The Karate Kid

A heartwarming underdog story with earnest life lessons, gentle humour, and satisfying martial arts showdowns.

Directed by

John G. Avildsen

Genres

Action, Drama, Family

Starring

Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue

Tagline

He taught him the secret to karate lies in the mind and heart. Not in the hands.

Overview

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.

How it feels

Warm, earnest, uplifting and tense. Measured and easy to follow.

About

Coming-of-age, friendship, identity, survival

Content

Mild violence and language. No gore or sexual content.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)