HCR Rates The Movies #9: THE KARATE KID

[DTM]

So, our next film, Classic or Crud, Hit or Miss, what say you ALL?

Our next film open for discussion, and ultimately an Overall RATING by you all:

THE KARATE KID
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Let the discussions flow. Likes, dislikes, classic film or overhyped trash, and DONT FORGET to place an Overall Rating when youre done.

Its easy, just give a Rating from 1 (Jaws 4:The Revenge) to 10 (Jaws), and thats it. Course I'd love to have you all give reasons as to why you feel it deserves this Overall Rating, and more than encourage discussions with us all about them.

So, what say you all?

Next Film: ??????

[jedah_s]

i should probably open by saying that my name is dan... so i've endured the nickname daniel-san since this movies release.

this movie has heart in abundance... with an ending even jaded, cynical people can feel good about (secretly of course).
mr. miyagi is imo one of the great movie characters.
extremely quotable film.

i'd give it a 9

[DTM]

HA, hey my names Dan too (and yeah Ive certainly gotten more than my share of Daniel-sans since this film came out).

From the director of Rocky, who seems to have been the man to helm any underdog rises up to claim glory films, the Karate Kid was a really excellent overall film to me. The acting on all fronts, especially Pat Morita (who I believe was nominated for an Oscar for this role), was really well done.

The story was very cool and very easy to get into. New kid in town tries to make friends, makes friends with the wrong girl, jealous ex boyfriend and his gang cause trouble for new kid, and eventually beat the ever loving crud out of him.

Until, his wise and apprently martial arts master, landlord shows up and saves his life. Soon afterwards teaching him the skills (both physically and mentally) hell need to stand up for himself and defend his honor and the honor of his new girlfriend. The tasks he asks Daniel-san to perform seem like grunt work jobs at first, then later it is revealed in fact why he is being forced to sand the floor and paint the fence.

Overall, a really good, fun, enjoyable film, with a great story, good to great acting and a cheer out loud ending that anyone whos ever been bullied (and everyone else) should love.

My Rating - 8.5

[Inbetweener]

Let me start by saying that this film has all of the other things I hate in a movie that I didn't mention in my dismantling of Flash Gordon. It has the cheesey 80s style, the cliche feel good comback and the get the girl after kicking butt the right way theme...and worst of all it has a terrible hero whom I never find myself relating to and hate pretty much every piece of dialogue that is given to him...but somehow that makes it all the more likeable and convincing in the end. You see all of Daniel-san's flaws and vexing drawbacks and you pity him...he wins you over and you root for him to beat up on those no-good 80s thugs and their evil twisted sensai. Speaking of sensais, other than Yoda, there is no better mentor character than Mr. Miagi. His character makes the film feel real and makes you think that the bad dialogue is not really a product of bad movie-making, but a product of great character developement. The Karate Kid captures something that isn't quite definable in words, it's the underdog theme, the revenge theme...all that stuff. It does this as good as Rocky does, and for that this film is a giant in it's genre and a true classic.

Rating: 9.0

[lurker]

Karate Kid was the first martial arts movie I saw which didn't feature Bruce Lee or his clones. It was a great idea for a martial arts movie, no wizards jumping up into treetops or one man assaults agains dozens of ninjas. This was a kid I could identify with, he starts off as an ordinary kid and he achieves so much in this film. He gets the girl and defeats the bullies! Awesome! After all his hard work you believe that if he can do it, so can you. As far as underdog movies go, this is the one that had the most impact on me because at the time Daniel-san was the most like me. I score it 8 which is great in my books.

[clixer11]

I'll bite and give it a 10

Why?

Every time I watch it, it leaves a feel good feeling.

It's not just a story about a kid learning karate and defending himself. It focuses a great deal on ALL of Daniel's relationships.

The final scene with "the kick", although not quite up to Luke's shot on the Death Star, is dramatically top-notch. Comes out of nowhere, but delivered so quickly you're like..."Dude, he totally kicked his face in!"

There's a surprising amount of depth for Daniel, Miyagi, and even Ali's character.

And the bullies, even though they are just bullies that will go on to be doctors, lawyers, and Congressmen, are pretty despicable thanks to their teacher.

The scene at the very end with Daniel getting the trophy from Lawrence (?) with Mr. Miyagi beaming with pride is just incredible.

So yeah, a 10. Anyone who thinks Karate Kid is about a kid who learns karate probably thinks Rocky is a movie about boxing.

[DTM]

Current HCR Member Rating:

THE KARATE KID - 8.9 / 10

Wow, a really excellent score, and some even better write ups from some of our HCR members. Still, there are certainly more of you out there than have surely seen this film, and whether you loved it or hated it, voice your opinions here.

