jacobjohntaylor1 I have seen some good movies. This is not one of them. There is so mush hype about this movie. Really people it is not a 7.2. Is a 3. Karate Kid 2 is a better. I would not ever call that a great movie. This did have a very good story line. That acting was pretty good. But if I were you I would not waste time on this movie. I would not waste money on it ether. Skip this movie. It is a very bad movie. People who like do not know a bad movie when they see it. This movie slow and boring. You want see a good movie see Teenage mutant ninja turtles. I do not know what all the hype is about this movie. It was so slow. It all just hype I have never seen any thing with this mush hype and be so bad.

A_Different_Drummer Done by the same director as Rocky, this unusual "feel good" movie became a hit in 1984 and generated two sequels before the mania died and the franchise imploded.I remember the phenomenon from the 80s yet as a "prolific reviewer" for the IMDb now (which, for buffs, is not the same thing as a "Voracious Eater" from the Claymore series) I now see the film differently.I see a very competently done film that is literally lifted off the ground and carried to the finish line by the extraordinary one-of-a-kind performance from a (then) 50 year old Pat Morita, an actor who essentially spent his entire career doing "asian walkons" and offers us only this one role as a chance to see what he actually could do. Given half a chance.Macchio and Shue were competent (the former had some momentum from Happy Days/Laverne and Shirley and the latter was beginning a short career as a type of "brat pack" teenage star) but it was Morita who owned the film and kept your interest.Unfortunately the historical record even on the IMDb does not reflect any of this. Shue actually won an award for a completely forgettable part and Morita not only did not win anything for this film but the only nominations he received were in the "supporting role" category. This is clear "color blindness" on the part of Hollywood. He has almost as much screen time as Macchio (I counted) but because his career was merely bit parts before (and after) this was the prevailing mindset. The film would have failed without him.As a footnote, I was not able to identify precisely why he was cast in the role, but historically Okinawa has indeed been associated with its own unique brand of martial arts and, in the martial arts world, short stocky older men have long been acknowledged as champions even though in the films of our present era someone of Morita's age or body-type would never even be considered for such a part.The two sequels were much weaker but the demand for them was great and, when there is money on the table, Hollywood will always oblige.

John Brooks This is the major caricature of a film that is constantly being referenced in contexts of the old wise Asian martial artist master and the apprentice, values of wisdom, patience, self-control etc... and it's not too badly done actually. It's less boring than it could've been, and the film makers made a real effort to give it a bit of flavor as opposed what it could've been more generically.A young duo of the natural Ralph Macchio, and the beautiful and utterly feminine teenage Elisabeth Shue totally at ease behind the camera creates at least an endearing lovebird combo to follow, but for Pat Morita who does really well also this must've been the most embarrassing role in his entire career.A bit on the side, it should be mentioned there's definitely something going on with the physical types in this film: the bad guy jocks and their sensei are all blond and rich, the pretty girl is a blonde and rich and the main character is this Jersey Italian-type modest guy, his mom even emphasizes his girlfriend "is a blonde" like it's a great thing in itself. Just a sidenote, but it's a prevalent thing in the film and it's funny to note it.Yeah sure it's a bit of fun, and not boring for 2hrs +. 6/10.

zkonedog There are some films that define the generation (or decade) in which they are made. "The Karate Kid" does this for the 1980s.For a basic plot summary, this film focuses on the story of young Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Maccio), who moves to California and finds his new school much less accommodating than New Jersey. After falling for a local girl (Elisabeth Shue), he is targeted by the Cobra Kai, the local karate school that preaches a violent style of fighting. In order to defend himself, Daniel begins learning karate for his own source, that being the enigmatic Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita).There are very few movies I can watch multiple times and still enjoy them, but this is one of them. Besides being a bit cheesy at times (although what 80s movie isn't?!), it does pretty much everything right:The plot is both creative and inspirational, and will have you almost physically "into it" by the time the credits roll. The acting (especially from Morita) is also very entertaining, providing both the driving inspirational force as well as subtle touches of comedy thrown in. Even the music positively adds to the experience, as Bill Conti's (the same guy who scored "Rocky") tunes will draw out each emotion to its full potential for every scene.Overall, this is a landmark film that can be enjoyed at any age. Youngsters will like the action, while "big kids" will appreciate the inspirational and simple (yet effective) direction from Jon G. Avlidsen (also of "Rocky" fame).