Best of the Best II

Plot synopsis:
After returning home from South Korea, three members of the U.S. National Karate Team set up a martial arts studio in Las Vegas. Travis has been secretly competing at "The Coliseum", a brutal underground fighting arena run by Weldon, whose protégé Brakus is the owner and undefeated champion. Ordinarily a challenger must defeat three of its "Gladiators" in order to face Brakus, but Travis challenges Brakus outright. Amused by Travis's arrogance, Weldon grants his wish.
Alex's eleven-year-old son Walter begins testing for his black belt, but falls short. When his father makes an impassioned speech praising his son for his maturity, Walter cancels his babysitter. Alex insists that Walter accompany Travis to his bowling league. Travis reveals his secret to Walter, who blackmails Travis into letting him watch the fight with Brakus. Brakus pummels Travis and breaks his neck, killing him.
Walter runs home and alerts his father and Tommy, and together they proceed to the dance club which serves as a front for the Coliseum. They are intercepted by Weldon, who claims that Travis left the Coliseum on his own. Tommy searches the city until the police find Travis's body floating in the river along with his damaged car, the apparent result of an auto accident.
Alex and Tommy return to the club and confront Brakus, who admits to killing Travis. Tommy connects with a punch that sends Brakus crashing into a mirror, scarring his cheek. Brakus condemns Alex and his son to death, but orders Weldon's henchmen to bring Tommy back alive.
At Travis's funeral, Alex and Tommy are startled by the appearance of Dae Han, Tommy's old rival from South Korea. Still owing a debt to Tommy for sparing his life, Dae Han pledges to help his friends bring Travis's killer to justice.
While riding his bike home from school, Walter is tailed by a black vehicle. He returns home to warn his father and Tommy, but they come under attack by a group of armed men. After fending them off, they pack up and head out of town to seek refuge with Tommy's Native American grandmother. There they encounter Tommy's uncle James, a once-promising fighter whose career was ruined due to a clash with Brakus. Claiming to know how to defeat him, James begins to train Alex and Tommy.
Their training does not last long as Weldon's henchmen track them down. James tries to intervene but is shot to death. While Tommy is forced into the waiting helicopter, Alex and the others are herded back into the house. As Weldon's men prepare to execute them and blow up the house, Walter provides a distraction which enables Alex to overpower the gunman. Tommy's grandmother prompts Alex to fire four shots to signal their deaths, at which point the thugs set fire to the gasoline trail, causing a massive explosion. After emerging from the cellar unharmed, Alex leaves Walter with his girlfriend Sue, then recruits Dae Han and his Korean teammates to storm the Coliseum and rescue Tommy.
At the Coliseum, Tommy fights his way through the Gladiators, but is overmatched by Brakus. As Brakus prepares to finish him, Alex breaks into the arena, his presence giving Tommy a second wind. A barrage of kicks send Brakus to the canvas, and Tommy warns him to stay down. But Brakus does not comply, and Tommy has no choice but to break his neck.
With his champion defeated, Weldon announces Tommy as the new owner of the Coliseum and invites him to say a few words to the audience. Tommy takes the microphone and declares the Coliseum closed. When Weldon protests, Alex silences him with an elbow to the face. Alex and Tommy leave the arena and turn off the lights.

Tags: violence, murder

Review:
Eric Roberts and Phillip Rhee avenge the death of their friend with some spectacular fighting.
Director Robert Radler wound up working on Power Rangers episodes, Eric Roberts usually appears in magazines making jealous comments about his much more successful sister, and Philip Rhee...well, the less said about Best of the Best 3 and 4, the better.
Judging action movies on the same scale as more respectable fare is like expecting your 59 cent hamburger to taste like steak, and Best of the Best 2 is better than a lot of comparable movies I've seen.
The fight scenes are refreshingly high-impact and plentiful, Newton is as deliciously slimy as Richard Dawson in The Running Man, and Moeller makes for a formidable bad guy in the ring.
The action is nonstop, and even though this is a reused storyline, the acting is incredible, Eric Roberts is an amazing actor, and he never comes across as fake or overacting, and Philip Rhee is an amazing martial artist.
The fighting is sensational and the performances of the actors are very convincing and even touching in parts, rare for a B martial arts film.
If you are looking for a great authentic action and martial arts film that is chock full of mindless and brutal violence, then look no further.
In this second movie of Best of the Best,we only see a few of the people from the original.This movie does not take place in a karate tournement,but instead in the coloseum which is a place where it is arranged illegal fights to the death.
