Customer Reviews

Only the Strong [VHS]

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This movie was by far one of the best martial arts films ever. Even in the first few minutes of the movie I could feel the urge to go out and try these moves for myself. The music is awesom! You may need to slow your VCR down so you can take in all the action in the fighting sequences. This movie introduced me to Capoeira and I am now a student under Mestre Almira. Axe!

The movie is excellent. The fight scenes have incredible fluidity, and the movie in general has a lot of color, light and motion. Some of the scenes in Brazil are just very beautiful to look at in addition to the scenes where people play capoeira. The absolutely best part of the movie besides the visual sequences of capoeira is the music. Once you hear this music you just spontaneously feel like dancing capoeira. The story might be cliche but this is raw action at its best. Does anybody know if it will be published on DVD? If it is I am sure it would be awesome.

This film, directed by Sheldon Littich and starring martial artist Mark Dacascos, is a fine piece of work despite formula script. There are several reason why it works so well: 1: Dacascos, is not only a bonda fide martial artists, learning the martial arts as a child from his famous martial artist father Al Dacascos, but he is also a very good actor.

2: Littich takes a simple movie and is able to focus on a couple of main characters where we begin to sympathize with their social condition and the "hero's" attempt to see that they have choices and can change the conditions.

3: Littich picks for this film the martial art caporia. This little known art (compared to karate, kung fu, judo, etc) is flashy and exciting to watch if performed well. The fight scenes are different and well staged.

Yes, this plot is formulatic, but it is still an impressive movie.

This is a charming movie with a stupid storyline like those seen in most martial arts movies. But hey, the point is to see the hero beat the bad guys with some sweet moves, right? And this movie delivers just that. So why bother analysing it any deeper?

Mark Dacascos plays a young capoeirista (a guy who practises capoeira) who gets some misfit students onto the right side of the law by teaching them capoeira. Of course this leads to some showdowns between him and various criminal elements. And that's it, really. But capoeira is a beautiful sport to watch, and the movie is a good teaser for the real thing.

But Dacascos isn't really a capoeirista, and the movie misinterprets some of the basic elements of the sport. If you become interested in learning more after watching the movie, look up the nearest capoeira club in the phonebook and try it for yourself. I guarantee it will be an experience well worth your while! I speak from personal experience.

It's flat out amazing -and utterly utterly unfair- that Mark Dacascos didn't become a huge star in 1993 when ONLY THE STRONG was released. It was released horrid reviews from leading critics (I'm looking at you Roger Ebert!!!!) and managed to amass only $2 million in domestice gross. And for reasons that fail to make sense on any level, CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE got to take in over $100 million. You must be joking.

It's nice to see Capoeira, the Brazilian martial art, to get such nice treatment. Rarely do modern day kung fu movies specify the particular technique of the combatants, and Capoeira is certainly deserving of some attention.

Like most martial arts movies, the story takes a backseat to the action, which is good in this case, since you wouldn't want any ditractions from Mark's many combat scenes, especially his duel with the evil Silverio (Paco Christian Prieto).

Only the dumb would consider themselves a martial arts fan or Mark Dacascos fan if ONLY THE STRONG wasn't in their collection.

ONLY THE STRONG

(USA - 1993)

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Dolby Stereo SR

Upon returning home to Miami, a former Green Beret (Mark Dacascos) is employed by his local high school to rehabilitate some of its worst students by teaching them the art of capoeira (a form of martial arts from Brazil, using dance-like moves). But his work brings him into conflict with a local drug lord (Paco Christian Prieto), whose operations are threatened by Dacascos' interference...

A predictable B-movie plot is elevated above the routine by virtue of its slick presentation and interesting cast, all of whom turn in creditable performances under the assured direction of Sheldon Lettich (former scriptwriter of RAMBO III who went on to helm some of Jean-Claude Van Damme's most popular entries, including LIONHEART and DOUBLE IMPACT). The script - co-written by Lettich and Luis Esteban - provides a showcase for the visual artistry of capoeira, practised with genuine flair by DTV favorite Dacascos (BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF), whose mastery of the form helps to win over some of the most problematic students at his former high school, now a crime-ridden wasteland whose faculty (led by Geoffrey Lewis, acting everyone else off the screen) is clearly at the end of its collective tether.

A faint air of camp hangs over the entire enterprise, as ultra-buff Dacascos flaunts his pumped-up torso through a variety of tight-fitting vests (drool! slobber!) while facing off against ultra-butch Prieto (a real life martial arts instructor, making one of his first screen appearances), though ultra-cute Stacey Travis hovers around just long enough to blunt the film's relentless macho swagger and provide a fleeting romantic interest for Dacascos, thereby reassuring the movie's target audience that his character is entirely heterosexual. The film is naive, obvious and predictable, but it moves at a rapid clip and is well-staged thoughout, and the bone-crunching fight scenes manage to live up to every expectation. Good, catchy music score, too.

Some reviews I read say this is not that good of capoeira in this video, but I would like them to tell me where they have seen better. I have never seen more or better capoeira in another movie, even the clips i downloaded. This movie is amazing, and ever since I saw it as a young kid I've been in love with it and capoeira

Ok so there are a few ways to judge this movie. Is it a masterpiece. No. Not even close. However, if you grew up watching king fu theater and understand the mindset you must be in to watch this type of movie, it is great fun! The acting was horrible as was the writing itself. On several occasions the Villain kept switching from a spanish accent to a brazilian one or worse yet, pronouncing a word incorrectly in either language. The editing in this movie was below amateur as well. Too many mistakes to begin noting. The casting was probably the worse thing in the flick. To believe that any of the boys in the class were one of the 12 baddest kids in the school forces you to suspend all belief in reality and just get on bored for the ride. LOL!!!

Ok that said, this was the first U.S. movie made that used capoeira as the primarly artform, making it a pioneer. The movie was also a lot of fun. It was so bad that it was terrific to watch! This rare quality is similar to old kung fu flicks and most Jackie Chan movies. You aren't watching them for technical or acting or script quality.

This movie is what introduced me to capoeira. In fact it took me 3 years after seeing this to finally find a school to learn it. Over one hour away from home. Since then I have helped open a capoeira school in Philadelphia for a Brazilian Master and have helped bring this beautiful art to many people. All that started with this movie. So for that, the beautiful adventure that I found as a result of seeing this film, it is a masterpiece.

I have to say that I was highly disappointed that there were no special features on this DVD. That was just wrong!!!!

If you are a martial arts movie fan and in a non-serious mood, Check this movie out. Maybe it'll inspire you to living an adventure of your own!

Zoom Zoom Zoom capoeira mata um! haha!!!

Where are the special features of this movie? I remember seeing a featurette on TV, why didn't they include that? 20th Fox just slaps the movies on the DVD with no effort and thinks that's ok! Well they are lazy and could have done better. The Reality is we are in the "21st" century and DVD has many capabilities to take advantage of. A documentary about capoeira and interviews could have been nice. I hope to see more Capoeira movies with a good storyline. This is a must for your martial arts collection seeing that there aren't many capoeira movies out there.

Even capoeiristas agree that this movie isn't all that. The first five minutes and the last five minutes are the only ones that contain any real capoeira, and that is mostly just flashy. It's true that the plot and acting are bad, but this is a fun movie to watch if you know anything at all about Capoeira. Make fun of it with your friends. The fun of doing that, at least, is worth 3 stars.