Sylvester Stallone plays an underdog athlete getting his shot at the big-time and also a chance at redemption. No, this isn't Rocky Balboa. It's the story of Lincoln Hawk (an awesomely fake movie name), a truck driver/amateur arm-wrestler. In what is likely the worst "sports" movie of all time, Stallone tries to win back his son and win a big arm wrestling completion at the same time. Said competition is hilariously filled with 80s style professional wrestling types of characters who seems to grunt and sweat more than speak human words. Even more ridiculous is Stallone's secret arm wrestling move where he repositions his hand to defeat his opponents, which begs the question, way aren't all of the other arm wrestlers using this same move or coming up with some sort of counter move after having seem Sly go "over the top" several times during the picture? Whoever had the idea that audiences were clamoring for a film about the world of competitive arm wrestling was quite mistaken. That person was likely producer/director/studio head Menahem Golan. "Over the Top" has added entertainment value for me, having recently watched the documentary "Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films," which documented the rise and fall of Canon Films, including how this film's excesses contributed into Canon's eventual demise. Featuring wall-to-wall cheesy rock music (by the great Giorgio Moroder, no less) and non-stop product placements (everything from Alka-Seltzer to Pennzoil to BRUT cologne), this film is the typification of excess (or over-the-top, if you will) at it's most ridiculous. However, in the film's favor, I did get a lot of ironic entertainment value out of how mind boggling awful it is. I'll also say that I do honestly think Stallone is a good actor, despite what his detractors may say, even if it's hard to see it in this film. Although I gave this film two stars out of five, it really deserves much less. If your film is beat out at the box office opening weekend by "Mannequin," "Outrageous Fortune," and "Platoon," your film is likely not going to be a big success. Overall, if you're in the mood for a movie that's so-bad-it's-good, you might get ironic enjoyment from this nonsensical film.

I have watched a lot of movies over the years, and I can easily say that this one is easily the cheesiest, sappiest, most "over-the-top" (pun very much intended) film I have ever made it all the way through.For a basic plot summary, "Over The Top" focuses on an uncultured trucker named Lincoln Hawk (Sylvester Stallone) trying to win custody of his stuck-up son Michael (David Mendenhall) from Michael's ruthless, and filthy rich grandfather (Robert Loggia). In order to show the means to support the young boy, Hawk risks everything on his arm-wrestling skills in trying to win the grand prize of the national competition.Yep, seriously, that is the plot of this movie. It is so cheesy that I almost wonder if it wasn't meant to be taken seriously in the first place. It is so sappy that adults with an emotional intellect above a fifth grade level will laugh at the contrived drama and soap opera-ish acting from all participants. In fact, this movie will actually be more enjoyed by action-oriented young children than any other demographic, as they will be completely sucked in by the one-dimensional and straightforward drama.Thus, while this may be a movie to watch with your young son, it really doesn't serve any other dramatic or entertainment purpose. Either watch it just to enjoy the cheese, or prepare to put your eyes on "perpetual roll".

Wow not sure what I was expecting from a movie centering around arm wresting, but I guess I got it. This gem is from 1987 and about all it has going for it is the B-grade 80's campiness that now make it fun to watch. I mean who doesn't want to cut all the sleeves off your t-shirts, slap on a pair of suspenders, oil up your arms and drive your big rig off into the sunset while listening to Frank Stallone and Kenny Logins on the 8-track and yelling "over the top" at the screen. Awesome stuff.This is one of those so bad its good movies that just gets better with age because it gets cheesier. Its along the lines of Rocky V -which was pretty terrible too- and is more of a father/son drama than the sweaty, sinew straining, pulse pounding action you'd probably expect from a movie about arm wresting.Sylvester Stallone is the awesomely named 'Lincoln Hawk' a truck driver trying to reconcile and gain custody of his estranged son after his ex-wife becomes deathly ill. Grandpa (Robert Loggia), is not having it though and his son is angry and disrespectful which makes for a (not so) fun road trip after Hawk busts him out of military school and takes him out truckin' in an attempt to bond.Ultimately it comes down to Sly oiling up and arm wrestling for the custody of his son at the Las Vegas world arm wrestling championships.This is heavy on the family drama and emotion and dare I say, takes too long to get to the arm wresting part which (come on) is why we're watching this. That part of this film isn't so bad, Sly knows how to do these kinds of action scenes and (I guess) there are some genuine techniques used -It looked good. I'm not embarrassed to admit by the end I was totally invested in him winning the championship and the custom semi-truck so he could start his own trucking company and the more I think about this movie the more I love it. 3/7/16

"Over the Top" qualifies as one of Menahem Golan's better movies. This Sylvester Stallone arm wrestling saga casts the lean, muscular "Rocky" hero as a humble but defiant trucker named Lincoln Hawk. Jason Cutler (Robert Loggia of "Scarface"), Hawk's villainous father-in-law, who drove him out of his daughter's life will stoop to anything to get his way. Now, Cutler's daughter Christina (Susan Blakely of "The Towering Inferno") is dying, but she wants her twelve-year old son, Michael (David Mendenhall), to get acquainted with her estranged husband. Naturally, the father-in-law doesn't take kindly to Hawk's intrusion. Cutler has been more of a father to Michael than Hawk could ever be over the last ten years. Meantime, when we aren't dealing with this contentious family custody battle, we find ourselves drawn into the world of arm wrestling. Hawk is hauling loads and working his way to the arm wrestling championship in Sin City. As a film, "Over the Top" doubles not only as a father and son reunion tearjerker, but also as a sports themed fantasy about arm wrestling. Noted scenarist Stirling Silliphant of "In the Heat of the Night," and Stallone penned this thinly plotted but engaging chronicle. Appropriately enough, Stallone plays a "Rocky" like underdog character, but it is Stallone at his most colorless. The road to reunion is pretty rocky for our protagonist and his long, lost son. Aside from Blakely's cameo from the hospital, "Over the Top" doesn't dwell on romance. This is strictly a father-in-law versus his son-in-law epic with predictable but heartfelt results. Of course, Hawk and Michael come together in the long run, but they seem to be constantly at odds until the youngster discovers that his grandfather has been manipulating him from the start about Lincoln Hawk. Basically, Stallone doesn't perform any spectacular feats, and "Over the Top" is believable. He steers an eighteen wheeler and arm wrestles. Stallone delivers a sincere performance and Loggia is believable as his antagonist every step of the way. When Hawk isn't tangling with Cutler, he competes with a number of colorful arm wrestler who look straight out of a heavy metal melodrama. The gorgeous scenery, "Delta Force" lenser David Gurfinkel's cinematography, and Golan's polished direction bolster this lethargic but meaningful fodder. Golan does everything that he can to make the arm wrestling scenes appear intense with Sergio Leone-like choker-close-ups of the participants clenching their teeth and gritting it out.