Only the Strong
by Sheldon Lettich
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Geoffrey Lewis, Mark Dacascos, Paco Christian Prieto, Stacey Travis, Todd SusmanDirector: Sheldon Lettich
Brand: Fox
Writer: Sheldon Lettich
Producer: Robert D. Simon
Producer: Samuel Hadida
Producer: Steven G. Menkin
Producer: Stuart S. Shapiro
Producer: Victor Hadida
Writer: Luis Esteban
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 99 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-12-16
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Movie Reviews of Only the Strong
Movie Review: "The world can be as big as you want it to be, or as small as your tiny little hood."
Summary: 5 Stars
The fundamentals of martial arts are lost on many people, nowadays. In a world dominated by mixed martial arts fandom, the common notion is that these age-old systems of combat - when not being derided as decrepit or inefficient - are only good for fighting off street thugs and/or beating up people inside a cage. The aspects of character-building and spiritual betterment are no longer as widely appreciated by the general populous, who are routinely conditioned to believe that you have to be a 200+ pound muscleman to excel in self-defense. Thus, the unorthodox Brazilian style capoeira, regularly jeered as being too showy for practical use, isn't a common sight in Hollywood...save for this movie. While the film's tagline ("the Ultimate Martial Art") is ambiguous, few movies like this do as good of a job of exploring the social benefits of the fighting arts. The spirit of capoeira as a means of preserving culture and community is perfectly expressed in Mark Dacascos' first starring vehicle, which I consider to be an underrated classic many times over.
The story: Green Beret Louis Stevens (Dacascos, Brotherhood of the Wolf) returns from his military service in South America to his Miami hometown to find his old high school transformed into a dangerous haven for gangs and drug dealers. At the urging of his former teacher (Geoffrey Lewis, "Maverick"), he takes a dozen of the worst-case students under his wing in a special program to teach them virtue via the capoeira he learned in the military. He works against the pessimism of doubting school officials, the apathy of the students, and the will of the lethal neighborhood crime lord (Paco Prieto).
I will never understand why this film didn't catapult Mark Dacascos into instant Hollywood prominence alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme and Seagal - he's certainly got the moves and superior acting ability. I suppose that given his storied career, it doesn't really matter, but fact is that his physical performance in here is amazing. In lighting up a number of fluid fights and demonstrations, he's backed up by baddie Paco Prieto - an exceptional capoeirista himself, who fought Van Damme in Lionheart - and legitimate teacher Mestre Amen Santo, not to mention the students who learned the style for the movie. Rock-solid choreography makes for seven exquisite exhibitions filled with plenty of kicks, flips, tricks, spins, and even a couple of nifty weapons encounters including metal poles and machetes. Were it not for his work on the cult flick Bloodsport, I'd daresay that this is the highlight of Frank Dux's fight-staging career; there's some truly amazing stuff to be seen here.
However, the fight content largely serves to support the movie's message of defying poor standards and peer pressure, even if it comes from your own family. Martial arts flicks carry the stigma of being morally empty and featuring substandard acting, but these criticisms do not apply here. Though established stars Dacascos and Lewis, along with Stacey Travis (Ghost World) and Todd Susman (High Roller - The Stu Ungar Story) as members of the teaching staff are reliable, I was most surprised by the performances of the young actors playing the students. Little-known performers like Roman "Shay" Cardwell, Ryan Bollman (The NeverEnding Story III - Escape From Fantasia), and particularly Richard Coca (Street Knight) do themselves justice as youths troubled by indifference and peer pressure, giving Dacascos' character real issues to work with and exhibiting tangible character growth. It's The Karate Kid on a larger scale and a few years older: it's melodramatic and a bit sensationalistic, sure, but the problems and situations explored are relevant to the real world (even 17 years after the film was made) and handled well.
Rest assured, in the end, "Only the Strong" is only a martial arts movie, but for once, the term "martial arts movie" is respectfully not confused with "action movie with a lot of kicking". While high on the list of the best films of Mark Dacascos, it's more notable for being one of the few movies of its kind that has actual heart behind its nifty moves.
Summary of Only the Strong
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