| Reviews | Top Tens | Independent Film-Makers | Cinemas | Links |
| Director: | John G Avildsen | Plot: | Daniel and his mentor travel back to Okinawa to tend to his dying father. There, Mr Miyagi faces and old foe, wanting revenge. This foe has a son, who targets Daniel for some rough treatment, and again Daniel is forced to fight. However this time it for his life. | ||
| Writer: | Robert Mark Kamen | ||||
| Starring: | Ralph Macchio | ||||
| Pat Morita | |||||
| Danny Kamekona | |||||
| Genre: | Action | Cert: |
 |
Critic - |
 |
|
Review:
|
The second Karate Kid movie followed
on two years from the original, but is set within weeks of the original.
Taking the setting from California to Okinawa allows for a change of
scenery and mood. Taking on a more serious tone of honour and history,
as well as dealing with death, the film tries to shine a light on some
of the tradition and history behind Karate. Although it mostly fails in
this respect, it still manages to be mostly entertaining. Daniel-sons
new opponent is a local thug/karate master, and Mr. Miyagi reveals his
past through an ongoing battle with his former best friend. Disbelief had to be suspended to believe Macchio could hold his own against his opponents in the first film, however here you have to soar into the stratosphere of fantasy. The speed and technique of Okumoto are superior to Macchio's lumbering movements, and you get the feeling there wouldn't be more than a few seconds in a real fight between the two. However, it serves it's purpose to show defence as the best offence and calm, considered movement to be more effective than emotional, passionate flourishes. Inferior to the original in every aspect bar cinematography, the Karate Kid II is for those who loved the first, and for those curious about the second. |
||||
|
|
 |
||||
