Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
When you think of Sylvester Stallone (as one does), you of course think about the “Rocky” and “Rambo” franchise. Hell, you probably even think about Demolition Man or Stallone’s part in making Planet Hollywood a thing. And yet you probably don’t think about what may be his most underrated movie ever: Over the Top.
That’s right, kids, it’s the 1987 sports drama about a truck driver named Lincoln Hawk (holy hell what an ’80s name!), who enters an arm-wrestling competition all while trying to win his son back. Talk about a classic ’80s storyline. And yeah, his kid, played by David Mendenhall, is one of the most annoying kids ever to be on the big screen, but that’s probably the only negative about this freaking awesome movie.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
OK, so the movie didn’t make much money and was filled with a ton of product placements, but you can’t tell me that you didn’t want to go out and arm wrestle your friends after watching it. You probably wanted to flip your hat around for no reason other than Stallone’s character did it.
Even though Stallone had this to say about Over the Top…
“I would have made it less glossy and set it more in an urban environment, for one. Next, I would’ve not used a never-ending stream of rock songs, but scored music instead, and most likely would’ve made the event in Vegas more ominous – not so carnival-like.”
…It doesn’t matter because I’m still a big supporter of this glorious film. What other movie has in-film interviews with arm wrestling competitors? Interviews with amazing, cringe-worthy lines that are so ’80s it hurts. Take for example:
Or this one…
Or this one, the best one of all:
“I drive trucks, break arms and arm wrestle.” What a guy! That’s a guy I want to have a beer with.
OK, so Mendenhall won two Razzies for his garbage performance, and Stallone got nominated for his bad acting, but we all can overlook that because the scene below is so damn manly it’s going to make you want to make a hole in your wall…with your head.
And if that doesn’t make you want to crack a beer over your head and yell on top of a mountain, perhaps the movie’s trailer will.
Drowning in testosterone yet? I haven’t even mentioned the film’s movie poster yet — one of the best representation of ‘80s movies. Have a look.
The poster has a truck ramming into a car, and Stallone in a tank-top showing off this muscles. I mean, how can you not love this layout, folks?
And if you only watch one scene from this movie ever again, make sure it is the final match between Stallone’s character and real life professional world champion arm-wrestler and actor, the late and great, Richard “Rick” Lee Zumwalt, Jr., who played Bob ‘Bull’ Hurley.
Take a look at this gem.
Now take a deep breath, wipe the sweat off your forehead and grab a drink, because this movie takes a lot out of you. And because of that — and all the above — this underrated classic needs to be mentioned with the other great sports films.
