The Toughest Man in the World

Being another bargain bin find, my expectations were quite low for The Toughest Man in the World. At the time, Mr. T had just fought Rocky and joined the A-Team, but had yet to tag team with Hulk Hogan. Nonetheless, all the mannerisms we've come to expect from the mohawk-sporting man of muscle are present here.

Yes, it is ludicrous. Mr. T shows his innate ability to wreak havoc whenever given the opportunity, and it's brilliant in it's corny hilariousness.

Yes, it is preachy. But it's honest about it upfront, and the message is plain yet heartfelt. Just what you'd expect from a made-for-TV movie starring Mr. T, really.

If you are looking for something with credible acting or an exciting story, you will do yourself no favors by watching this. But if Mr. T rapping the theme song himself and breaking down a few doors and walls and some unruly customers using nothing but brute force, this is a film that will stay with you and make you giggle whenever you remember another funny scene from this film. And trust me, there are plenty of such scenes.

In short: recommended for select audiences. You know who you are.

Hokey tv-movie has Mr. T sticking up for some inner-city kids. His name might be "Bruise" but the action is fairly tepid. It's worth seeing just for the rap Monsieur T does over the opening credits. The video was available on Cabin Fever, in case you're trying to locate it.

Just see how many cloth caps you can spot in the movie! The music and breakdancing sequence at the beginning really takes you back in time. The nightclub dancer is truly a star - those moves - she should have been in Flash Dance. Weight lifters have serious man boobs. Possibly best of all is Mr. T's hair cut. There's even an Al Pacino lookalike (1 hour into the film)- "little showbiz twist I've got buzzin' around in my head" - Al never quite delivered a line like that in his long career. Billy Green has the funkiest walk I have ever seen! Nice shorts that Mr. T wears on the 10 km run, my only worry is that they look a little small for his well built physique. I wonder if there were any 'popping out' incidents during filming (mind you, these could be saved for extra material when the film is released on DVD). Has to be seen to be believed.

In the words of Mr. T himself, this movie is ABSOLUDACRIS. In the best way possible. I've probably seen this movie 30 times, and it never gets old. Corny, cheesy, silly, absurd. Pick a synonym. But you cannot tell me it's not incredibly enjoyable. Mr. T is a treasure, and so is this movie. So watch it, FOO!

The Toughest Man in the World (1984) is a made-for-television movie currently available on Tubi. The story follows a Chicago bouncer who decides to start an afterschool program for at-risk kids. To keep it running, he must navigate legal hurdles and regulations, all while keeping the kids engaged and away from street life. But are the odds stacked too high for this do-gooder?

Directed by Dick Lowry (Pigs vs Freaks), the film stars Mr. T (Rocky III), Dennis Dugan (Happy Gilmore), John P. Navin Jr. (Vacation), Jimmie Skaggs (Lethal Weapon), and Peggy Pope (9 to 5).

This is the epitome of a cheesy, low-budget made-for-TV movie. The acting is painfully stiff, the dialogue is stale, and the premise feels more like a PBS special than a film. The fight scenes are atrocious, with poor choreography and even worse execution. The training sequences are equally bad, and there's a hilariously awkward accident interview that had me unintentionally laughing. Even the obligatory 80s montage-a genre staple-is poorly done.

In conclusion, The Toughest Man in the World has no redeeming qualities. I pity the fool who watches this. I'd give it a 2/10.