The Power of One

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The Power of One

PG-13

1992

1h 51m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

38%

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16 Reviews

87%

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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Joel H

@786Joel Jun 23, 2026

I’m not quite sure how, in a year where Aladdin, Home Alone 2, Batman Returns, and Wayne’s World came out, The Power of One made it into my regular movie-viewing rotation, but I do know that I watched this multiple times. And I also know that this movie is one of the main reasons I had a hard time accepting Daniel Craig as James Bond. It’s a powerful drama that gives you a small glimpse of what was happening during World War II in another part of the world. Morgan Freeman is solid, as per usual, and the rest of the actors do a good job, too. I’m surprised The Power of One was a box office bomb.

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JT J

@Thatthing Mar 29, 2026

Absolutely amazing coming of age story. Inspired me to start boxing.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Jul 12, 2025

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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Scott W

@RT57361544 Jul 9, 2025

Butchery of a Great novel, and Courtenay was apparently involved.

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J N

@RT88134703 Jun 10, 2025

For an early 90s film, it has its flaws here and there, but overall its quality storytelling with decent acting.

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Dylan C

@RT58173672 Nov 4, 2024

great movie, would highly recommend

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John G. Avildsen

Director

Stephen Dorff

P.K. Age 18

Armin Mueller-Stahl

Doc

Morgan Freeman

Geel Piet

John Gielgud

St. John

Maria Marais

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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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