5 comments about The Karate Kid [Blu-ray].

1. good service, came on time and looks in good condition. haven't watched it yet but looks like it'll be fine.



2. I gave this movie a 5 rating. What a relief it was to be able to sit down and watch a movie with my grandson and not have to put my hands over his eyes because of scenes not appropriate for his viewing. Made popcorn sat back and enjoyed the show. He really enjoyed it and I enjoyed watching him enjoy it. It was a nice family afternoon.



3. The early '80s was a time when coming-of-age films and underdog turned victorious style of films dominated the box office. One of the films that captured the attention of many and still is a time classic today is the 1984 film "The Karate Kid" directed by John G Avildsen ("Rocky", "Lean on Me", "Inferno") and a screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen ("Gladiator", "Taps", "Lethal Weapon 3, "The Fifth Element").
   
   The film was an amazing hit at the box office, making over $90 million, receive rave reviews from critics and would later spawn several sequels, a television show and would earn actor Pat Morita an Academy Award nomination for "Best Supporting Actor" and elevate the popularity teen-hearthrob Ralph Macchio to great heights.
   
   With the 2010 remake of "The Karate Kid" starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, what best to reacquaint audiences of the first two films (the third and fourth films were panned) which makes its HD debut on Blu-ray with a special "Karate Kid I & II Collector's Edition", the Blu-ray release of the film will also be sold separately.
   
   VIDEO:
   
   "The Karate Kid" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1). Before I watched this film on Blu-ray, I had the opportunity to watch the 2005 DVD version and the first things that caught my attention was how the film looked its age. But I have seen how older films can look incredible on Blu-ray and with "The Karate Kid", although the opening sequences may show its age, the film looks absolutely beautiful for a 26-year-old film.
   
   A lot of early '80s films didn't exactly utilize the best film stock and sometimes the film quality looks DNR'd or a bit cloudy and waxy. This was not the case of "The Karate Kid". Detail is much more apparent with the objects and surroundings and also there is a good amount of grain with this release.
   
   Outdoor sequences look quite vibrant and reds, yellows and orange colors look quite nice and some colors really do pop. Blacks are nice and deep and overall, this is the best I have seen of this film and probably the best picture quality of "The Karate Kid" we are going to see of this film in a long time.
   
   AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
   
   "The Karate Kid" is presented in English, French and Portuguese 5.1 DTS-HD MA and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. For the most part, the majority of the film is dialogue driven. I noticed the music such as Bananarama's "Cruel Summer" really sound quite nice in lossless, especially Bill Conti's music which definitely sounds great in HD.
   
   There are some moments with crowd ambiance or clanging when Daniel is trying to jump the fence but the majority of the surround that one will hear is during the tournament when the audience definitely is heard all around you. So, the majority of the surround channels are utilized towards the end of the film.
   
   SPECIAL FEATURES:
   
   "The Karate Kid" comes with the following special features (presented in standard definition):
   
   *
   * Blu-Pop (TM): Activate the exclusive Blu-pop feature to reveal pop up trivia, interviews and more secrets from the film! Watch Ralph Macchio and William Zabka discuss their experience of working on "The Karate Kid".
   * "Beyond the Form" Featurette - (13:03) Pat E. Johnson, martial arts master and choreographer explains what karate is and how he wanted to make the karate look realistic in "The Karate Kid" and training the talent.
   * Commentary with Director John G. Avildsen, Writer Robert Mark Kamen and Actors Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita - The original director's commentary from "The Karate Kid" 2005 DVD release. It was great to hear all three together and to hear Pat Morita reminisce about those years and have a lot of fun. Really fun commentary, especially in regards to the filming of the tournament.
   * "East Meets West: A Composer's Notebook" - (8:17) Composer Bill Conti talks about composing a movie and what he wanted to accomplish with "The Karate Kid".
   * "Life of Bonsai" Featurette - (10:00) A featurette about the bonsai tree.
   * "The Way of the Karate Kid" Part 1 Featurette" - (23:59) Robert Mark Kamen talks about writing the screenplay for "The Karate Kid". Direct John G. Avildsen and Robert Mark Kamen talking about the cast, Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita talks about auditioning for the role. The cast talks about being part of the film and working with director John Avildsen.
   * "The Way of the Karate Kid" Part 2 Featurette" - (21:25) The cast talk about director John Avildsen's talent. Also, information on the filming of the martial arts tournament.
   
