The Karate Kid (1984)
Average Rating: 6.9/10
Reviews Counted: 42
Fresh: 38 | Rotten: 4
Utterly predictable and wholly of its time, but warm, sincere, and difficult to resist, due in large part to Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio's relaxed chemistry.
Average Rating: 6.2/10
Critic Reviews: 6
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 2
Utterly predictable and wholly of its time, but warm, sincere, and difficult to resist, due in large part to Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio's relaxed chemistry.
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Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 289,755
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Movie Info
Newly arrived in California from New Jersey, teenager Daniel (Ralph Macchio) almost immediately runs afoul of karate-trained high school bullies. He is rescued by Japanese janitor Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita), who agrees to teach Daniel how to harness karate for good instead of brutality. The film culminates in a championship karate bout, pitting Daniel against his sworn enemy Johnny (William Zabka) -- the cruel and thuggish boyfriend of Ali (Elisabeth Shue), with whom Daniel has fallen in
Jan 1, 1984 Wide
Apr 14, 1998
Columbia Pictures
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Ralph Macchio
Daniel -
Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita
Miyagi -
Elisabeth Shue
Ali -
Martin Kove
Kreese -
Randee Heller
Lucille -
William Zabka
Johnny -
Ron Thomas
Bobby -
Rob Garrison
Tommy -
Dana Anderson
Barbara -
Frank Burt Avalon
Chucky -
William H. Bassett
Mr. Mills -
Frances Bay
Lady with Dog -
Brian Davies
Boy in Bathroom -
Larry Drake
Yahoo -
Juli Fields
Susan -
Tom Fridley
Alan -
Peter Jason
Soccer Coach -
Israel Juarbe
Freddy -
Christopher Kriesa
Official -
Bernie Kuby
Mr. Harris -
Todd Lookinland
Chicken Boy -
Chad McQueen
Dutch -
Tony O'Dell
Jimmy -
Sam Scarber
Referee -
Larry B. Scott
Jerry -
Scott Strader
Eddie -
Jeff Fishman
Billy -
Bruce Malmuth
Ring Announcer -
David de Lange
Waiter -
Joan Lemmo
Restaurant Manager -
Helen Siff
Cashier -
Molly Basler
Cheerleading Coach -
Pat E. Johnson
Referee -
-
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All Critics (42) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (4) | DVD (14)
This film's art consists entirely of hiding the cynicism of its calculations under an agreeably modest and disarming manner.
Morita is simply terrific, bringing the appropriate authority and wisdom to the part.
Top CriticA surprise summer hit in the States, this is another film-making-by-numbers exercise in teenage wish-fulfilment.
An exciting, sweet-tempered, heart-warming story with one of the most interesting friendships in a long time.
The Karate Kid exhibits warmth and friendly, predictable humor, its greatest assets.
It's primitive, predatory stuff.
Upbeat, sentimental and predictable tale, but the acting of Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita (who was Oscar-nominated) is good and their friendship charming.
Stripped of its nostalgic value over a quarter-century after its original release, The Karate Kid looks and feels as innocuous and thoughtlessly conceived as the dozens of films its influenced.
Predictable yet satisfying...
Avildsen crafted an inspired movie with the perfect mix of 80's bravado and 70's artistic integrity.
Irresistible wish fulfillment.
The Karate Kid brought something fresh to the table and proved exceptionally skilled at reaching its adolescent audience. [Blu-ray]
Perhaps a touch on the corny side and undeniably broad, Kid is a ridiculously rewarding drama that puts pure sincerity to marvelous use, inflating a mild underdog story into an inspiring tale of education and developing friendship.
'80s classic is still fun for families with older tweens.
This is the kind of movie where you find yourself cheering even though you know you're being hoodwinked.
Morita's work in The Karate Kid is iconographic.
While this may be as soppy and predictable as they come, it still reminds you why you used to enjoy '80s teen flicks so much in the first place.
Formulaic, manipulative, hokey — and thoroughly rousing… the film's sincerity and poignance have a way of steamrolling over gaps in plausibility and logic.
A teenage Rocky for the 1980s.
Audience Reviews for The Karate Kid
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
-
- Miyagi: Walk left, safe. Walk right, safe. Walk in the middle, you get squished like a grape.
-
- Miyagi: [Driver's] License never replace eye, ear and brain.
-
- Miyagi: Trust [the] quality of what you know, not [the] quantity.
-
- Miyagi: Wax on... Wax off, wax on... wax off.
-
- Miyagi: We make sacred pact. I promise teach karate to you, you promise learn. I say, you do, no questions.
-
- Daniel: All right, so what are the rules here?
- Miyagi: Don't know. First time you, first time me.
- Daniel: Well, I figured you knew about this stuff. I figured you went to these before. Oh great, I'm dead. I am dead. You told me you fought a lot.
- Miyagi: For life, not for points.
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Foreign Titles
- The Karate Kid (1984) (DE)
- The Karate Kid (1984) (UK)
