Product Details

• Actors: Eric Roberts, James Earl Jones, Sally Kirkland, Phillip Rhee, Chris Penn
• Directors: Robert Radler
• Writers: Phillip Rhee, Max Strom, Paul Levine
• Producers: Deborah Scott, Frank Giustra, Marlon Staggs, Michael Holzman
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
  PLEASE NOTE: Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click here.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• DVD Release Date: September 28, 2004
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002O7XUE
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,498 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Best of the Best" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A team from the United States are going to compete in the world finals in karate. The team consists of fighters from all nations, can they overcome their rivalry and work together to win ? Starring: James Earl Jones (Academy Award® Nominee 1970 The Great White Hope, Field of Dreams, Hunt for Red October), Eric Roberts (Academy Award® Nominee 1985 Runaway Train), Chris Penn (The Funeral, True Romance, Reservoir Dogs), Sally Kirkland (Academy Award® Nominee 1988 Anna).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Among the Best of the Best Martial Arts Movies, January 4, 2003

By	Martin Asiner (jersey city, nj United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Best of the Best. [VHS] (VHS Tape)

You can usually determine the success of a film by the number of sequels it has spawned. In THE BEST OF THE BEST, the most recent count is four, but it is in only the first that the electricity that director Robert Radler focused becomes apparent. It is not the plot that marks this martial arts movie as several notches above its competition, nor is it just the well-choreographed fight scenes, although they are here pretty spectacular too. The key is that the cast blend well together so that the audience actually cares about their collective fates. Talent and earnestness in front of the camera make even the non-fight scenes linger in the mind. There are no single Hollywood stars who dominate, although James Earl Jones as the coach of a Korea-bound Karate team and Eric Roberts as his top fighter come close. The magic of the film is how each of these two stars bounce off each other in ways more personal and emotional than physical. Jones is your typical no-nonsense sports coach who, in order to preserve his integrity, is even willing to suspend his best fighter whom he deems as having broken one of the team's rules. There is a subplot of another Jones-coached fighter, well played by Korean martial arts star, Phillip Rhee, who must fight in a vicious tournament the very same man who killed his brother in the same tournament some years earlier. The first half of the movie is the talky part that centers on the conflict between Jones and Roberts. Sally Kirkland is wasted in a walk-on role as an eye candy inspirational coach who tells each fighter to ignore their pains by focusing only on 'a good place.' The second half brings the action squarely to the tournament where each American must tangle with his Korean counterpart. The matches are not only physical; they also represent an emotional and psychological battle that leaves the audience in the stadium and the audience watching the video wondering just who are the favorites. The conclusion is eminently satisifying, even if the final scene is drenched in sappy pathos. Still, THE BEST OF THE BEST is well-named for it makes you think about the tournament long after the stadium in Seoul has closed for the night.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good viewing quality hard to find, January 25, 2004

By	david dewitt (Henderson, NV USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best of the Best. [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I first saw this movie when it first came out, and believe it or not i can still remember the story line and the impact it had on me as a person having only seen it once,MAYBE TWICE,this movie greatly inspired me with the message it sent. But you have to watch the whole thing, especially the last 30-45 minutes of it to really grasp what that message is. Few movies(as a grown man)have ever made me angry, want to stand up and cheer, and shed tears at the same time. if you want to see a movie with people beating each other up and killing each other just for the fun of it, then this is not the one for you, but if you enjoy a good show of competition and sportsmanship,with some "on the edge of your seat action" and a heartfelt message contained therein then i defineitly absolutley recomend this one. Lets just say you might not pay much attention to your popcorn bowl!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guy movie to the max!, September 3, 2004

By	Adrian Gonzalez "Siskel who?" (Miami,FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One inspirational movie that you'll never forget. A movie that never recieved the credit that it deserved.Watch it, true heart felt movie with great action.