   EXTRAS:
   
   "The Karate Kid I & II Collector's Edition" comes with a cardboard slipcase which contains both Karate Kid films on Blu-ray.
   
   JUDGMENT CALL:
   
   "The Karate Kid" was one of those inspirational coming-of-age, underdog becomes victorious films that were so indicative of the '80s. Along with films such as "Vision Quest" and "Revenge of the Nerds", "The Karate Kid" was a fantastic film that definitely made me and many of my classmates want to sign up for karate class.
   
   Ralph Macchio wasn't this hulking actor, known for his work at the time on TV series such as "Eight is Enough" and the film "The Outsiders" (1983), Macchio does a fantastic job playing Daniel,a skinny guy who learns martial arts from a book and we sympathize with him as he is a person who is constantly being bullied, getting beaten up by the jocks and I can easily remember the audience in the theater in applause after Daniel's crane-kick. The other time I ever recall seeing this was for "Rocky IV". But really, when you think about the character, I don't know anyone at that time who could have played a convincing Daniel. Macchio was perfect for the role!
   
   Pat Morita did a wonderful job playing Mr. Miyagi. Having watched Morita play Arnold on "Happy Days", it was great to see him in such an important supporting role and although it would seem both Mr. Miyagi and Daniel would be like oil and water, the two manage to have great chemistry onscreen. One of the most interesting lines from the film was when Miyagai talks about Okinawa as his country and I'm sure many people caught that and said, "Okinawa is not a country". But this was smart on Robert Mark Kamen's part as a writer (especially leading to the second Karate Kid film) as Okinawan's viewpoint towards Japan and how natives of the island have looked at Okinawa as a separate nation especially since the culture and language is much different than Japan.
   
   As "The Karate Kid" proved to be successful and has done well for the careers of Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue who plays the love interest would also benefit from the film's popularity and eventually would lead to major roles in "Adventures in Babysitting" (1987) and "Cocktail" (1988).
   
   And also credit has to go to Billy Zabka (who plays Johnny Lawrence) and the guys of Cobra Kai. You couldn't help but hate these guys as they were the epitome of jock bullies that were so full of themselves. Their performance helped elevate Ralph Macchio's game and made you want to see the underdog come victorious. And add Martin Kove as John Kreese, the necessary evil who dictates how his students should fight in the tournament.
   
   For many people who grew up during the time "The Karate Kid" was in theaters or watched it ad infinitum on cable, sure the film is definitely nostalgic but even 26-years-later, the film still manages to hold up quite well and is still as enjoyable as when I first watched it in 1984. And to make things much more impressive, the film looks and sounds great on Blu-ray.
   
   "The Karate Kid" has everything that people - young and old can appreciate. An enjoyable, inspiring film that will no doubt continue to entertain future generations. It's pretty surreal to read the various message boards from people who were not even born with this film came out but yet has as much as passion as one who did grow up around that time period.
   
   Overall, if you are a big fan of "The Karate Kid", this Blu-ray is definitely worth owning. And if you enjoy the second film as well, "The Karate Kid I & II Collector's Edition" is the version you most like would want to buy. Nevertheless, "The Karate Kid" is a definite classic and is definitely recommended!



4. Received the item quickly, and watching the movie in Blu-ray was great. Pleased with the transaction and the product.



5. Excellent movie better than the latest version that came out in 2010. A must see for all who have not scene it before.

5 comments about History Channel: Human Weapon - The Complete Season 1.

1. This should be a part of everyone's collection. You learn a little about each countries culture, art, and some fighting techniques for the ring and street. The two hosts grow on each other each episode, and their interaction is both fun and frustrating. But unlike most TV they do grow and learn and work together. Great stuff.
   
   -Dan



2. I love everything martial arts. I train myself and watching this show pumps me up to learn more, practice more, and strive hard. I recommend this DVD to all fighters out there!! Also check out Fight Quest, a just as great show!!!



