My feelings toward this film have been all over the place; I enjoyed it, then didn’t, and now I'm appreciating it once more. It’s a real push-and-pull for me. The dislike stems from *Rocky* and *Rocky II*, with just a touch of it coming from *Rocky III*. This installment seemed to prioritize the boxing match over the core narrative that defines Rocky, and like *Rocky III*, I found myself missing the emotional connection to his family—that was a key element of what made the earlier films so good. Characters like Mickey, Creed, Adrian, and Paulie were truly at the center of those movies’ appeal, but this one concentrated on the fight itself. Still, it's undeniably inspirational, which is why people choose to watch a *Rocky* movie in the first place. You want to witness the underdog face adversity, put in the effort, and give everything they have, regardless of the outcome... and what’s special about this series is that he doesn't always come out on top. We see him suffer setbacks, experience defeat, and then persevere. And that’s precisely what *Rocky IV* provides.

Source on TMDB