This movie has much more hardcore fighting and explicit violence than the original,but it misses those important moments that the original had.Even though this movie does not show friendship and feelings like the original,it still is very entertaining.So I advice all fans of the genre to go see this one,because it has some really impressing fighting scenes..
Eric Roberts and Phillip Rhee return as the two karate champs Alex Grady and Tommy Lee who team up to take on a Schwarzenegger style brute named Brackus (Rolph Moller) who kills their friend Travis Brickley (Christopher Penn), they begin training with Lee's uncle (Sonny Landham) who is the only one who can teach them the ways to destroy Brackus in this mediocre yet definitely improved sequel.
I enjoyed this film because it was not only an action movie with some pretty good fight scenes, but also because it spent a bit of time on character development.
Having the son of the main character be a martial arts student who demonstrates discipline and a bit of fighting courage made the movie a bit more dynamic in storyline than some early 90's action films.
The character of James played by "Predator" star Sonny Landham was kind of a good family conflict and climax within the movie thus adding some depth.
The fighting scenes were overall better than many other action films with animated injury sound effects and some good breaking clips.
The three fighters Grady (Roberts), Tommy (Rhee) and Travis (Chris Penn) are now good friend and they are enjoying their retirement after championship, but the infamous troublemaker Travis is participating in underground fights in so called "Colosseum", and dies after he challenged a champion called Bracus.
And now as usual just like in many martial arts films, the two remaining fighters Grady and Tommy are seeking revenge against Bracus and his manager Weldon.
This film is strictly for those who love martial arts film, especially for those who are trained in Taekwondo, Hapkino, Karate, or Kung FuSo don't pay attention to other things like script, or make-up because there isn't anything special about it.
We have Eric Roberts, Phillip Rhee and Chris Penn from the first film.
Rhee was no longer to show his acting abilities, in this film, he was in his own terrain, to show really cool skills in spectacular fighting scenes.
The guys went free falling and delivered a stupid plot, like thousands of B martial arts movies that we can see everyday.
Eric Roberts performance is embarrassing, he really shows that the age is weighing on his shoulders; Sonny Landham is embarrassing, with his camp laughs and wood-faced expressions; Ralf Moeller is embarrassing, mumbling dumb dialogues all over the place and totally clueless; and Wayne Newton did not have to be so cheesy, he has more talent that that.
The only good thing about this movie is his length, short enough to not be completely boring, the tremendous effort by the director Robert Radler to save something and the excellent skills of Phillip Rhee, really fantastic.
This time Eric Roberts and Phillip Rhee return to avenge the death of their former teammate and friend, Travis(Played by the late Chris Penn) seems Travis enjoyed fighting the late night circuits of to the death matches and Travis met his match in the form of Brackus(Rolf Muller, Arnold Schwarzenegger look-a-like) however all bets are off (As is credibility) when Roberts and Rhee scar Brackus' perfection and let him know the son saw everything, naturally this marks them for death.
The original was a dopey martial arts time killer that found an audience among those who really like the genre, the sequel though will probably disappoint even them.
The movie has too many stupid elements such as Roberts telling the bad guys "My son saw you do it!" which is stupid when you think about it.
It's a heck of a lot of fun.Eric Roberts, Phillip Rhee, and Chris Penn all return from the first film, although Roberts and Penn have relatively limited screen time.
Rhee is the real star here and he holds his own in a series of brutally violent fight scenes.
Simon Rhee, Phillip's real-life brother, also returns from the original, and Wayne Newton (LICENCE TO KILL) plays a weaselly fight promoter.
Somehow the makers of the first film saw way into the future and noticed me whining like a beeyatch about how Best of the Best was played too straight and didn't have enough action in it, because the sequel is all about the action!
Tommy Lee, Eric Roberts, and Chris Penn are back as our Tae Kwon Do trio, now running a martial arts school.
This time round the film get it right, and just in time too before some of Brakus' men arrive in a helicopter and seemingly kill everyone except Tommy (Billy himself goes down fighting in an impressive Massimo Vanni style shoot-out).
Didn't feel like Brakus thought that one through too much.This film is a lot more fun that the last one and is non-stop action and cheese from start to finish.
The second movie may have deviated in a big way from the drama format of the original, and crossed into typical 90's action formula but, its still a well-made sequel.
