The Best Karate Kid?

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 10:08 am

Hey guys, I just picked up the Karate Kid collection - the first three, plus the Hilary Swank outing, The Next Karate Kid.

I was just wondering which movies you liked best; I prefer the second one, for the following reasons:

It has a well thought-out story, and isn't just about a kid learning to defend himself from bullies. The girl he falls in love with isn't just some valley girl who will probably dump him(as Elizabeth Shue's character in the first movie does, according to the start of this film). And that's the other thing - the romance between Daniel and Kumiko is well done, and isn't just another 'teenagers going to city fairs' crap.

Also, the whole honour story line...great stuff. It's pretty typical by most standards, but it's a wholesome story of friendship lost and regained. I think it is a better movie than the original(although, the original has by far the best music selection).

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 12:05 pm

The first one ofcourse

there are only a few movies were the sequal is better

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 3:26 pm

Karate Kid is one of those few! I vote second one, too.

<OBLIGATORY WIPE-ON, WIPE-OFF JOKE>

Joined: 13 Nov 2004 Posts: 2966 Location: Atlanta

Number two!

Also, it's the one I have seen the fewest number of times.
Plus you have the parking lot scene after the tournament at the beginning!
Also, Sato's voice is hilarious.
Say anything in his voice to get instant comedy gold.

The Next Karate kid was actually pretty good. But Michael Ironsides needs to please stop acting. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD! PLEASE!!!!

Joined: 11 Nov 2004 Posts: 173 Location: Burlington, VT

The Best Karate Kid

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 4:23 pm

That site has subliminal Nazi images in the background!

Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 179

The other day I was talking with a friend about how there are so FEW good martial arts movies! Think about it really for a second!

I made this list-

Enter the Dragon
Pre-edited Game of Death
Fists of Fury
Way of the Dragon
Bloodsport
Kickboxer

and that is pretty much it. Karate kid is kind of hokey and insulting to us martial artists. Jet Li movies and ones similiar to it are too over the top and unrealistic giving people a false image. I'm sure I'm missing some movies, but that's literally all I can think of for now.

Joined: 01 Feb 2005 Posts: 180 Location: jacksonville, fl

But in the first one he catches a fly with chopsticks! There's nothing quite so cool in any sequel.

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:32 am

Obviously if you're such a martial arts elitist than the Karate Kid movies aren't for you. Geez.

I'm sorry, I was not being serious about that remark; I was trying to lighten the mood with sarcasm?

Anyway I just watched Karate Kid part III(I've seen this movie maybe once or twice; far less often than the first two), and it has its moments, though not as many as the first two movies. The thing that it does have a lot of is heart. I mean it really tries to show how much Miyagi/Daniel care for each other as friends, and it also adds closure to their teacher/student relation(as if the scenes where Myagi tells Daniel that one day he must go his own way weren't enough, the scene where they replant the bonzai at the end is definitely it). Daniel also didn't get heartbroken(well, Kumiko joined some dance company in Japan, but that was at the very beginning) - the girl he had his heart set on set things straight early on that there wasn't going to be any hanky panky.

Of course there were too many drawbacks - overzealous acting on the part of the villains(Kreese/Silver), too much repitition about strong roots, etc. The script was a little weak - and unrealistic in that the police wouldn't take physical threats very seriously.

I will sit through The Next Karate Kid. I always convinced myself that it was just a rehash of the first movie, as I read the novelization(nerd alert!)...anyway early Hilary Swank, I guess it can't be too bad. Then again I've seen her on Beverly Hills 90210.

Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 179

I forgot one crucial movie and I'm being dead serious.

MORTAL KOMBAT!

This movie ROCKED!

Joined: 11 Nov 2004 Posts: 173 Location: Burlington, VT

Timefishblue wrote:

That site has subliminal Nazi images in the background!

That's HANSI: THE GIRL WHO LOVED THE SWASTIKA. If they had made another sequel it would have been cool to see Hilary Swank square off against her.

Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 1231 Location: Sweden

Cats like the swastika, too.

Out-Talled Joined: 11 Nov 2004 Posts: 4580

What is it with you and cats?

Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 1231 Location: Sweden

Cats are fascinating creatures, gracious and aloof. Befriending a cat gives you a sense of fulfilment, whereas the average dog is instantly friends with anyone. In the words of Churchill, "All cats look down on us, all dogs look up to us, only pigs treat us as equals".

Want boxes of shit in your house? Get a cat.

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 12:33 pm

Dude. Dogs all the way. My 2 dogs are my freaking sidekicks, they always want to hang out.

My cats just knock my bills off the table and poo more than they eat. How the hell do cats have more output than intake? It doesn't make sense!

Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 4:58 pm

Cat food pellet things may look small, but leave one in water,. and it expands to 5x it's original size. It's CRRRRRRAAAAAAAAZZZZZY!

Dogs are too hyperactive and smelly for my tastes.

Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 27 Location: The Entire World

i love nothing more than the karate kid series, particularly the first two. i'm serious.

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:57 am

I'll go with the second.

What the heck happened on The Next Karate Kid?!?!

PS: Has anyone saw Pat Morita on Son of the Beach?

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:59 am

Eidam wrote:

I'll go with the second.

What the heck happened on The Next Karate Kid?!?!

PS: Has anyone saw Pat Morita on Son of the Beach?

Hilary Swank happened in The Next Karate Kid. Don't worry about missing that movie. It had some funny lines, but for the most part wasn't worth sticking on the DVD set(which by the way, was sorely lacking in special features).

Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 27 Location: The Entire World

Eidam wrote:

I'll go with the second.

What the heck happened on The Next Karate Kid?!?!

PS: Has anyone saw Pat Morita on Son of the Beach?

if you are asking what happened in the movie, it starred hilary swank as an angry young lady getting harassed by punks at her school in boston. Mr Miyagi trains her and takes her to a monastery to train. not a very good movie.

if you are asking what happened as in why did the series take a dive for the worst, i do not know.

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 2:04 am

Yes, I've seen the movie.

Most memorable scene: The monks dancing. By memorable, I mean the shit is branded in my brain and doesnt let me sleep at night.

Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 27 Location: The Entire World

Eidam wrote:

Yes, I've seen the movie.

Most memorable scene: The monks dancing. By memorable, I mean the shit is branded in my brain and doesnt let me sleep at night.

indeed! i could not help but blurting out how lame it was when i witnessed it!

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 9:33 am

The movie also had zen bowling. WTF?