Also, for anyone interested, any of the older such threads (whos total ratings are listed at the bottom of Post 1 here) are still OPEN, so if you havent gone there and stated your opinions, Do So Now.

[Rokk_Krinn]

I'm sorry to be the nay-sayer here but I just can't think of this as a classic film (though, yes, "cult classic" is an acceptable title for it). It does leave you feeling good - I admit to getting a bit of an adrenaline pump during that last bit of the tournament, just like everyone else :) - but you have to endure so much to get to the good parts. Daniel-san is such an annoyingly whiney protagonist he makes Luke Skywalker look stoic. This movie hasn't aged well either. Pat Morita does an excellent job and the acting overall isn't bad but in the end, well, the movie just screams its' era. Not necessarily a bad thing - I love the 80's like most anyone else who grew up during them - but that doesn't make a movie "classic" in my mind.

Rating: 5

[clixer11]

Daniel-san is such an annoyingly whiney protagonist he makes Luke Skywalker look stoic.

(insert whiny tone as you read)
"But I wanted to go to Toshe Staion to get some poweeeeer converters."

You're right, that is stoic in comparison. :grin: :p

[DTM]

Current HCR Member Rating:

THE KARATE KID - 8.25 / 10

[Mjolnir]

I'll give it a 9.
It does make you feel good at the end.
Yeah it's stuck in the 80's but most movies are products of their times.......

[d_knight7]

5/10, aged so badly as to be laughable.

[hulkamania85]

8 out of 10. Pat Morita is what makes this movie work, because he makes up for Macchio's whining (in ### Rocky movies Rocky and Mickey were both cool).

Also Elisabeth Shue was a cutie.

[torontcollectr]

Wax on- Wax off !!
Paint the fence
Sand the Floor~

Familiar lines. The interplay between the leads is the heart of the story.

An 8----

But don't ask about K2 or worse K3

[coyotejack]

The other guys in the IT dept. were talking about this film and I mentioned that I never saw it. I was immediately stared at as if I had grown a second head. They were in disbelief that I haven't seen such a "classic" film. I tried to defend myself by stating that I don't like "kid" movies. Even when I was a kid I had no interest in movies such as this, the Goonies, etc...

Anywho, I notice this movie was playing on one of the movie channels on cable so I watch it...

Now I can understand someone having fond memories of a movie and I even have my guilty pleasures but a bad movie is a bad movie to me...and this is a bad movie. It tries so hard to be a "feel good movie with a message" that it becomes silly. Sorry but Daniel-san may not have deserved all of the grief he was getting but after all of his pathetic whining in the movie, he definately deserved some of it.

I rate it: 2/10

[CarlosMucha]

Elizabeth Shue was THE girlfriend of the 80's

Cocltail, Back to the future, Karate Kid and more.

the movie was awsome 9 of 10, but is not in one of my 100 best movies

[d_knight7]

Elizabeth Shue was THE girlfriend of the 80's

Cocltail, Back to the future, Karate Kid and more.

the movie was awsome 9 of 10, but is not in one of my 100 best movies

So that means you have 100 movies you'd give more than 9/10 to? Hollywood would love to clone an audience of you :p ;)

[CarlosMucha]

So that means you have 100 movies you'd give more than 9/10 to? Hollywood would love to clone an audience of you :p ;)


thanks you!

someday someone will ask for my 100 list ;)

[olcottr]

If I had a nickel for every time I heard "Wax On, Wax Off"...

I would say it myself to earn more nickels.

I liked it for the interesting take on the "illogical yet effective" Martial Arts training program.

9.0

[EmperorNorton]

6/10 for a typical cheesy '80s movie.
2 bonus points for Mr. Miyagi.

Final score: 8/10

[the itsy bit]

nice feel good movie (the sequels where really bad though...).

but this film doesn't deserve a point that high, so I'm giving it a 6/10.

[iameleveneight]

8/10. Another cheesy 80s movie I cant help but love.

[wintremute]

8/10. Another cheesy 80s movie I cant help but love.

That's how I feel. This is a movie that was really all about the special effects, but as a kid I really liked the story. However, now I often get images of that weird fat guy who made his own Tron outfit (http://gamesnet.vo.llnwd.net/o1/gamestar/objects/107692_main.jpg)...so I have to give it a 7.

My wife rates this movie as a lowly 2. She was bored by it as a child.

[labria4]

Loved this film as a kid and I still watch it every now and then to this day. "Sweep the leg Johnny!"

7.5/10