3. This is a series where two individuals travel around the world studying (or, more accurately, skimming) through various martial arts, and at the end of each episode one of them engages in a match with a practitioner of that particular discipline. In spite of the hype, they are not fighting "masters" per se, just proficient practitioners or former competitors. One is a former wrestler and football player and the other is (or was) a MMA fighter. This series has its good and bad points. This sort of thing has some good points in that it exposes people to many different types of martial arts, of which there are legion. It also showcases, to a small extent, the culture from which it sprang. I say to a small extent because the lack of historical accuracy on some of these episodes is astounding, to say the least. You would think on the History Channel of all places they would try to be more accurate and up to date on some of their facts. Another thing I found some what annoying is the condescension, rudeness, and sometimes outright arrogance of the testosterone driven hosts, who seem, in many cases, to act like they completely understand to the fullest degree what they are being taught after only a few hours instruction. The outright banality of this is usually evident at the end of each show when one of them gets into a match with some one who actually does know what they are doing in that particular discipline, and then one or both of them usually makes excuses why they didn't do better. While most of these episodes do have their good moments, personally I found the episodes on Marine Corps martial arts and MMA to be the biggest wastes of film in the entire series. The krav maga episodes was marred by the poor attitude of many of the instructors, who seemed, to me, to act like bloodthirsty thugs rather than martial arts instructors. I'm giving this a three because it does showcase many different martial arts and would be of interest to anyone interested in the martial arts in general, but it is not something I intend to watch on a regular basis; I would more or less use it as a reference for very basic information on some of the martial arts presented.



4. not as good as discovery channel's fight quest but still fun to watch and it definitely makes you want to learn martial arts or work out.



5. I enjoy watching the tv series that is why i bought the season of human weapon.

5 comments about The Karate Kid I & II (Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray].

1. What I liked about these movies, particularly the first one, was the relationship between Mr. Miyagi and Daniel. It seemed very realistic and convincing to me and the movies themselves were a lot of fun to watch. The rest of the characters seem rather stock and are not as interesting. The blu ray quality is decent but not something you would use to show off your video or audio system.
   
   When the sequel moves to Japan (actually Hawaii in real life), I found some parts of it to be laughable, like the way Sato, Mr. Miyagi's nemesis, talked. He always sounded so angry about everything and hey, no one is always talking in that tone all the time yet that's how he was in every scene. Sato's young relative (his nephew? Can't remember exactly) is plain over the top; no one acts like that guy in real life either. The other thing I thought was odd, although I suppose necessary for the story, is that all the people in Japan seem to speak to each other in English. Something else I noticed is that although the sequel is supposed to take place 6 months after the first movie, it seemed that Pat Morita had put on a whole lot more weight in those six months.
   
   Anyway, I like both movies but the 1st is superior and makes for good entertainment. The second is only if you really enjoy the series.



2. I know what you're thinking. How can an 80's movie look great just because it's on Blu Ray? It wasn't shot using digital photography techniques, so it can only be cleaned up so much right? Wrong. I have NEVER seen an 80's movie look as good as this set does. The images are so crystal clear they look like they were shot with a handicam. The audio is superb and has had the levels balanced much better than the dvd release in which the music tracks were overpowering the dialogue most of the time.
   
   If you are a fan of the series or of 80's movies in general, this is a must have. You'll feel like you are seeing these movies for the first time because even if you saw them in the theater during their original release, you've NEVER seen them like this I guarantee it!



3. Few films defined the 80's more than The Karate Kid. Like Star Wars before it, and very few after it, the film transcended beyond a mere teen flick and became part of popular culture. The crane, "wax on, wax off", and the seemingly millions of blue and white bandanas that appeared overnight simply became part of our lives. While the second film never captured the charm of the original, it was (as intended) wildly successful and gave us a more in-depth look at the character that lifted the first film to classic status: Mr. Myagi.
   
   Like all the classic "sports" films out there. The Karate Kid is not about Karate. There is an underdog story at its core(something the director John G.Avildsen knows a thing or two about, having directed the original Rocky). The film works because the hero, Daniel is not the "wimp" we are so used to seeing in these films that suddenly become supermen. He is kind of cocky and has an attitude. His reaction to the new world he encounters in California gets him branded as a troublemaker. In fact, the transformation he endures at the hands of his friend and teacher Mr. Myagi is not about becoming a martial arts phenom but rather about maturing as a human being and dealing with his problems.
   
