The Karate Kid
The Karate Kid
Recently relocated from NJ to LA, Daniel becomes the target of a gang of Cobra Kai dojo students. When Mr. Miyagi saves him with expert Karate skills, Daniel convinces him to teach him to defend himself, and put his bullies in their place.
James Saenz reviewedJune 1, 2025
“you're the best friend i've ever had.”
“you... pretty okay, too.”
i’m starting my first watch-through of this franchise (minus cobra kai because i absolutely do not have that kind of time), and what thoroughly impressed me is the fact that this film really does have some movie magic coursing through its veins. there’s so much heart, and while a lot of the tertiary and even secondary characters feel quite flat, the relationship between daniel and mr. miyagi is genuinely perfect. watching it, there were so many moments between these two characters - both big and small - where i felt such a sense of joy and peace. and while it was addressed only once, it was a sobering moment to watch daniel discover mr. miyagi’s wife was incarcerated and died in one of the american internment camps during world war 2. this is something so often overlooked in real life and in film, a sickening scar in american history. this discovery was so heartbreaking to watch, and it provided so much depth to his character and far more respect for japanese americans than i was expecting from a film like this and from this time period.
all that being said, ralph macchio’s best film is still my cousin vinny.