Best of the Best

Rating:
Summary: good viewing quality hard to find
Review: I first saw this movie when it first came out, and believe it or not i can still remember the story line and the impact it had on me as a person having only seen it once,MAYBE TWICE,this movie greatly inspired me with the message it sent. But you have to watch the whole thing, especially the last 30-45 minutes of it to really grasp what that message is. Few movies(as a grown man)have ever made me angry, want to stand up and cheer, and shed tears at the same time. if you want to see a movie with people beating each other up and killing each other just for the fun of it, then this is not the one for you, but if you enjoy a good show of competition and sportsmanship,with some "on the edge of your seat action" and a heartfelt message contained therein then i defineitly absolutley recomend this one. Lets just say you might not pay much attention to your popcorn bowl!

Rating:
Summary: do not analyze but enjoy
Review: I have studied martial arts for a very long time, and I teach young children...This movie may have an element of revenge overtoning the truth behind the meaning of martial arts, but children do not see it that way, nor do I...all the children I have taught have seen this movie and we all agree it is a great film, about respect, teamwork, leadership and growth...the people who constantly analyze a film instead of viewing it and enjoying it will always miss the message behind it. Sure it was about revenge for the character "tommy" - Yet, how did it end! I think this is an excellent movie for the young and old alike. So for all those people who constantly pester the subject behind this movie don't really know/understand the meaning of Martial arts. For them, you need to grow up and get with the program! I would like to see this movie in DVD soon as well...

Rating:
Summary: Good action movie
Review: This movie is not intended as a moral lesson for people - at least I hope it wasn't.

This movie is, however, a good solid action movie. 5 martial artists make the cut to join to US team, and face Korea in a tournament.

After various and sundry fights, the tournament happens.

There, there is various punching and kicking, and a lesson for everyone in the end.

The major difference between this and most other action movies is that it's done very well. Each of the main characters appears to be a competent martial artist - Phillip Rhee especially. The fight scenes are very well choreographed, and about as realistic as these sorts of scenes can get.

Chris Penn is amusing playing about the character you'd expect a Penn to play - brash and tempermental.

Overall, I'd recommend it for the fight scenes. If you can fast forward through the 'plot', you'll be much happier.

Rating:
Summary: Action Abounds!
Review: This movie is without question a nonstop action movie. Eric
Roberts is supported by a very good cast in this movie. An all
start American karate movie competes on a worldwide basis in a karate tournament.The personalities in this movie are excellent as well.The tournament action in this movie is absolutely breathtaking. One American gets to meet the man responsible for killing his brother.The final tournament for all of the marbles
is nonstop excitement. Watch this movie.You will then buy a copy aand watch it nonstop.

Rating:
Summary: Among the Best of the Best Martial Arts Movies
Review: You can usually determine the success of a film by the number of sequels it has spawned. In THE BEST OF THE BEST, the most recent count is four, but it is in only the first that the electricity that director Robert Radler focused becomes apparent. It is not the plot that marks this martial arts movie as several notches above its competition, nor is it just the well-choreographed fight scenes, although they are here pretty spectacular too. The key is that the cast blend well together so that the audience actually cares about their collective fates. Talent and earnestness in front of the camera make even the non-fight scenes linger in the mind. There are no single Hollywood stars who dominate, although James Earl Jones as the coach of a Korea-bound Karate team and Eric Roberts as his top fighter come close. The magic of the film is how each of these two stars bounce off each other in ways more personal and emotional than physical. Jones is your typical no-nonsense sports coach who, in order to preserve his integrity, is even willing to suspend his best fighter whom he deems as having broken one of the team's rules. There is a subplot of another Jones-coached fighter, well played by Korean martial arts star, Phillip Rhee, who must fight in a vicious tournament the very same man who killed his brother in the same tournament some years earlier. The first half of the movie is the talky part that centers on the conflict between Jones and Roberts. Sally Kirkland is wasted in a walk-on role as an eye candy inspirational coach who tells each fighter to ignore their pains by focusing only on 'a good place.' The second half brings the action squarely to the tournament where each American must tangle with his Korean counterpart. The matches are not only physical; they also represent an emotional and psychological battle that leaves the audience in the stadium and the audience watching the video wondering just who are the favorites. The conclusion is eminently satisifying, even if the final scene is drenched in sappy pathos. Still, THE BEST OF THE BEST is well-named for it makes you think about the tournament long after the stadium in Seoul has closed for the night.