Review of Best of the Best

I found Best of the Best to very good with a lot of hidden messages inside it. There are five men in the national American karate team who have been picked to take on China in a tournament but the story really focuses on two of the team members which Tommy and Alex. Alex is a burned out fighter who makes a comeback and has dealt with tragedy in his past with the loss of his wife and trying to be a good single parent to his son Walter. Then we have Tommy who is battling his own demons with the thought of fighting the man who killed his own brother in a similar tournament many years back when Tommy was just a boy. This is where the plot unfolds and continues till they meet at the tournament. This movie always reminds me of Rocky but with Karate not Boxing because the film is watching them train and talking through there problems till they get into the ring. You may laugh at this but wait till the end of the film when Tommy comes face to face with his brother's killer Dai Hon and then we'll see who is brave enough to hold back the tears because I think it is some of the best B movie acting I have ever seen. Unfortunately this did no favours for the future of it's actors apart from Chris Penn maybe from Reservoir Dogs but the coach played by no other than James Earl Jones who makes his best performance in years that stands out in my mind.

There are a lot of patriotic scenes that will roles back your eyes in emotion when the two countries come together at the end to unite even after all the bickering they endure to one another throughout the film. They don't make B Movies like they did back in the late 80's and early nineties anymore and this was one of the rare gems which was one of them and should be remembered for at least that.

A well thought out film which has a lot to give and a lot to remember.

Best karate film since The Karate Kid and no one is yet to take it's crown