Wax on… Wax off…
Perception is a strange thing. When I first saw The Karate Kid as a pudgy child, I simply assumed that everyone must love this movie? What’s not to like? A paltry 7.2 rating on IMDB suggests otherwise however so I was curious to see if this predictable but irresistible slice of ’80s nostalgia still had something to offer in 2019. The answer? A resounding yes.
We all know the plot by now. Wise-ass kid moves from New Jersey to LA and starts being bullied by some other kids with terrible, unforgivable haircuts. This ends as these things always do – with a karate tournament. I can’t even count the number of times when I was being pushed around by some bigger boys as a kid and then BOOM, a karate tournament broke out. Totally normal. Along the way, the kid encounters a beautiful girl (Elizabeth Shue) and a cranky but extremely lovable old man (Pat Morita).
Watching this movie again was a joyous experience. Cobra Kai are just as evil. Daniel LaRusso is just as wide-eyed and lovable and, of course, Mr Miyagi is still a life affirming inspiration. All these characters are just where I left them 20 years ago when I first saw The Karate Kid. It’s comforting to know that some films are so timeless, so iconic that you can return to them again and again and still find something wonderful and compelling.
If anything, with an older, balder and much more grey-haired head on my shoulders, I found The Karate Kid even more poignant than ever before. I didn’t know that Pat Morita received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for this movie but watching it again as an adult this makes perfect sense. It is the genuine and warm relationship between Miyagi and Daniel-san that ensures that The Karate Kid remains one of the ’80s most enjoyable movies.
The fact that it shares a director, a music supervisor and similar themes with the Rocky franchise does nothing to diminish the power of The Karate Kid. This always feels more like a homage or even a spiritual sequel than a cynical attempt to cash in on Rocky‘s success and while Daniel LaRusso is no Rocky Balboa, the scene in which he shakily stands on one leg like a baby deer and delivers the knock out blow to William Zabka’s slimy Johnny Lawrence is almost as iconic as Rocky knocking down Apollo Creed… almost.
Unlike the Rocky franchise however, Mr Miyagi and Daniel LaRusso would not strike gold again with the sequels ranging from patchy to outright terrible. This just makes The Karate Kid even more important. This is a film that is wholly of its time and is more than a little corny but also one that fills your heart with nostalgia, warmth and recognition.
The Karate Kid is a stone-cold classic.
Sweep the leg.