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The Power of One

Play trailer Poster for The Power of One PG-13,  1992,  1h 51m,  Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 38% 16 Reviews Tomatometer 87% 5,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
38% Tomatometer 16 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
It's the 1930s, and as the people he cares for die or leave his village, young South African P.K. bonds with much older Doc (Armin Mueller-Stahl). A foreigner, Doc is detained when World War II starts, but from his prison cell he encourages P.K. to learn boxing. As he travels to different bouts, the adult P.K. (Stephen Dorff) forges relationships that anger the state's apartheid government -- but his reunion with his onetime schoolyard nemesis (Daniel Craig) may offer his biggest challenge yet.

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety May 20, 2008
Beautifully produced and gorgeously shot on location in Zimbabwe by lenser Dean Semler, picture has depth, dimension and first-rate casting. Go to Full Review
Derek Adams Time Out Feb 9, 2006
Avildsen draws good performances from the three actors who play PK, as well as from the ever-reliable Freeman and Mller-Stahl, but subtlety is abandoned when he focuses on the ring and teen romance. Go to Full Review
Janet Maslin New York Times Aug 30, 2004
1.5/5
The film's facile treatment of racial issues may be enough to bring back the practice of throwing tomatoes at the screen. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Jun 30, 2005
2/5
Daniel M. Kimmel Worcester Telegram & Gazette Jul 8, 2004
3/5
Randy Shulman Metro Weekly (Washington, DC) Jan 29, 2004
4/5
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Audience Reviews

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Finn R Jan 28, 2019 Great film with a beautiful soundtrack.
Han S Jan 27, 2019 A young man, growing up with racial equality on a South African Farm, learns hard lessons about love and life, and comes of age as a miniority boy of English descent in racist White Afikaner (German) Apartheid South Africa, pre WWII through post WWII. Everyone loves a David vs Golaith movie and this one is no exception. With early roles for Brad Doriff and a vile Daniel Craig, relaible performances from Morgan Freeman and John Gielguld, the nice surprise here are the fresh faces of Nomadlozi Kubheka, Alois Moyo and Faith Edwards and the music that plays as important a role in the movie as the story. Watching this little gem for the first time in 2019, twenty years after it was made, with aprtheid in the rear windown and understanding that there are good people in every village, every culture and every country, who change the world with hope and action, the message is clear. Hope is not enough. Real change involves action and working together. I am not surprised that so many critics lack appreciation for this film. As the world continues to hope and pray, the media contines to manipulate all of us, for their own benefit. See more
Hermione S Aug 28, 2018 This movie is pretty dated now but I watched it in high school. What i remember most was the boxing match with the 8 hit combo attack See more
Finn S Aug 18, 2018 Excellent movie, made to watch at times because of the barbaric acts of the primitive police but worth a view.
George G Jun 30, 2018 really sad, incrediby powerful
Han L Apr 30, 2018 TERRIBLE, WASE OF TIME
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The Power of One

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis It's the 1930s, and as the people he cares for die or leave his village, young South African P.K. bonds with much older Doc (Armin Mueller-Stahl). A foreigner, Doc is detained when World War II starts, but from his prison cell he encourages P.K. to learn boxing. As he travels to different bouts, the adult P.K. (Stephen Dorff) forges relationships that anger the state's apartheid government -- but his reunion with his onetime schoolyard nemesis (Daniel Craig) may offer his biggest challenge yet.
Director
John G. Avildsen
Producer
Arnon Milchan
Screenwriter
Robert Mark Kamen
Production Co
New Regency Productions, Canal+, Village Roadshow Pictures, Alcor Films
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 27, 1992, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.7M
Runtime
1h 51m
Sound Mix
Surround
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