The Karate Kid: Movies (1984-94)
Dirs. John G. Avildsen (Movies #01-03) / Christopher Cain (Movie #04)
There are teenager levels of romance to contend with, but it's illustrated with the best intentions, so it's not as forced as it could've been.
The real treasure is the believable sincerity that characterises the relationship that Mr Miyagi (Pat Morita) has both with the eager-to-learn Daniel and the wider world, as a whole.
Morita's understated performance keeps Miyagi as a supporting character while simultaneously elevating him to become the true emotional core of the story. With a single wordless glance he can communicate a whole chapter's worth of feelings. He embodies what belief, patience, wisdom, and sensitivity can accomplish when each element achieves balance.
Morita's understated performance keeps Miyagi as a supporting character while simultaneously elevating him to become the true emotional core of the story. With a single wordless glance he can communicate a whole chapter's worth of feelings. He embodies what belief, patience, wisdom, and sensitivity can accomplish when each element achieves balance.
02. The Karate Kid Part II (1986). Freed from the 'sports movie' template, and after some convenient missing-cast explanations, the action moves to Okinawa, Miyagi's place of birth. Events in the tiny village enable the father / son and sensei / student relationship that was formed in Part I to evolve in a more engaging way, but this time it's Miyagi who takes centre stage, with Daniel-san playing the support role.
Conflict comes in the form of rekindled feelings for an old flame and an old friend, the latter of which still feels the pain of an old wound.
Parts of the Daniel sub-story play out in a manner that's altogether too similar to how they did before, but there's a maturity to the consequences now, which makes it more meaningful to an adult audience. Conversely, younger fans may find less to latch onto than they did before.
A character from the duo's past is downtrodden, but has a rich benefactor who's little more than a two dimensional comic-book villain replete with fat cigars to chomp on.
Mr Miyagi is at a loose end, too, but all he has is Daniel, who's turning into a jerk, in danger of becoming the thing that he hates.
A new love interest (Robyn Lively) adds little of value, so it's left to Miyagi to be the rock that can keep the maturing student on the correct path, but the sensei's role is again lessened from what it was in Part II. He provides instruction only when needed, hoping that faith and common sense will act as guides in his absence.
Mr Miyagi is at a loose end, too, but all he has is Daniel, who's turning into a jerk, in danger of becoming the thing that he hates.
A new love interest (Robyn Lively) adds little of value, so it's left to Miyagi to be the rock that can keep the maturing student on the correct path, but the sensei's role is again lessened from what it was in Part II. He provides instruction only when needed, hoping that faith and common sense will act as guides in his absence.
As enjoyable as it is to see the story continued, it's the weakest of the original trilogy, with a retread ending that lacks the power of the first movie.
04. In The Next Karate Kid (1994), Mr. Miyagi gets drafted into helping an old army buddy's granddaughter (Hilary Swank) find inner-peace. She's an orphaned youth with anger issues, striking out at everyone, even those who wish to help her. Her only confidant is a hawk, a kindred spirit with a symbolic wounded wing.
The coachings in responsibility, acceptance, and patience are delivered in the sensei's usual lesson-within-a-lesson system, but his having to adjust to the ways of a teenage girl adds an element of humour to the formula.
The three previous movies weren't ground-breaking works, so there's no reason to expect any different from the fourth entry. It's a simple and enjoyable story that puts emphasis more on the importance of healing than on fighting.
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