The Karate Kid
 Oct 16th, 2008
Advantages:
great action and entertainment
Disadvantages:
a little slow to begin
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Story
Characters / Performances
Special Effects
How does it compare to similar films?
more
  blissman70
About me:
Thanks everyone for the R/R/Cs, still much appreciated, i will always return the favour. Over a hun...
Member since:04.09.2006
Reviews:444
Members who trust:111
Review rated by 24 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
Director: John G. Avildsen.
Producers: Jerry Weintraub, Bud S. Smith and R. J. Louis
Writer: Robert Mark Kamen
Stars: Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, Elisabeht Shue, Martin Kove, Randee Heller and William Zabka. This first in the karate kid sage was released in June 1984, involving the life of a school boy who had just moved into a new neighbourhood with his mother.
** BRIEF PLOT **
When Daniel LaRusso, (played by Ralph Macchio) and his mother Lucille, (played by Randee Heller) move into a new apartment in a small neighbourhood things seem to be going well, until Daniel starts at the local school.
When Daniel becomes friends with Ali Mills, (played by Elisabeth Shue) he soon realises that her ex-boyfriend, Johnny Lawrence, (played by William Zabka) and his little gang of Karate members are going to be trouble, considering Johnny is the top student at the Cobra Kai dojo which is ran by John Kreese, (played by Martin Kove),
a rather vicious sensei.
With Daniel standing up to Johnny he soon realises that he can not beat him, allowing Johnny and his brainless gang to start intimidating Daniel whenever their paths meet. The tale takes a twist when Johnny, together with the rest of his gang, corner Daniel and viciously assault him, using him as a punch bag to practice their martial arts moves on… But suddenly, out of the blue, the apartments handyman, Mr Kesuke Miyagi, (played by Noriyuki "Pat" Morita), an elderly and rather fragile looking man jumps to Daniels rescue.
After seeing the skills of My Miyagi, Daniel begs for his help, little realising that Mr Miyagi' s way of helping is to enter Daniel into a karate tournament so as to fight Johnny in a fair battle of skill… (not really the help Daniel envisaged)
So, as Mr Miyagi trains the unwitting Daniel, using some rather unusual training techniques, the fight is soon on… only some contestants and their sensei's will do anything to win…???
** IN CONCLUSION **
Avildsen has directed another great fight action movie, remembering him from Rocky, with some fantastic martial arts scenes, (although it does tend to be a little like a Rocky plot…!!).
The story is well written, giving a good two hours of entertainment…albeit a little slow to tell the story in the first instance, and the all round acting is good enough to make this a very popular movie indeed.
Ralph Macchio does a great job acting as Daniel, (or Danielson as Miyagi calls him), the skinny underdog with no hope of fighting his way out of a wet paper bag let alone winning a karate tournament against a rather brutal opposition.
But the award for excellence goes to the brilliant Noriyuki Morita, (or Pat) as the rather peaceful but very lethal Mr Miyagi, with his bizarre, but very effective ways of teaching martial arts… "Wax on…Wax off…" was the latest saying for all those who watch this on its release in 1984... Whilst doing a rather fruitless impression of a karate defence… It is an all round entertaining movie which can be enjoyed by everyone, although there is a little bit of violence involved… (but you would have thought that as soon as you read the title… you make a movie about Karate without showing a little violence can you…?)
There are a few humorous moments and even the odd bit of romance, but the main theme is of one boys stance against a gang of bullies…
* Would I recommend this…?
Yes I would, simply for the entertaining and strangely compelling Mr Miyagi, with his bizarre look on life and his off the wall training regime… together with his bonsai skills, (you just know you want to be able to trim a miniature tree like he does..?).
The ending fight scene is well choreographed and very close to realism, (although some scenes do look a little 'iffy') You can get a copy of this entertaining movie from amazon for less than a fiver…
* Other cast
Ron Thomas as Bobby
Rob Garrison as Tommy
Chad McQueen as Dutch
Tony O'Dell as Jimmy
Compare Prices
sorted by Price
Read more on this product
Products you might be interested in
|
|
![The Karate Kid [DVD] [1984]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78486002.jpg)
![The Karate Kid [Special Edition]-DVD](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/103541896.jpg)
by (4%):
16.10.2008 16:44
Great film!! Cant believe its that old. . fab review x
16.10.2008 16:09
can't believe this was nearly a quarter of a century ago!! Every time I hear the name I have the urge to stand on one leg saying "Wipe on...Wipe Off" whilst doing Karate moves with my hands!
16.10.2008 16:08
one of the best films ever to grace our screens............ top review.