Review of Best of the Best (1989) by Michael W — 20 Mar 2015

Best of the best is a very typical good bad movie. Not "so bad it's good", but rather one of those formulaic dumb action movies you can watch without doing any thinking and still enjoy. It's about a ragtag bunch of misfits getting selected for the US national karate team, so they can go to Korea for a taekwondo tournament. Yes, it really is that kind of movie. (For bonus points: it's never mentioned which Korea they're going to, allowing them to play up both "friendly tournament" and "evil guys with barbarically effective training methods".).

The movie is about five guys, and it barely manages to keep the unimportant three on board, coming within inches of becoming just another team movie where the team doesn't really matter after all, but managing to stop on the line. The movie is basically one big training montage, but the makers were fully aware of that, and give us a soundtrack to match. It's all very over the top mega-American "You have to stand up and fight when the chaaalenge is right" (actual lyrics) stuff, but it's good very over the top mega-American "No time for weakness, or hesitating" (also actual lyrics) stuff. I love it, give these guys an Oscar for best score. They're even using some songs by Golden Earring, the most American band ever to come out of Europe.

The story is predictable as well as unbelievable, the acting is good enough, the fight choreography is not too spectacular (the climax is all one on one fights) but well executed. Overall, the movie is fun. Something so strong indeed.

Oh, one more thing, for the fun fact factor. The main story involves Tommy's brother, who got killed years before. But Tommy's actor's actual brother is also in this movie. Can you guess who it is?