Best of the Best (1989 film)

Did You Know?

• Best of the Best is mentioned twice in the TV series Cobra Kai: in season 4, episode 6 by Devon Lee, and in season 6, episode 5 by Johnny Lawrence.
• It is mentioned in season 2, episode 4 of Eastbound and Down by Kenny Powers, who ridicules a minor league baseball team owner for not knowing Eric Roberts.

Plot

Alexander Grady, a widowed auto plant welder from Portland, Oregon, is chosen for the U.S. team in an international martial arts tournament against Team South Korea. He was once a rising star but retired after a shoulder injury three years earlier. The team also includes Tommy Lee, a martial arts instructor from Fresno, California; Travis Brickley, a brash fighter from Miami, Florida; Virgil Keller, a devout Buddhist from Providence, Rhode Island; and Sonny Grasso, a streetwise fighter from Detroit, Michigan.

Coached by veteran Frank Couzo, their chances are slim because the Koreans train year-round with full national support and have killed a competitor in the ring. The team struggles to bond as Travis antagonizes them. A second assistant coach, Catherine Wade, is hired, and her spiritual approach clashes with Couzo's rigorous methods. Tommy is disturbed to learn his opponent is Dae Han Park, who killed Tommy's brother David in a similar tournament.

Couzo wants Tommy's aggression fueled by revenge, while Wade worries about his mental state. Couzo cuts Alex from the team for breaking training to visit his son, who was hit by a car. Tommy later quits after knocking out Virgil with a spinning side kick. Conflicted, Tommy confesses his fear to Alex, who urges him to face his brother's killer. Travis and others persuade Couzo to reinstate Alex, and Tommy rejoins after a change of heart.

Reception

The film received negative reviews from critics, with a Metacritic score of 26 out of 100, indicating generally unfavorable reviews. Movie historian Leonard Maltin called it another Rocky clone and an appalling waste of talent. Despite this, it inspired several sequels and gained a cult following. UFC champion Chuck Liddell cited it as his personal favorite martial arts film.