Over the Top 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Over the Top 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

The Adventures of Linc.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III August 13, 2025

Even Sylvester Stallone's biggest fans likely wouldn't mistake Menahem Golan's Over the Top for great cinema, but it's at least pretty damn entertaining. On one hand, its familiar underdog plot at least attempts to be heartfelt and genuine like the best films in Stallone's Rocky saga. On the other hand, it's clearly guilty of the same clichés as that franchise's worst entries. Taking place during an eventful half-week as absentee dad and truck driver Lincoln Hawk (Stallone) tries to reconnect with his estranged son Mike (David Mendenhall) on a road trip, Over the Top clumsily combines lukewarm family drama with competitive arm wrestling. Lacquered with several coats of 80s pop rock and colorful competitors that wouldn't feel out of place in Bloodsport, it's a fun ride that doesn't really make a lick of sense.

A full synopsis and appreciation of the main feature can be found in Martin Liebman's 2009 review of Warner Bros.' then-recent Blu-ray edition. We obviously differ in our personal ratings of the main feature... but if it wasn't obvious in my summary above, I do in fact enjoy Over the Top despite its obvious shortcomings. It's what some might classify as a "good bad" movie that's worth watching every so often... and as luck would have it, Capelight Pictures has recently remastered Over the Top in 4K for various international markets including this nifty Steelbook combo pack from the UK. A taller Mediabook edition is also available with identical discs, but I prefer this format's smaller footprint.

Over the Top 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots are all sourced from the included (newly-remastered) region-free Blu-ray disc.

Sourced from what's most likely a recent 4K scan of the original camera negative, this 2160p/HDR10/Dolby Vision transfer of Over the Top absolutely catapults past Warner Bros.' 2009 VC-1 encoded Blu-ray linked above. Fine detail and textures are clearly visible from start to finish now, which not only increases the time-capsule appeal of various scenes but also strengthens close-ups and beautifies the assortment of establishing shots and other vistas seen during Lincoln and Mike's road trip, not to mention the neon backdrop of Las Vegas in the film's third act. Color representation is aided greatly as well, largely a result of HDR, resulting in a vivid but natural palette that doesn't seem to have been significantly altered from is roots. Film grain is present throughout, mostly fine but clearly visible, while modest depth is achieved thanks to strong shadow detail even in the film's darkest moments. This is an across-the-board upgrade to be sure, and one that's smoothly authored on a dual-layered 66GB disc with no obvious encoding issues, which isn't surprising at all given that there are only about 100 minutes of total content on here.

Those buying this release for the included remastered Blu-ray (both of you) will find it to be a quality presentation as well, with this dual-layered disc offering a capable 1080p/SDR downscale of the new master seen in these direct-from-disc screenshots. In contrast it's obvious that film grain, ultra-fine detail, and overall color values aren't quite as well-handled here, but everything falls well within format expectations and owners of WB's 2009 Blu-ray will be sure to appreciate the improvements too -- even on small to medium-sized displays, it's a noticeable upgrade.

Over the Top 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Over the Top's audio may be a pure product of its time, but Capelight Pictures deserves credit for catering to fans in both camps: unlike WB's 2009 Blu-ray, both discs included here have your choice of a remixed DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track -- which is presumably similar if not identical to that older disc, reviewed here -- as well a more theatrically accurate LPCM 2.0 track. (Please note that both options are offered in either English or German.) I'm in the purist camp so I stuck with the 2.0 option, which delivers a capable front-forward stereo presentation with solid channel separation and an era-specific atmosphere that die-hard fans will appreciate. The surround mix is fine, and to its credit doesn't fully reinvent the wheel, so having both options available earns this release a perfect 5/5 rating.

Optional English and German subtitles are available during the film only, as are separate menu interfaces.

Over the Top 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release ships in matte-finish Steelbook packaging bearing the film's memorable poster on its front cover; it's further highlighted by debossing that gives certain elements a not-so-subtle 3D effect including the border (broken up by Stallone's name and the film's logo), as well as Lincoln's beefy forearm and fist. The back cover is comparatively more somber, again featuring Lincoln but this time in a reflective mood atop his rig. Testosterone returns on the interior print, a splash image highlighting his final showdown with Bull Hurley. Both discs sit on overlapping hubs on the right-hand side, and the Steelbook itself also slides into a practical "pocket" J-card with descriptive movie and disc info on the back. It's a solid packaging job that, in my opinion, suits the film's tone just about perfectly.

As for the actual bonus features? Unlike Bloodsport, there's sadly not much included here.

• US Theatrical Trailer (1:52) - Slightly panned and scanned at approximately 2.00:1 and in rough but watchable condition, this vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

• US Theatrical Trailer [Remastered] (1:52) - The same as above, but newly remastered and in 2.35:1.

• Promotional Trailer (3:15) - This vintage clip, framed at approximately 1.33:1, promotes Over the Top's soundtrack LP for German television with scenes from the film and Sammy Hagar rocking out.

Over the Top 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A disjointed film about family melodrama and arm wrestling, Menahem Golan's Over the Top is as cheesy and crowd-pleasing as that summary suggests. It's more fun than most Stallone vehicles from that era, including the dour Cobra... but if you're looking for a Rocky comparison, this is closer to one of its mid-tier sequels than the 1976 original. Even so, it's a fun watch every so often and the time-capsule appeal is bolstered by Capelight Pictures' new 4K edition, which is available for import in several international markets including the UK. All feature various packaging options but identical disc contents which, unlike Capelight's similar 4K treatment of Bloodsport linked above, don't include much of interest in the way of bonus features. It's unknown whether or not this new remaster will ever be available from a domestic boutique label so, until that happens, this one's obviously Recommended to the right crowd.