   And speaking of his teacher, Noriyuki "Pat" Morita simply hijacks this film and refused to give it back. Morita did not earn an Oscar nomination for this role as some sort of token. Mr. Myagi is one of the most complete, flesh and blood characters in the history of cinema. With absolutely no offense to Ralph Macchio, who plays Daniel as if The Karate Kid was his own life story, Morita is the heart and soul of this film. Every scene he is in is memorable. From Daniel's first encounter with the weird handyman trying to catch flies with chopsticks, to the now iconic image of the Myagi smiling at his student with obvious pride at the end of the film. (An image they tried to recreate in the later films with diminishing effect) How big was Morita's role in the film. Take this into account: For the next film (Part II) the writers decided to focus on him instead of Daniel. In the sequel we travel to his home in Okinawa and Daniel's story revolves around Myagi's story arc.
   
   And now these two films arrive on Blu, ready to be enjoyed by a new generation and bring warm, fuzzy memories to the previous one (myself included) Despite some flaws, these films deliver in HD.
   
   The main problem with these HD transfers is consistency. There are moments in the film where the picture quality is downright glorious. Then there are others were I was screaming for the VHS version(almost!). What happened? It could be number of factors but it comes down to this: The scenes filmed at night look awful while the daytime scenes shine. The beach scene where Daniel sees Myagi doing the crane for the first time for example looks pristine and full of color and detail. The scene where Daniel shares an intimate moment with a drunk Myagi has so much grain it looks dirty. I'm for grain by the way, so long as it was the director's intent (Saving Private Ryan comes to mind) but here it's just noise. My main issue with this night/day thing is that most of the film's classic scenes take place at night or in the dark. The scene were Myagi taches Daniel how to trim a bonzai. The one were Myagi saves him from 5 Cobra Kai nearly killing him, the emotional center of the film where Daniel gets fed up with Myagi's "training" and nearly quits, the infamous kiss at Golf n, Stuff... All take place at night. All have picture quality issues. All this makes me think they simply couldv'e done better on this release but then I see the day scenes and think:they really did their job here. Scenes like the one on the lake where Myagi throws Daniel off the boat is a perfect example. It looks awsome. So does the one where Myagi teaches Daniel to punch among others. Looking at the film as a whole it may be a case of them not being able to fix it. At least, I hope that's it cause I would hate to double dip on another "improved" edition of the films.
   
   However, in the end I must stress (as I often do in these reviews) that these flaws beccome evident when you are watching the film looking for them(to prepare for this review for example). The fact is these two films have never looked better. In fact, having seen these films at theaters in the 80's I can safely say they look better than they did back then. You will enjoy them all over again and will enjoy showing them to your kids. I highly recommend this one.
   
   PS
   
   The special features are awsome in that the first film has an amazing retrospecctive documentary on the making of the film that is worth the pricce alone. Great interviews with the director and main cast members.



4. I found these two { 2 } to be Fantastic, I loved watching them, there absolutely Fantastic.



5. These movies are classics, in my opinion. I was hoping the video quality on the first movie would be better, but it is definitely a worthwhile improvement over the DVD. The video on the 2nd movie is AMAZING considering its age, and audio (DTS, finally!) for both movies is great! This set is definitely worth the upgrade from DVD, as long as you don't want the 3rd movie. I personally didn't like the 3rd film, as I felt Daniel's character development was thrown out the window.

5 comments about King Boxer (aka 'Five Fingers Of Death').

1. If you are a martial arts fan and enjoy the Chinese cultural background, this was one of the best movies produced. There is a bit of fantasy involved, but still some of the best fighting scenes ever filmed. Old classical movie for collectors.



2. Boy I have not seen this movie in a long time. The DVD is perfect the colors are perfect it sounds perfect and you even have Quinten doing the commentary!
   
   I watched it again with only the commentary and subtitles those guys are great!
   
   Jim



3. I can't believe that Amazon shipped me a "pirated movie". The quality was so poor that the movie couldn't be watched! I have been so busy that I haven't had a chance to return the movie but will be doing so now that I'm reminded when writing this review.
   
   I wish someone would have told me how bad this pirated move was going to be and would have never purchased it!



4. This movie was a great classic and it was clear and undamaged. The movie arrived in a timely fassion and I am very pleased...Thanks



5. Item arrived in a few days, ordered on tuesday and watched on friday night. that was A plus for me. It said to ship within 30 days ???? but in days. The dvd itself was in excellent condition no visible scratches. I hope the seller keeps up the quality of their services and will do business near the future. thanks again I enjoyed the movie.

