best of the best (1989) review
Best of the Best (1989) has one of the most memorable and unique endings of any martial arts film ever. That is no hyperbole. Tommy Lee, played by Phillip Rhee, commits the most selfless act possible for a character defined by loss and anger – he spares his sworn enemy and abandons the chance for vengeance. While it sounds like a predictable plot point, it works here to add depth to both Tommy and his adversary. Tommy's mercy quite literally hands a gold medal to his helpless opponent. The moment he decides not to strike down the already defeated but still on his feet Dae Han (played by Steven Rhee, Phillip's real life brother) is life affirming. Check for a pulse If you don’t feel something stirring deep inside as a battered Dae Han places his unearned gold medal on Tommy’s shoulders moments before offering himself as Tommy’s brother. It’s heart-wrenching and the type of resonant exchange rarely seen in action films. It elevates an otherwise run of the mill late eighties karate flick to something fans still discuss in 2021. Best of the Best takes the well-worn “American sports team must come together to conquer foreign enemy” trope and mashes it up with martial arts in a manner that is rousing, exciting, fun, and surprisingly thoughtful. The movie is unquestionably a product of its time with its fair share of cheesy moments and laughably un-challenging training montages. Only one of the five principal actors actually knows any karate but somehow it works. It wasn’t common in 1989 for the main character of a martial arts film to have a meaningful arc outside of saving the day. It's not common today. This film has two. Both Eric Roberts and Phillip Rhee come out of Best of the Best forever changed. The finale really is something special and the reason for the film's well earned cult status. All the mega-cheese in the first half of the film is nullifed by the ending.
BOTB receives a score of 7/10 for general audiences and 8/10 for fans of that special type of late eighties action film we don’t get any more.