The Karate Kid | Teen Ink

The Karate Kid

September 23, 2019
By MovieReviewer_18 ELITE, Short Hills, New Jersey
MovieReviewer_18 ELITE, Short Hills, New Jersey
678 articles 0 photos 8 comments

 The Karate Kid is a classic adventure that combines together karate and drama to create a movie that will be sure to please. The movie revolves around Daniel LaRusso, who has just moved from Newark, New Jersey to California, because his mom just got a new job. Even though his mom insists on telling him that things are better in California, like the food and weather, things don't go so smoothly for Daniel. Although it seems like he is going to make a lot of friends, because he's invited to a party just minutes after arriving in California, things quickly go sour when he meets a group of bullies that are intent on making Daniel's life even more difficult, since the leader of the bullies likes a girl that likes Daniel. Due to this, the group of bullies do their best to hurt Daniel, including throwing him off of his bike, beating him up, and more often than not, Daniel finds himself getting beaten. Daniel is interested in karate, but even that doesn't work out, because when he goes to check out the local dojo, he discovers that all of the bullies study karate at Cobra Kai dojo, where they are taught to be merciless and use their karate for violence and to hurt people. Luckily for Daniel, he quickly befriends Mr. Miyagi, a repairman that fixes Daniel's bike, gifts him a bonsai tree, and might be one of the only positive things that's going for Daniel, along with a girl named Ali that likes Daniel. Mr. Miyagi may appear to be an unassuming man at first, since it seems like that he's only there to help fix utilities, but after Mr. Miyagi sees Daniel getting beat up, Mr. Miyagi comes to the rescue and saves Daniel. He soon tells Daniel he is willing to teach him karate, and that he is a martial arts master himself. Not only does Miyagi take Daniel under his wing, and trains him in the true art of karate, explaining that it's only meant for self-defense and not violence, he also helps to prepare the young karate learner for a tournament where he plans to battle against the brutal bullies of the Cobra Kai. Throughout it all, Miyagi acts as the best friend that Daniel could have possibly ever asked for and proves to be exactly what he needs to adjust to California.  
 The Karate Kid is an epic adventure that is simply a wild roller coaster throughout. Dramatic in its entirety, the movie manages to capture the audience's attention and never lets go with its captivating plot and likable characters that are easy to root for. Mr. Miyagi and Daniel's relationship with one another is nothing short of priceless, and after watching this movie, it wouldn't be that surprising for just about everyone to want to have a friend like Mr. Miyagi himself. The movie effectively conjures up suspense, emotion and intensity, and watching Daniel perform karate against bullies proves to be inspirational, entertaining and showcases the true art and majesty of karate. 

 The Karate Kid is a very story-driven adventure that flawlessly transitions from one event to the next. From Daniel being trained by Mr. Miyagi to fighting in a karate tournament to dealing with social issues, the movie creates a cohesive story that depicts what life is like for Daniel in a manner that is entirely fresh. The beginning of the movie seamlessly introduces what Daniel is like as a person, as well as how he feels about moving to California, and even though this portion of the movie starts out slightly slower than the rest, it quickly speeds up and becomes that much more enticing. The middle of the movie marvelously progresses the plot along and is jam-packed with Daniel training for the tournament and contains the meat of Daniel and Mr. Miyagi's relationship, including what makes them such a dynamic duo. The exhilarating ending of the movie showcases karate at its finest and manages to take advantage of all of the drama and suspense that is so effectively conjured throughout the tale. The actual conclusion of the movie is heartwarming and will be sure to touch a few hearts, and it also helps to demonstrate why this movie truly revolves around the raw sport of karate, because this form of martial arts can truly be impressive to behold. 

 The Karate Kid is beloved by many, and critics also found a great deal of satisfaction with the film. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie an impressive 88%, and a whopping 94% of Google users liked the movie, solidifying the concept that this movie is a great fit for a wide variety of audiences. 

 The Karate Kid is a wonderful adventure that highlights one of the most likable relationships in the history of cinema in Daniel's relationship with Mr. Miyagi, who is brilliantly portrayed by Pat Morita, and Pat manages to bring so much emotion and personality to the character that he instantly becomes a fan-favorite. The movie has it all, including drama, comedy, action and the depiction of what life is truly like for a kid growing up in California after moving, which all help to make this adventure one that will surpass any and all expectations. The movie manages to do the great history of karate justice and possesses a story that deserves to be seen, making this classic an absolute must-see. It's that awesome. 


The author's comments:

“No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher. Teacher say, student do.” - Mr. Miyagi


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