5 comments about Best of the Best.

1. I enjoy this movie very much, the actors are very good, it gets a little sad at the end of the movie, when the Korean fighter comes to say how sorry he is about the other fighter brother, and offered himself as a brother to the other fighter.
   
   But all in all a very good movie.



2. The movie is about an American Karate national team who are training hard to fight the Korean Tae Kwon Do national team in Korea. The Korean team is very strong and fierce, and the American team needs to be well prepared for them. They train hard and they develop their mindset for this big challenge.
   
   The story might seem like a straightforward and simple one, however the action is quite amazing. If the viewer is into martial arts, he/she will certainly fall in love with this movie.
   
   This movie is like the martial arts version of "Rocky".
   
   Chuck Liddell said that this is one of his favorite martial arts movies, I can see why.



3. Karate, the ancient martial art and modern international sport is a contest of body, mind and spirit where often the toughest competition is against yourself. Alex Grady (Eric Roberts), an Oregon wender and widowed father of a Five-year-old son is chosen for the United States National Karate Team. He finds himself in the company of Tommy Lee (Philip Rhee), a soft-spoken Karate instructor; Travis Buckley (Christopher Penn), an urban cowboy with an attitude; Virgil Keller (John Dye), a New England Buddhist; Sonny Grasso (David Agresta), a gregarious Italian from Detroit and coach Frank Kouzo (James Earl Jones), a hardened veteran of high-powered Karate competition. It's a team with rough edges and problems that must be resolved if they're to win the international competition in Seoul, Korea. The team's corporate sponsor brings in an unorthodox trainer, Catherine Wade (Sally Kirkland), to teach the men focus their minds and bodies. During the three month training period, Wade, a stunning body trained in Eastern Philosophy as well as martial arts, tangles with Couzo over his approach to winning at all costs. What follows is a battle where each competitor attempts to defeat the opposition and become the Best of the Best.



4. This movie had a profound effect on me in my youth. Eric Roberts gives an Academy Award Winning performance supported by the Great James Earl Jones. "A Team Is Not A Team If YOU DONT GIVE A DAMN!"



5. This is a truly great martial arts film!! Good fighting sequences, excellent story line and surprising emotion from the actors throughout! A great movie for all ages! A classic for those in the martial arts community!

5 comments about The Karate Kid II.

1. The Karate Kid Part II continues the story of Daniel(Ralph Macchio) and Miyagi(the late Pat Morita) as they travel to Japan to help out Miyagi's old girlfriend and her niece(Tamlyn Tomita from The Joy Luck Club), however, they are confronted by Miyagi's old foe Sato and his nephew and Daniel's new enemy, Chozen. The martial arts sequences were great to watch as well as the romance scene with Daniel and Tomita's character. The theme song of the film "For The Glory Of Love" became a big hit in 1987 and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Music Score. This is the best of all the Karate Kid series.



2. It's summer, Daniel just broke up with his girlfriend and was told by his mother that her job needs her to move to Fresno for the summer which Daniel doesn't like. Mr. Miyagi was going to let Daniel stay with him until he receives a letter from Okinawa telling him that his father is dying. So Miyagi leaves to go there and Daniel joins him. Miyagi tells Daniel that the reason he left Okinawa was because his best friend, Sato whose family is the most affluent in Okinawa, was promised Yukie whose the girl Miyagi loved. So Miyagi asks her to run away with him and when Sato learned of this, he challenged Miyagi to a fight to the death. So Miyagi left. Upon arriving Miyagi discovers Sato still wants to fight him and his nephew and best student Chozen has it out for Daniel. This movie is set in the beautiful backdrop of Okinawa, and the scenery is also beautiful. I recommend viewing both The Karate Kid, and the sequel to at least get the full effect.



3. "The Karate Kid Part II" is a big exception to the rule regarding mediocre sequels to outstanding original movies. Returning actors Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita are allowed to go even deeper into their respective characters, and the result is a very rich screenplay which gives as much or more weight to Mr. Morita's Miyagi as it does to Mr. Macchio's Daniel Larusso.
   
