Films I Loved - The Karate Kid (1984)

 By Ephraim Belnap

Directed by: John Avidsen, director of Rocky

Starring: Pat Morita, Ralph Maccio, William Zabka, Elizabeth Shue

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The Karate Kid is so good, guys. It's the silliest thing ever, and every time I think of it I'll rage about how Daniel LaRusso can't possibly have the weight to deliver good hits, and how stupid the fighting looks, and how misleading this film is to ANYONE who wants to learn how to fight (watch Rocky; you won't regret it) ... but I will STILL defend it in the end, 'cause it's such a good film about youth and teenagerhood and the experience of having a father figure who truly empowers you. The new reboot series Cobra Kai is putting a lot of focus on the training, but the real Karate Kid was never about fighting; it was about that sweet Miyagi/Daniel-San friendship. And that's why the sequel was so good. And that's why the third one was so bad. And that's why the awful fighting in ALL of them doesn't matter, and why this film is iconic and so many well-choreographed fight films are ignored; they got the emotions right. 

(If you want a modern film that nails the emotions AND the fighting equally, go watch Ip Man. Seriously, it's so good. It's classic. But if you're looking for a classic '80's film about being a young guy with a hunger and a desire to prove himself and be who he knows he can be, watch Karate Kid.) 

And seriously, there's so much about this film that gets overlooked. A great film is thunder in every aspect, not just the one or three. This film knocks it out of the park; it's funnier than you remember, with more than one great moment lightening it up. It's got that out of NOWHERE scene where we find out Miyagi's family died in an internment camp in World War II. Heavy but also real, and important. It's got the fact that his mom is single and yet clearly a total homie. Bless. It's got the fact that the bullies are kind of crazy, but they tone it down so they're still people. It's got Daniel-San being charismatic in a way that feels relatably dorky but somehow actually works. It's got California and classic cars and martial arts, so it's really just a picture of the '80's (there should be Karate Kid in the next Stranger Things). It's great. Go watch it.