The Karate Kid (1984) Review

THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

We all have moments in time where we’re not satisfied with things not going according to plan, but you can overcome it when you realize you’re not alone who has problems.


PLOT


The Karate Kid follows 17 year old Daniel LaRusso move from Newark to Los Angeles with his single mother Lucille (Randle Heller) who scored a new job in the area. He does go to a beach party after settling in and meets cheerleader Ali Mills. Sadly, he’d be quickly bullied by her ex boyfriend Johnny Lawrence who has a posse from the Cobra Kai dojo, where they learn aggressive karate. When Lucille notices the bruises on his face after constant bullying, her son breaks down for the first time addressing how much he misses Newark since he never had bullies there. On Halloween night, Daniel tries to get even by spraying water on him, only for him to chase and brutally beat him with his posse until being saved by the apartment’s handyman Nariyoshi Miyagi. He’d be so amazed of his actions that he’d beg to learn karate, but the latter prefers resolving the conflict without further violence. They go to the dojo and meet Johnny’s sensei, Special Forces Vietnam veteran John Kreese, who dismisses it. This leads to Miyagi pitching for Daniel to compete in the Under 18 All Valley Karate Championship where he’ll have the chance to compete against Johnny’s posse one by one on equal terms and the bullying will be ceased for the sake to train. Kreese agrees to it, but adds the harassment will continue should Daniel not show to the tournament. During the time of training, Miyagi uses unconventional training by showing the benefit of repetition through daily chores (painting a fence, painting his house and waxing cars) can create a muscle memory of defensive blocks. This helps Daniel also understand that martial arts like karate teaches the importance of personal balance and it’s much about training the spirit simultaneously with the body. Daniel would also learn about Miyagi’s life that while he served with the Infantry Regiment during WWII, he lost his wife and only son in childbirth at the Manzanar internment camp. He then applies the lesson to strengthen his relationship with Ali, rather than let Johnny get in his hand, which is what his bully does when forcibly kissing her at a country club party to instigate. When celebrating his 18th birthday, Miyagi gifts him a karate gi for the tournament and one of his classic cars, a 1947 Ford Super Deluxe convertible. On the day of the tournament, the young LaRusso proves to hold his own when defeating five straight opponents from Cobra Kai. By the time he makes it to the semifinals though, Cobra Kai student gets disqualified when Kreese instructs him to injure Daniel’s leg. He almost forfeits, but rather than let his bullies know he got the best of him, Miyagi quickly heals him with a pain suppression technique that allows him to continue. LaRusso would then face Lawrence in the finals and it would be an even playing field when he uses a scissor leg technique only for Kreese to make him respond with a sweep to the injured leg. With the score being tied 2-2, Lawrence then elbows the same leg. Daniel is able to defeat him however with a crane kick he had been practicing at the beach, winning the whole tournament in the process. Lawrence would show newfound respect by handing him the trophy and the film ends with Miyagi looking on proudly as the crowd carries him off to celebrate.


THOUGHTS


Sports movies are so fun to watch because there is more than one sport to exist, thus leading to various journeys. With Rocky being one of the best of the bunch, Director John G Avildsen knew he was going to deliver in making another gem. Some would call martial arts quite flashy compared to boxing since you get to use whole body as a weapon and I think this movie stands out for also saying everyone’s true strength is from within. As long as you remember that, you’re set for life. But you do not learn this without the best dynamic duo you can ask for in this genre. Ralph Macchio has made Daniel LaRusso one of many fictional icons of the 80s because we get to see him grow from a hothead who ain’t pleased with a sudden change in his life, but has the compassion in wanting to stand up for himself. Karate was his calling to do so because he wasn’t going to put up with constant torment. Little would he expect to have the best ally at his side. Pat Morita makes the role of Mr. Miyagi just as immortal as LaRusso because with the winsome and reservedness he’s gained in his eventful life, he is able to teach the boy discipline and patience is the key to success. He goes out of his way to help him the way he does because he knew he needed all the guidance possible to get through life as a whole. In return, he got the son he never had. While this mentor/protege relationship is downright special, this wasn’t the only friend LaRusso would made. I enjoyed Elisabeth Shue as Ali because she was a down to earth lady and didn’t let classism get in the way of her relationships since she came from a wealthy family, while Daniel was far from one. She gave him a chance and stood by his side because she saw how grounded he was and was far from selfish compared to other people she’s been around. Although it took a while for them to pick up where they left off, the fact they still care about each other long after the tournament says how much they mean to them. On top of that, he was better than people that felt worse. At the time, William Zabka was an ideal 80s villain because he was undoubtedly a boy too hardened for his age but sticks with it because it’s what he’s learning and believes it’s the only way to live life. With Martin Kove portraying Kreese as a man who thinks passing on over the top strictness of suppressed dominance is beneficial is instead what makes him a failure of a mentor compared to Miyagi. Its obvious to feel this way because he loses all the honor that martial arts is supposed to create. I don’t care that Daniel used an illegal crane kick as sports fans say because he needed to even his odds when he got injured midway. With that being said, Johnny losing to him was his first dose of earning & giving respect because he understood at that moment no one including himself is invincible. While it took a long time for him to be redeemed, his own journey was definitely worthwhile in the Netflix series Cobra Kai. This movie is always fun to get through, but there are a few moments that don't age well upon re-watching. From the start, continuity errors are already a problem when Daniel's bike is in two different positions between takes during the opening drive to California. Going into the story, was Lucille really unpacking when she wasn't even done unloading? That takes up so much more time, so she was letting the excitement way past proportion. And it's a miracle not one of the radios melted from the bonfires before Johnny intentionally damaged one at the beach. Also, how long of a school night did it take for Johnny to learn how to garden a bonsai tree? Considering his mom had to look for him, I'm surprised it wasn't midnight. The only true takeaway in Miyagi's training is him choosing to be absent when he tasks Daniel with certain chores. Yeah it works out for everyone, but it's too big of a risk since how obviously impatient the boy is. And personally, I think Ali should've told Daniel that she smacked Johnny for kissing her when he didn't see it that way from afar. Other than that, the rest of this movie is timeless. In conclusion, The Karate Kid is classic sports film for families to watch due to its fresh way to express the balance of building inner peace. If martial arts are your favorite kind of movies, see this now.