A military weapons engineer struggles to do his job responsibly, while a hapless tank commander has to live with the consequences in combat years later.
Where to Watch Best Defense
- flavo43December 4, 2025Best Defense (1984) is a cautionary tale of how a promising concept can unravel in execution. The film attempts to weave two parallel storylines—one following Dudley Moore as a struggling engineer, the other featuring Eddie Murphy as a tank commander—separated by two years but unfolding in real time. On paper, this narrative device had potential to create clever contrasts and comedic tension. Unfortunately, the result leans too heavily into absurdity, losing the balance between humor and coherence. Characters feel exaggerated to the point of parody, and the script struggles to maintain focus, leaving audiences more bewildered than entertained. While Moore and Murphy bring energy to their roles, the lack of cohesion between the plots undermines their performances. Instead of sharp satire, the film devolves into chaotic comedy, missing the chance to deliver meaningful laughs. Best Defense remains a misfire, remembered more for wasted potential than brilliance.
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Best Defense was released on July 20, 1984.
Best Defense was directed by Willard Huyck.
Best Defense has a runtime of 1h 34m.
Best Defense was produced by Gloria Katz.
A military weapons engineer struggles to do his job responsibly, while a hapless tank commander has to live with the consequences in combat years later.
The key characters in Best Defense are Wylie (Dudley Moore), Landry (Eddie Murphy), Laura (Kate Capshaw).
Best Defense is rated R.
Best Defense is a Comedy, War, Action film.
Best Defense has an audience rating of 1.4 out of 10.
Best Defense had a budget of $18M.
Best Defense has made $19.3M at the box office.