Only the Strong (film)

Only the Strong
Directed by	Sheldon Lettich
Produced by	Samuel Hadida
Written by	Sheldon Lettich Luis Esteban
Starring	Mark Dacascos Stacey Travis Geoffrey Lewis Paco Christian Prieto Todd Susman Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter Richard Coca Roman Cardwell Christian Klemash Mellow Man Ace
Editing by	Stephen Semel
Distributed by	Twentieth Century Fox
Release date(s)	August 27, 1993  United States
Running time	99 min.
Language	English
Budget	N/A

Only the Strong is a 1993 action film, directed by Sheldon Lettich. It is considered to be the only Hollywood film that showcases Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art, from beginning to end.

Plot

Former Green Beret Louis Stevens (Mark Dacascos) returns to his hometown of Miami after completing military service in Brazil, only to learn that his old high school has become a haven for gangs and drug dealers. After Stevens uses his capoeira skills to kick several drug dealers off of the school property, Kerrigan (Geoffrey Lewis), one of Stevens' old teachers, sees the impact that Stevens has on the students. Kerrigan gives him the task of teaching Capoeira to a handful of the worst at-risk students at the school.

While doing so, Stevens earns the ire of the local drug lord, Silverio (Paco Christian Prieto), whose younger cousin, Orlando (Richard Coca), is one of Stevens' students. Silverio is also a master of Capoeira, and he engages Stevens in combat, beating him viciously. The horrified Orlando resolves to learn everything he can from Stevens.

Stevens' class learns quickly, and they become very skilled at Capoeira. The principal, delighted, proposes a district-wide Capoeira Program to the school board. After a field trip with his class, Stevens crosses swords with Silverio again, who declares war against Stevens.

Silverio's gang sets fire to Lincoln High School, killing one of Steven's best students. Stevens is banished from the school grounds and the Capoeira program is terminated. In retaliation to the attack, Stevens destroys Silverio's chop shop by throwing a gasoline can into a burning car. Furious, Silverio orders the gang to bring Stevens to him alive. Orlando flees to get help.

After a desperate battle, Stevens is finally captured and brought to a bonfire, where Silverio awaits. However, Stevens' capoeira students bar their path in an attempt to rescue their teacher. Before a brawl can ensue, the exhausted Stevens challenges Silverio to single combat on the grounds that, if he wins, the students are his again. The combatants are each given a machete to fight with.

Amid the gang's chants, the two combatants fight. Silverio breaks Stevens' sword, but Stevens disarms him and tosses the sword away. They fight using only capoeira, and Silverio manages to knock Stevens to the ground, where he begins to choke him. The battle appears lost, but suddenly Stevens' students begin singing the Brazilian Capoeira song, and Stevens gains a second wind. He fights back, dealing devastating blows to Silverio. As his students sing louder, he finishes Silverio off with a final spinning kick. Silverio falls to the ground, unconscious, as a police force arrives, sending the gang scattering in all directions.

A police officer arrives on the scene, asking who the unconscious man is. Orlando informs him of his name and all his crimes. The police officer reminds him of Silverio's reputation for intimidating witnesses, to which Orlando responds, "Oh, that shit's over, man. He don't own this neighborhood no more."

At the graduation ceremony of Lincoln High School, a Brazilian Capoeira team performs for Stevens. Among the graduates are Orlando and the ten other students of his class.

Reaction

Generally speaking, critical reaction has been fairly lukewarm, with most reviewers giving negative responses. American box office gross stands at $3.27 million, although the film has developed a bit of a cult following, mostly among Capoeiristas, practitioners of Capoeira, and martial art instructors and martial artists. Even though many deride the film's storyline, dialogue, acting, and somewhat out of reality impressions about Brazil, for many non-Brazilian Capoeiristas, it was their first introduction to the martial art.

Production

Though Mark Dacascos is a talented martial artist, his background is not initially in Capoeira. Just prior to his audition, he received his training from famed Capoeirista Mestre Amen Santo, who was also responsible for much of the fight choreography.

External links

• Only the Strong (film) at the Internet Movie Database