Only the Strong

ONLY THE STRONG

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Sound format: Dolby Stereo SR

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...

Predictable B-movie, elevated above the routine by virtue of its slick presentation and interesting cast (including Geoffrey Lewis), under the assured direction of Sheldon Lettich (DOUBLE IMPACT). The capoeira sequences are exotic and colorful, which blunts the impact of some pretty heavy fight scenes, and the script is alternately naive and obvious. However, the virtues are considerable: Ultra-buff Dacascos flaunts his pumped-up torso through a variety of tight-fitting vests (drool! slobber!), while ultra-cute Stacey Travis (the romantic interest) hovers around the periphery just long enough to temper the film's relentless macho swagger. Good, catchy music score, too.

To understand 'Only The Strong' you have to know it was a thing in the early 90's to capitalize on the deteriorating public school system, teens, violence and temptation to drugs. This film - unlike other titles - wasn't kindly received. Critics and audiences didn't want a Karate Kid-like tale of teaching kids a martial art style known as capoeira to help overcome hardships.

The teacher is Louis Stevens (Mark Dacascos). An ex military man who picked up this art while on a tour of duty. I won't lie and tell you this film doesn't follow formula because it does. He inspires the teens when they witness him beat down some toughs on school property. Then a pilot program with the backing of Kerrigan (Geoffrey Lewis) who's a friend and teacher gets launched. There's the cliché resistant from the worst students to join him. Then the barriers come down.

An antagonist comes in the form of local big time drug dealer Silverio (Paco Christian Prieto). Who doesn't like that he's losing his sway to Stevens. There's a steady progression of bonding with the students. Conflict with the baddies. A predictable romantic interest in a female teacher. Everything leading up to a big finale fight where everything hangs in the balance.

'Only The Strong' isn't bad. The message and it's form might be dated, but it's solidly made and features an upbeat tone, music. Dacascos is in top condition both physical and with the martial arts. I saw this on late night tv back in the 90's and thought it was decent. That fact remains today.

An exciting feel-good actioner from the director of Double Impact that demands very little from its audience other than the odd cry of adulation at the spectacular, slow-mo'-induced action scenes set before us. Capoeira, the rhythm-based Brazilian martial art / dance, is the movie's chosen subject, and its saving grace: flamboyant and effortlessly acrobatic, accurately pulled off by a cast of the style's best practitioners. Dacascos masters the art while stationed in Brazil working as a Green Beret, and returns to his old school in Miami to find the classes out of control, made up of petty criminals and drug dealers. He is chosen to teach these crazy kids some discipline (by means of Capoeira), and they seem to become pretty good at it. Prieto provides the beefcake villain element as a Brazilian master-criminal determined to sway one of our hero's prime students. All in all, this is an entertaining watch, a perfect showcase for Dacascos.

I really enjoy this movie and have shown it to most of my friends. Most of my friends and I gave it an eight out of ten and some even higher. I think that the capoeira scenes are great, plus it has good music, but the story and characters could've been presented a little better. If you like martial arts movies and don't care too much about character development, you'll probably like this movie.

I thought Only the Strong was a great movie. I would love to learn the martial art. I thought that Ryan Bollman, as well as the rest of the cast, was wonderful. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a good movie. I loved this movie, and am currently trying to find it on video.