Film

Best of the Best

Name: Best of the Best
Genre: Action, Drama
Released: 1989
Cast: Eric Roberts, Phillip Rhee, James Earl Jones, Sally Kirkland, Chris Penn

Other titles called Best of the Best: the 2026 film.

Martial arts action

A scrappy 1989 martial-arts ensemble film about American fighters training to face Korea at the world Tae Kwon Do championships. It's pure underdog spirit—earnest, sweaty, proudly patriotic in a way that feels innocent now. For people who love '80s action cinema and don't need irony to enjoy a team overcoming their egos to fight for glory.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you want a sweaty, old-school sports underdog story where the training montages and team-bonding are the point, and you don't mind a rivalry that's more about pride than plot.

Skip it if the story follows a well-worn rivals-into-teammates path, so the emotional beats will feel predictable if you want surprises.

What it asks of you: A brisk, uncomplicated ninety-seven minutes, with most of the attention on training, sparring and bruised pride rather than subtle characterisation.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Rocky IV1985

The obvious comparison: another '80s film where Americans face off against rivals in a high-stakes competition, filtered through Cold War mythology and pure melodrama. Same DNA as Best of the Best.

But It's very long, very earnest, and Stallone's acting is... Stallone. The politics are so dated they're almost surreal now.

Bloodsport1988

Jean-Claude Van Damme in a nearly identical tournament-film setup, but faster-paced and with more charisma. If you liked the martial-arts spectacle of Best of the Best, this delivers it with better fight choreography.

But It's basically a vehicle for Van Damme's splits and kicks. The story is thin, the acting is thinner.

American Ninja1985

Michael Dudikoff leading a ragtag team of American soldiers against foreign adversaries. Same warmth, same earnestness, same '80s action sincerity. A cult favorite for good reason.

But The production values are visibly low. You'll notice the budget constraints in every scene.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Best of the Best

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Killer1989

Both use the team tournament as a vehicle for characters learning to see past ego, but Bloodshed asks harder questions about who gets to be a hero and why.

A low-budget film from Malaysia about a team competition, but without the American flag-waving—it's focused on class struggle and what martial arts means to people with nothing else. Same tournament structure, completely different moral universe.

But It's in Malay, subtitled. The production is rough. It's dark where Best of the Best is bright.

The Karate Kid1984

The spiritual godfather of every underdog martial-arts film that followed. Best of the Best borrows its DNA wholesale—the mentorship, the training montages, the impossible odds. Worth revisiting.

But It's been parodied to death, so the sincerity might feel strange now. And it's a slow burn compared to the action intensity you're probably seeking.

Road House1989

Released the same year, same blue-collar American vibe, Patrick Swayze as a zen martial-arts expert working a dive bar. It's trashy and effortless in a way that reveals what makes Best of the Best charming.

But It's much more interested in looking cool than making sense. The plot barely exists.

Missing in Action1984

Chuck Norris in Southeast Asia with a bone to pick. It has the same direct, unselfconscious action-film morality that drives Best of the Best. Efficient and honest about what it is.

But Chuck Norris is not a subtle actor. The dialogue is functional at best. It's all muscle, no grace.

Kickboxer1989

Van Damme again, this time training in Thailand to avenge his brother. Another tournament film obsessed with martial-arts tradition and Western redemption. It's lean and focused.

But The script is genuinely awful, and Van Damme's accent work is painful. The drama between fight scenes really doesn't work.

Gymkata1985

A former gymnast enters a tournament in a fictional Central Asian country. It's bizarre and committed in equal measure. If you love how earnest Best of the Best is, this takes that earnestness to absurd heights.

But It's genuinely strange and stupid in ways that test patience. The logic of the tournament makes no sense.

A Force of One1979

Chuck Norris mentoring a group of young martial artists. It's the grandfather of the ensemble martial-arts team film. Slower than Best of the Best but worth knowing it exists.

But It's dated even by 1979 standards. The pacing drags badly. Chuck Norris was never known for compelling screen presence.

The Raid2012

Where Best of the Best romanticizes martial arts as a path to heroism and national pride, The Raid treats fighting as pure craft—what happens when you remove the meaning and keep only the body.

Indonesian action film with zero plot and perfect execution. A team fights through a building. Every frame is choreographed violence. If what you loved about Best of the Best was the martial-arts sequences, this is the purest distillation imaginable.

But There is almost no character development or emotional stakes. It's an exercise in technique. Some find that exhilarating; some find it empty.

Senna2010

Both films treat competition not as mere victory but as a moral arena—a place where character is tested and forged. The medium is different; the faith is identical.

A documentary about Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna that understands competition as a form of self-expression. It has the same spiritual intensity as Best of the Best—the belief that pushing yourself against worthy opponents reveals who you are.

But It's a documentary, so if you came for martial arts, you won't get them. It requires investment in sports you may not care about.