

* AdultFear: As confident, dominating and successful as Apollo was in the ring, his wife Mary Anne had to have her heart plunge straight down into her stomach every time he stepped into the ring, knowing that odds are Apollo would someday get seriously hurt...or worse. Here the nightmare comes true.

** In reality, Ivan and Apollo's fight would have been stopped very quickly. It doesn't matter if the towel was thrown in or not: the referee is obligated to end the match immediately if he fears for a boxer's well-being, something made even clearer when Drago starts punching Apollo and Apollo is clearly unable to respond or react, which in real life would lead the ref to stop the fight on a TKO. Even by the conclusion of the first round, it was blindingly obvious Apollo was in danger of significant injury. At least one analysis [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDcMXPCKYus explores how the film would've worked]] if the match had been ended either by the referee / Rocky throwing in the towel before Drago could land the fatal hook to Apollo's face.

** Ivan Drago's karma for [[spoiler:killing Apollo]] is to... lose a boxing match. And as ''Creed II'' later reveals, his marriage crumbles as does his standing with the [[UsefulNotes/RussianHeadsOfState Politburo]].

** 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 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.
** And in classic Rocky fashion, both the opponents beat each other so bad that even their midsection is cut open and bleeding, but the fight is not stopped.

Rocky is pitted against Russian super-athlete Ivan Drago in a heavily UsefulNotes/ColdWar themed film, which mostly revolves around the two fights with Drago. In the first, the once-again retired Rocky coaches Apollo for an exhibition match with Drago that leads to Drago killing Apollo in the ring. In the second, Rocky uses good ol' fashioned patriotism to beat down the cold-hearted Russian as an act of revenge.

* BadassBeard: Rocky grows one during his training time in Siberia.

[[caption-width-right:300: [[AccidentalInnuendo What is Duke doing]]?!?]]

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 and on digital platforms the next day.

[[TheOneWith The one]] where [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyWx1CkMTtI Rocky wins the Cold War.]]