The Karate Kid

Synopsis: Daniel (Ralph Macchio) moves to Southern California with his mother, Lucille (Randee Heller), but quickly finds himself the target of a group of bullies who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo. Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita), an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial-arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate and preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.

Movie Review:

“The Karate Kid” was directed by John G. Avildsen and is the original and timeless coming of age sports movie that is one of my favorite films of all time. I have loved this movie since my Dad introduced it to me about 20 years ago. The reason that this movie is still popular is because of its relatable relationships and common problems so many of us endure as young people. The chemistry between Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita is like a real father/son bond and that makes this movie iconic after 37 years. Ralph Macchio plays Daniel LaRusso a 17-year-old teenager who moves to California with his mother and gets bullied by some karate kids. Ralph portrays Daniel as an everyday kid and the audience feels his pain and cheers him on throughout the movie. William Zabka plays Johnny Lawrence who bullies Daniel and becomes his karate rival. Zabka does a great job making this character angry and unlikeable. Elizabeth Shue plays Ali Mills (Johnny’s ex-girlfriend and the person who starts dating Daniel) who causes friction and rivalry between Daniel and Johnny. Elizabeth Shue’s character has a funny and charming personality and you see why everyone falls in love with her. This movie has a romantic undertone to it with the storyline of Ralph Macchio and Elizabeth Shue. I loved watching their relationship unfold and I enjoyed the 80’s themed date montage. But the heart of this film is the relationship that Daniel forms with Mr. Miyagi who teaches him the art of karate. Pat Morita plays Mr. Miyagi and he is incredible as the wise old man who offers calm in Daniel’s chaotic world. Some of the best scenes are when he is training Daniel and teaches him the “Wax on Wax off” which is a line that people still quote today. I also loved the performance of Martin Kove who plays John Creese the evil head of the Cobra Kai Dojo. The incredible scenes of the All-Valley Karate Tournament are intense, exciting and memorable to watch even though the action of the film is dated. Although the movie is predictable at times and the film ends abruptly, it is still a movie with a message and enjoyable to watch with the entire family. I am giving “The Karate Kid” a 5 out of 5 stars.

Director: John G. Avildsen

Cast: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, William Zabka, Randee Heller, Rob Garrison, Ron Thomas and Martin Cove

Runtime: 127 minutes