The Next Karate Kid | | Cast : | Pat Morita, Hilary Swank | | Director : | Christopher Cain | | Studio : | Columbia/Tristar Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Widescreen | | Released Date : | August 12, 1994 | | DVD Released Date : | June 07, 2005 | | Language : | Unknown (Dubbed), English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed), English (Original Language), Thai (Subtitled), Chinese (Subtitled), Korean (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | June 22, 2005 | | Summary | well | Content
 | just saw this movie two hours ago and it was not the best ive ever seen. john what were you thinking when you didn't direct this one. anyway the start was fun but the middle was a letdown. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 07, 2005 | | Summary | Should have been considered for an Oscar | Content
| People are sometimes reluctant to admit that The Next Karate Kid is an excellent film. This is the curse of being the last movie in a beloved series. People do not want to let go of the past and move beyond Daniel LaRusso and the Kobra Kai. However, if you look at the Next Karate Kid not as a sequel but as an independently made film, you will almost immediately see that it is a) genius and b) even better than the original three.
First, answer the following question: Which of the four Karate Kid movies stars a two-time Oscar winner? That's right, The Next Karate Kid. And you better believe that Hilary Swank brings those acting chops to her role as Julie the Next Karate Kid. Like Brandon Teena, Swank's character in Boys Don't Cry, Julie is somewhat masculine in her appearance and interests. Like Maggie Fitzgerald, Swank's character in Million Dollar Baby, Julie knows how to use her fists and isn't afraid to lay a blow on your face! Swank's performance here is almost as good as her highly underrated turn as Carly in the final seasons of Beverly Hills, 90210. As others have pointed out, any actress who convincingly channels love for Steve Sanders must have amazing talent.
A second thing to consider when judging the merits of this film is whether or not it mocks Asians and Asian culture. The first three Karate Kids did their part in this endeavor. The most striking example is of course the casting of Pat Morita as Mr. Miyage. Morita is an American actor who is a native and accentless English speaker. Yet, his character struggles to choke out heavily accented English phrases, much like a live-action Yoda. The first three Karate Kid movies also featured popular Asian hobbies like bonsai and catching flies with chopsticks, as well as an educational journey to the island of Okinawa, where the men are brutes and streetfighting is taken to the max. However, the Next Karate Kid does the previous films one better by mocking Asian religion! Julie and Miyage take a retreat to a Bhuddist monastery, where Julie repeatedly discovers how wacky and zany this Eastern religion can be. Then the Bhuddist monks visit Julie and Miyage in Boston, where hilarity ensues as they joyride through town in search of a good time. Simply for its ignorant treatment of Asian culture, the Next Karate Kid deserves a place on your shelf.
The final point I wish to make is that unlike Daniel San, who was always a little bit of a wuss, Julie has natural fighting instincts and is much tougher. Julie instinctually jumps a car that is going to hit her, for goodness sakes. Daniel San would have just stood in its path until it did hit him, or done something stupid like trying to flee Bobby while wearing a giant shower curtain when everyone knows you can't run fast if you're dressed like a bathroom fixture. Julie rocks; Daniel San not so much.
Buy this movie for all the people you love! |
| Rating | | | Date | May 24, 2005 | | Summary | HORRIBLE | Content
| If there were anyway to give this movie -5 stars I would. Terrible acting and TERRIBLE story. Seen this story once, seen it a thousand times. Must say VERY disappointed. 2 Thumbs down plus everyone else I know that seen this movie, their thumbs down as well. I would avoid buying the box set JUST to not own this movie. |
| Rating | | | Date | April 13, 2005 | | Summary | Terrible movie, but I love it | Content
| Taken seriously, this movie sucks. The story is forced, the characters are ridiculously over the top, and any scene with the monks is just bad. It's almost painful to watch this movie. Some of the lines are laughable. When Julie (Swank) challenges the bully to fight, she says, "If I'm ever going to respect myself, I need to do this." Um, okey dokey. There are several lines which are just as bad. The villain characters are laughably unbelievable, especially Col. Dugan. Why would any school have a team of bullies like the Alpha Elite? Nothing makes sense in this movie. The bowling part with the monks hurts to watch. Swank looks pretty hot at times, manly in others. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 15, 2005 | | Summary | Here we go again! Just not acceptable! | Content
| Caught this the other night on Cable...
Now I don't want to seem like I am always bashing the Karate kid franchise but they honestly "milked that cow" til it was dry. I am surprised they didn't come with a part 5 with Miyagi's nephew or next door neighbor in need of "discipline" because he was getting beat up by the "Crips" or "bloods" gangbangers or something...then again that would make an interesting NEW story hmmmmm?
This "Next Karate Kid" was really boring (I don't understand how some viewers are giving 3 stars and have the word "boring" in the same summary.
Hilary Swank looks really young with her bangs an all(I don't know if this was her first movie but you can tell that she was an "authentic" actress in training)She did pretty good..in a silly role.
Pat Morita as always does a exellent job...with what he has in terms of script. But the movie just seemed like De ja vu. Tons
of the dialogue and scenarios were just too much the SAME thing as the first Karate Kid. I don't know too many high school tough guys who go around picking on pretty girls...most of the time they are "Picking" them up.
The "tough teens" were too old to be highschool students.
They did NOT need this version girl or guy.
I kept repeating to myself "god this is stupid",
I forced myself to watch the rest because I like to finish
what I start. Stupid ending...I waited it out for nothing.
This could have been one of those "Disney TV movie of the week"
things but no, for the sake of Pat Morita's career they pushed it in the theaters. They tried to appeal to the new "90's" generation but no one cared.
Please no more Karate kid sequels or spin-offs.
This movie is already being used for "landfill fodder".
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