Best Of The Best (1989)

Best of the Best is a 1989 martial arts film. The plot revolves around a team of Americans facing a team of Koreans in a taekwondo tournament. Several sub plots pop up in the story - moral conflicts, the power of the human spirit triumphing over adversity are some themes. The movie stars James Earl Jones and Eric Roberts. The film was followed by three sequels released 1993, 1996 and 1998.

Plot: Alexander Grady, a widower and father of a five-year-old son, Walter, is chosen to represent the United States of America in an international taekwondo tournament against Team Korea despite having an injured shoulder from a previous bout which made him retire. Also chosen for the team is Tommy Lee, a man seeking revenge against a member of Team Korea for the death of his brother during a previous tournament. The rest of Team USA consists of Travis Brickley, an extremely brash fighter with a short fuse; Virgil Keller, a devout Buddhist; and Sonny Grasso, a streetwise fighter from Detroit. Coached by Frank Couzo (who was also the coach of Tommy's older brother) and Catherine Wade (an addition by the sponsors to spiritually prepare them), the team prepares to meet an unstoppable group of true martial arts experts. Their chances of winning are virtually non-existent, as the Koreans train all year long and are known as the best the sport has to offer. Along their journey, the Americans have to deal with their personal conflicts and tragedies, before they become a team.