Despite its differences, it pays enough respect to the first movie that it doesn't (or shouldn't)alienate fans of the first.Excellent cast, well-done fight scenes, good performances, a great bad guy, and spiffy 90's music.I'm just sad phillip rhee's career didn't go further.
i really enjoyed this movie.it's jam packed with action.the fight scenes are spectacular and many different styles are showcased.this movie focuses more on action than story or characters,compared to the first one,in my opinion.the intensity is much higher in this one and the stakes are raised.the first one is rated PG-13,while this one is rated R.it is certainly more brutal and graphic in its violence,though i have seen much worse.anyway,this movie is a lot of fun.it's very fast paced.the story is fairly weak,and has been done many times before,but like i said,the fight scenes are spectacular and pretty much make up for the story.all in all,i think it's certainly as good as the first one,maybe a smidgen better.for me,Best of the Best 2 is a very solid 8/10.
Its got great action/fight scenes for the guys and lots of gorgeous guys for the gals!
However, even though Eric Roberts gives it his all in the acting department, the storyline is too predictable to be involving.Ralph Moeller, who is a bodybuilder, plays the bad guy, king of the mountain type, who everyone will eventually have to beat.
When Eric Robert's and Phillip Rhee's buddy Chris Penn gets beaten to death by Moeller and ends up floating in some Las Vegas canal, the police write it off as an accident (don't they notice the broken back and broken neck, as well as the various signs of a struggle?) and Eric and Phillip go off to "confront" Newton and Moeller, during which Phillip scratches Moeller's face.
He steals the opening sequence with his hilarious introduction ("You have to have big, brass balls to fight here", "They're funkier than cat s@#t", "They'd kill their mothers", "They're so mean, they'd beat down a nun!").Ok martial arts movie, with some funny moments, if you're prepared to look for them..
Hey Kay make this quick and simple the film is cool and really good the fighting is the best and it isn't disgusting if u don't like blood why watch it?(i have a point).
This Movie is a really good movie based on the first Best of the Best.The 3 stars tommy Lee, Alex Grady and Travis Brickly is back and this time its against the brutal owner of a illegal fighting place The Collesium in Las Vegas.The Fight scenes here are fantastic and a lot better that in the first movie.
Ralph Moeller (Brakus) plays really great and I can´t figure out which actor could have played his role better that he.Great scenes when Tommy and Alex is trained by a guy named James that lives at Tommy´s Granmother.And a great end where Tommy Beat all 3 gladiators at the collesium and especially then he kills Brakus by braiking his neck followed by telling the crowd that "The Collesium ....Is Closed"Its really worth to own..buy it ..
Case in point: Best of the Best, a martial arts movie that tried so hard to imitate better movies that the only thing that made it interesting was the fight sequences and ending.All that is thrown out the window in Best of the Best II, a sequel that to my amazement is not only cheaper but also more disgusting.
Leaving off where the original ended, Alex (Roberts), Tommy (Rhee) and Travis (Penn) return home to the states to open up their own martial arts studio.But Travis has other plans in mind when he decides to fight to the death in an unsanctioned fighting arena known as the Colosseum, where the champion is Brakus (Ralf Moeller).
When Brakus finds the location, Tommy will have to fight Brakus to get not only his freedom but save Alex's life as well.Best of the Best wasn't exactly Shakespeare, but it looks like it compared to the utterly idiotic nature of Best of the Best II.
Cheaper than a Chuck Norris film, Best of the Best II mostly throws out the usual in any dumb action movie: thin characters, little plot and a lot of violent action that doesn't excite but rather disgust us with the way it develops.
The first Best of the Best was something of a feel good movie, but this one made me want to vomit all over my lap when I saw it.
Usually if there's one good action sequence in any movie, then it can't be all bad.
As dumb as Best of the Best II can be, it could have been at least watchable had the film emphasized the arena instead of the characters, who are so thinly drawn out that there is little attention as to how they actually get to the point of fighting their way out like that Bruce Lee wannabe did in Game of Death.Roberts does try so desperately hard to inject some kind of drama or passion in this sequel, but even his minor talents can't do anything for him and the others.
That's where the motivation for Best of the Best II falls apart, leaning on a flat personality like Rhee to carry the film when he has to fight Brakus.
Wayne Newton was fun to look at in Licence to Kill, but here he overstays his welcome and becomes something of a nuisance for those wanting a good scene stealer for the movie.
Does not mean it sucks, just means it is cheesier and not as good.Making their returns are Alex Grady, Tommy Lee, and Travis Brickley (Roberts, Rhee, Penn) who now run a karate studio.
Chris Penn of the first film is killed, so Phillip Rhee & Eric Roberts want revenge.
