Kapuera

Plot

Former Green Beret Louis Stevens (Mark Dacascos) returns to his hometown of Miami after completing military service in Brazil, only to learn that his old high school has become a haven for gangs and drug dealers. After Stevens uses his capoeira skills to kick several drug dealers off of the school property, Kerrigan (Geoffrey Lewis), one of Stevens' old teachers, sees the impact that Stevens has on the students. Kerrigan gives him the task of teaching Capoeira to a handful of the worst at-risk students at the school.

While doing so, Stevens earns the ire of the local drug lord, Silverio (Paco Christian Prieto), whose younger cousin, Orlando, is one of Stevens' students. Silverio is also a master of Capoeira, and he engages Stevens in combat, beating him viciously. The horrified Orlando resolves to learn everything he can from Stevens.

Stevens' class learns quickly, and they become very skilled at Capoeira. The principal, delighted, proposes a district-wide Capoeira Program to the school board. After a field trip with his class, Stevens clashes swords with Silverio again, who declares war against Stevens.

Silverio's gang sets fire to Lincoln High School, killing one of Steven's best students. Stevens is banished from the school grounds and the Capoeira program is terminated. In retaliation to the attack, Stevens destroys Silverio's chop shop by throwing a gasoline can into a burning car. Furious, Silverio orders the gang to bring Stevens to him alive. Orlando flees to get help.

After a desperate battle, Stevens is finally captured and brought to a bonfire, where Silverio awaits. However, Stevens' capoeira students bar their path in an attempt to rescue their teacher. Before a brawl can ensue, the exhausted Stevens challenges Silverio to single combat on the grounds that, if he wins, the students are his again. The combatants are each given a machete to fight with.

Amid the gang's chants, the two combatants fight. Silverio breaks Stevens' sword, but Stevens disarms him and tosses the sword away. They fight using only capoeira, and Silverio manages to knock Stevens to the ground, where he begins to choke him. The battle appears lost, but suddenly Stevens' students begin singing the Brazilian Capoeira song, and Stevens gains a second wind. He fights back, dealing devastating blows to Silverio. As his students sing louder, he finishes Silverio off with a final spinning kick. Silverio falls to the ground, unconscious, as a police force arrives, sending the gang scattering in all directions.

A police officer arrives on the scene, asking who the unconscious man is. Orlando informs him of his name and all his crimes. The police officer reminds him of Silverio's reputation for intimidating witnesses, to which Orlando responds, "Oh, that shit's over, man. He don't own this neighborhood no more."

At the graduation ceremony of Lincoln High School, a Brazilian Capoeira team performs for Stevens. Among the graduates are Orlando and the ten other students of his class.