An entertaining Stallone movie is watchable for the right and wrong reasons.

Rating: 8/10 (5 June 2008)

Lincoln Hawk (Sylvester Stallone) is been an independent trucker for years, the only thing he regret not being there for his dying wife Christina (Susan Blakely) and the son, he hardly knew named Michael (David Mendenhall). Lincoln decides to pick up his son from military school and he does his best to make up for lost time. Michael's mother thinks it is a good idea as well. Which Michael doesn't like at first, especially Michael's rich mean-spirited grandfather Jason Culter (Robert Loggia). Which Jason doesn't want his grand son to be with his father. Michael discovers that his father likes to arm-wrestle, he makes decent money at it and he's quite good at it. Which Lincoln wants to be the champion arm wrestler in a competition at Las Vegas. Jason would do anything to get his grand son back including kidnapping but when Christina dies during the operation. Michael finds himself back with his grandfather. Now Lincoln will do anything to get his son back and including by winning the match against one of his rivals Bob "Bull" Hurley (Rick Zumwalt).
Directed by Menahem Golan (The Delta Force) made an familiar although very ridiculous drama that oddly enough has its heart in the right place. Stallone does his best with the role but there's moments in the movie, he looks lost or confused. But his best scenes, when the movie works... when he shares scenes with the character who plays his son Michael. Which the Michael character is a bit hard to like at first but he certainly improves later on. Loggia's character keeps on reminding us a bit too much... how bad the character of Lincoln's thinks he is.
While "Over the Top" is often funny, when it's intentional or not, the characters situation is not always believable but Golan makes sure to keep it entertaining and not getting bored by it. The movie's main theme song "Meet Me Half Way" is not bad but it does gets its shares of silly tunes that works well enough of the feature. "Over the Top" certainly went on to be an Camp Classic and it is one of the most recognizably films of Stallone. After over 20 years, it still reminds watchable. It is one of the better if not best Cannon Films of the 1980's. Terry Funk appears in a bit role as one of Culter's men. Screenplay by Stirling Silliphant (The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, Village of the Damned) and Sylvester Stallone (Rocky Series, Rambo Series, Cliffhanger). From a story by Gary Conway and David Engelbach (Death Wish 2). Panavision. (*** Â½/*****).