Only the Strong (1993)

Only the Strong has a secret weapon most action movies only pretend to have: a fighting style with rhythm, personality, and storytelling baked into every kick, feint, and spin, and Mark Dacascos sells it with the kind of athletic charisma that makes you sit up and grin. Set in a rough-edged, early-’90s Miami, it plays like a scrappy underdog drama fused to a martial-arts showcase, where the choreography isn’t just flash—it’s a language that pulls troubled kids (and the audience) into something disciplined and alive. Director Sheldon Lettich keeps the pace brisk and the vibe earnest, letting the capoeira novelty feel authentic rather than gimmicky, while still delivering the satisfying beats you want from a crowd-pleasing action picture. It’s not for viewers allergic to dated dialogue or the genre’s broad strokes, but if you’re on the fence and want a movie that’s equal parts heart, sweat, and uniquely styled combat, this one lands with surprising gusto.

Only the Strong wants to be a feel-good “teacher saves troubled kids” drama wrapped in capoeira-fueled action, and you can tell it’s aiming for inspiration as much as bruises. The problem is the storytelling is painfully simplistic and cliché, with acting and dialogue that often feel like a straight-to-video pep talk rather than real people, and the filmmaking can be oddly flat for a movie selling movement. If you’re sensitive to naïve “violence fixes everything” messaging or want grounded drama about at-risk teens, this will likely annoy you more than entertain you. But if you’re here purely for Mark Dacascos’ athleticism, some fun capoeira choreography, and a very ’90s action-morality vibe, it delivers that in a breezy, undemanding way.