1984 · drama · sports · teen
The Karate Kid
Directed by John G. Avildsen2h 7m1984
New Jersey teen Daniel LaRusso moves to Los Angeles with his mother, and soon strikes up a relationship with Ali. He quickly finds himself the target of bullying by a group of thugs, led by Ali's ex-boyfriend Johnny, who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo under ruthless sensei John Kreese. Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi, an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate for self-defense and, later, preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.
Our read: The Karate Kid (1984) reads as a cosy, kinetic, grounded drama · sports · teen entry — measured in intensity, intimate in scope, tender in temperature, redemptive in outlook.
Cosy, kinetic, measured drama / sports, grounded in texture. Redemptive, intimate, tender.
- warm
- brisk
- redemptive
- tender
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“You want underdog training, Miyagi wisdom, and an all-time tournament payoff.”
Skip it tonight — Bullying arcs or eighties cheese feel too earnest tonight.
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