The Karate Kid (1984)

I had the opportunity to watch this gem for the first time in years. It's just as awesome as I remember it. There's something about the heart-warming story that transcends the pure 80s shtick.

Decades later, The Karate Kid remains the classic underdog story. Ralph Macchio as the eager Jersey boy suffering from culture shock on the West Coast. Compounding the situation is the school bully--with a black belt in karate--who discovers Daniel and just won't stop. Macchio plays Daniel-san wonderfully, imbuing the scrawny teenager with that awkward innocence of first love and belonging. Noriyuki Morita as handyman Kesuke Miyagi is equally engaging. Mr. Miyagi is somewhat cliched, but he plays to strengths as he agrees to train Daniel to face his fear.


The Karate Kid is easy to love. Sure the movie is formulaic; the dialogue is the definition of cheesy, and well, let's face it, the 80s ring true in both settings, and soundtrack. Still, the film rises above it all thanks to genuine performances.