Best of the Best [1989] Eric Roberts

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Best of the Best (1989)


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096913/

Best of the Best is a 1989 martial arts film. The plot revolves around a team of Americans facing a team of Koreans in a taekwondo tournament. Several sub plots pop up in the story - moral conflicts, the power of the human spirit triumphing over adversity are some themes. The movie stars Phillip Rhee, James Earl Jones, Eric Roberts and Chris Penn.

James Earl Jones as Coach Frank Couzo
Eric Roberts as Alexander "Alex" Grady
Phillip Rhee as Tommy Lee
Chris Penn as Travis Brickley
John Dye as Virgil Keller
David Agresta as Sonny Grasso
Tom Everett as Assistant Coach Don Peterson
Sally Kirkland as Kathryn Wade
Louise Fletcher as Mrs. Grady (Alex's mother)
Edan Gross as Walter Grady (Alex's son)
Hee Il Cho as Korean Coach
Simon Rhee as Dae Han Park
James Lew as Sae Jin Kwon
Ken Nagayama as Yung Kim
Ahmad Rashad as Broadcaster

Even though Eric Roberts, James Earl Jones, and Sally Kirkland received top billing for this film, itΓΓé¼Γäós clear that Phillip Rhee is one of the true stars of the film. The character of Tommy is perhaps the most tortured of the team members. Rhee, who also came up with the story and produced the film, gives out a great performance as Tommy happens to be likable on the outside, but has a deep feeling of anger on the inside. When he learns that his opponent will be KoreaΓΓé¼Γäós team captain, Dae-Han Park, played by PhillipΓΓé¼Γäós real-life brother Simon Rhee, he begins to have recurring nightmares when ten years ago, his brother David was killed by Dae-Han in a tournament held in Los Angeles. Tommy finds solace not only in Alex, but uses his martial arts as a way to handle the fear that he has to endure.

What helps boost the film not only in terms of the filmΓΓé¼Γäós dramatic element of understanding the fighters are the intense training each team endures. While the United States fighters rely on modern technology and weight training to get their bodies stronger, the Korean team resort to modern traditional methods such as praciticing during the snowy winters and running in the snow as well as hitting the trees while in the snow. Aside from Simon Rhee as Dae-Han, the film also features legends James Lew and Grandmaster Ho Sik-Pak as members of the Korean team with tae kwon do legend Hee Il Cho as the coach.