Movie Review: The Karate Kid
Rated by 1 member
What Parents Should Know
Parents should know that this movie contains a smattering of
swear words, one incident of drug use, and some fairly violent
fight scenes.
This is a wonderful film for families to watch together. Its lessons -- about strength, gentleness, generosity and perseverance -- hold value for all viewers regardless of their age. Issues that might lead to discussion are the story of Mr. Miyagi's past and how it affected him, how it feels to have to start over in a completely new environment, and how people can interpret something like karate so differently.
Common Sense Media Review
It's a rare movie that manages to be both entertaining and
enlightening, and to remain so for twenty years. But THE KARATE
KID is one of those movies. It's the story of Daniel LaRusso
(Ralph Macchio), who moves with his mother from New Jersey to
California and is confronted with a culture he doesn't fit
into. After being beaten up several times by students from a
local karate school (run by a sadistic teacher), Daniel finds a
mentor -- Mr. Miyagi (a wonderful performance by Pat Morita),
the maintenance man for Daniel's apartment building. Miyagi
agrees to teach Daniel karate, although his methods are
unconventional, to say the least. But Daniel learns, and in the
very exciting final tournament scene, he puts his lessons to
good use.
But there's more to the story than simply overcoming bullies. Daniel learns about Miyagi's painful past and his deep generosity, lessons which are as valuable to him as how to punch, or the now famous "wax on, wax off." Daniel learns about the many different kinds of balance that it takes to become a man, and the audience learns along with him. It's all done with a very light touch -- no preachy speeches, just a gentle unfolding of experience and understanding. The performances are relaxed and natural. Even the obligatory relationship storyline is realistic and unaffected, with Elizabeth Shue as a refreshing normal-weight teenager. This is an excellent film, one that families can share.
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