But basically, its a "fight for your life" movie, with ZERO morals and ZERO values, like the first one had.
As an action movie, it is not bad, some very grizzly scenes where Rhee breaks limbs of other "gladiators," but I HATED how the film destroyed everything that made the first one such a powerful film.
The end title song "(To Be) The Best of the Best" is a pretty inspirational, solid, soft-rock anthem performed by Mark Free, that is definitely a highlight of the movie...I just highly preferred the first film to this, because this delivers (besides fight scenes) close to NOTHING the original had to offer.
Not a bad action movie, but I did not like it as the sequel to "Best of the Best." Perhaps if it was a stand- alone movie.
The star of the show is the arrogant, powerful and unbeatable soulless automaton Brakus (Moeller).When the likable Travis Brickley (Penn) dies at the hands of the nefarious Brakus, only fellow fighter Alex Grady, his young son, inexplicably named Walter (Gross), and of course Tommy Lee (Rhee) can get to the bottom of this illegal Punchfighting operation.
And while it's great to see Chris Penn, Wayne Newton, Walter the kid (who looks more like a 35 year-old stunted adult), who loves his Tetris, and Eric Roberts, complete with his tomato apron, AND Phillip Rhee, Sonny Lanham, Meg Foster and Nicholas Worth, lest we forget....BRAKUS?
The invincible Teutonic muscleman is the antagonist, and our heroes must go out into the wilderness to train to beat him (why are Phillip Rhee's relatives Indians for some reason?), and of course the parallels between Apollo Creed and Travis Brickley.There are many funny bits, Eric Roberts seems tipsy (if not drunk) throughout the movie, and all is well and good, but even as lovable as it is, it is a bit overlong.
Both Wayne Newton and Ralph Moeller are superb as the bad guys in this, not to mention Tommy Lee(Phillip Rhee) is dress exactly as Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat in the final part of the movie even performing Liu Kang traditional finishing move.
I know MK actually got JCVD bloodsport character for inspiration of the character Johnny Cage, and that Sonya is based on Cynthia Rothrock, but since MK is from 92, when BOTB2 is 93, i would say BOTB2 had Tommy looked like Liu. Anyway i love everything about this movie, action sequences, the acting , the story, its a true classic.
You have to see this if you like American Martial Arts movies of the 90s.
Brickly makes it to Brakus but is killed in the ring, witnessed by Walter Grady (Edan Gross) the young son of fellow US Karate champ Alex Grady (Eric Roberts) he tells his father who along with friend Tommy Lee (co-producer Phillip Rhee) want to avenge Brickley's death.
However Brakus & his people play unfair & force Tommy to fight in the Colleseum while his armed men set out to hunt down & kill Alex & his son Walter...Directed by Robert Radler this was the sequel to the somewhat successful original martial arts film Best of the Best (1989) which was also directed by Radler & also starred Roberts, Rhee & Penn as martial artists.
While the original was full of itself, wanted to preach a moral message & actually featured very little fighting Best of the Best 2 is an improvement in every way on it's predecessor.
The script is far more balanced & far more like what I would call a proper martial arts action film rather than a lesson in how to get on & band as a team.
Sitting besides the martial arts fighting is a fairly basic but appreciated thriller as Alex & his kid Walter are hunted down by armed bad guy's, it's nothing amazing but it breaks the film up a little bit.
Having watched the original Best of the Best a couple of days ago I feel I am qualified to talk about series continuity, US Karate team member's Alex, Tommy Lee & Travis return while the other two don't.
While the original had something like six musical training montages Best of the Best 2 thankfully features about three minus the awful 'Best of the Best' theme tune.Filmed on a bigger budget than the original Best of the Best this has good production values & looks decent enough, a lot of the cast return from the original with Wayne Newton, Patrick Kilpatrick, Meg Foster & Sonny Landham appearing.
It's not surprising that the notable absentee is James Earl Jones who does not appear.Best of the Best 2 is far more enjoyable than the slushy original, there's more action & it's more brutal, there are proper bad guy's who actually speak English & there aren't as many musical training montages.
After a friend gets killed by Brakus, in the Coliseum, Alex and Tommy going on a mission to stop Brakus.The violence is turned up in this film, which makes it some what better.
The lines are cheesy one liners, like most martial arts films, and give a darker tone to the series.
The acting could be better, but like most martial arts films, acting is not the number one concern.If you like good fight scenes watch this movie, you will not be disappointed..
The usually decent Eric Roberts gets completely lost here, just like all the other actors.