   The film focuses on a trip to Okinawa for Daniel and Miyagi which serves as a pilgrimmage for Miyagi to visit his dying father, mentioned briefly but memorably in the first movie. Additionally, Miyagi rekindles an old romance which had been ended by a covetous blood feud also involving Miyagi's best childhood friend that was his original reason for leaving his native country. Daniel, in turn, falls in love with the older woman's beautiful young niece Kumiko, played by Tamlyn Tomita(currently seen on NBC TV's "Heroes" in a recurring role as Hiro Nakamura's mother). In so doing, he incurs the wrath of a vengeful young martial arts expert named Chozen, who covets Kumiko for himself.
   
   Also featuring beautiful outdoor scenery, a great soundtrack and a tense script which realistically depicts long-simmering hatreds as well as many variations of respect and love, "The Karate Kid Part II" is a brilliant sequel and movie that should officially be accorded the classic status it deserves.



4. With the new Karate Kid movie (with Jaden Smith) in theaters now, I took it upon myself to purchase the original Ralph Macchio movies and watch them with my son. Karate Kid 2 is wonderful!
   If you're lucky enough to find them in your local store, like I did; you will find coupons for a movie ticket to watch the new Karate Kid (with Jaden Smith) and/or concession stand food ($10). so, in essence, you're getting the original movies FREE!



5. There was no doubt that the coming-of-age film "The Karate Kid" which made over $90 million in the box office would earn itself a sequel. Two years later, director John G Avildsen ("Rocky", "Lean on Me", "Inferno") and writer Robert Mark Kamen ("Gladiator", "Taps", "Lethal Weapon 3, "The Fifth Element") would reunite once again with composers Bill Conti, cinematographer James Crabe and cast members Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio for "The Karate Kid, Part II".
   
   The film did much better than its predecessor in the box office making over $245 million worldwide and the theme song "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera would receive the #1 song in the U.S. as well as earn an Academy Award nomination for "Best Song".
   
   With the 2010 remake of "The Karate Kid" starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, what best to reacquaint audiences of the first two films (the third and fourth films were panned) which makes its HD debut on Blu-ray with a special "Karate Kid I & II Collector's Edition", the Blu-ray release of the film will also be sold separately.
   
   VIDEO:
   
   "The Karate Kid, Part II" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1). Similar to the first film, I was able to watch the original DVD release before watching it on Blu-ray. And like the first film, on DVD the film looked its age. But I can easily say that this film looks much, much better on Blu-ray. The film was shot in Hawaii and for the most part, the leaves, trees, rocks and the overall surroundings have much better detail than the DVD which looked a bit blurry and had a significant amount of digital noise reduction.
   
   You can easily make out the leaves and trees, even one scene in which Miyagi and Yukie are sitting down and seeing the river flow near the home was such a beautiful shot and almost looked like a film that was just shot recently. So, there are some amazing shots in the film and the set design in creating the castle area and the overall village really showed the determination of cinematographer Bill Conti and production designer William J. Cassidy in making the Hawaii area look and feel like Okinawa.
   
   Like the first film, there is a good amount of grain and also blacks are nice and deep. I saw no signs of artifacts, blemishes or any problems with the film. "The Karate Kid, Part II" definitely looks great for a film that is nearly 25-years-old and way better than its DVD counterpart.
   
   AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
   
   "The Karate Kid" is presented in English, French and Portuguese 5.1 DTS-HD MA and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. And like the first film, "The Karate Kid, Part II" is dialogue driven. But like the first film, there is a good amount of surround use. From the storm that hits the village and hearing the thunder, to hearing the ambiance of the village especially when Sato's people using their bulldozer to tear up the farming area in front of Miyagi's home. You can also hear the birds, the military jet flying overhead and more. And similar to the first film which featured the crowd's gasps during the martial arts tournament, we hear the crowd reacting to the final battle of the film.
   
   Also, a good presence of music from composer Bill Conti and of course, Peter Cetera's "Glory of Love". But overall, the lossless soundtrack for this film is very good and definitely breathes new life for this film and again, much better over its DVD counterpart.
   
   SPECIAL FEATURES:
   
   "The Karate Kid, Part II" comes with the following special features (presented in standard definition):
   
   * Blu-Pop (TM): Activate the exclusive Blu-pop feature to reveal pop up trivia, interviews and more secrets from the film!
   * The Sequel - (6:18) Producer Jerry Weintraub, director John G. Avildsen and writer Robert Mark Kamen along with the cast, discuss the making of "The Karate Kid, Part II".
   
   EXTRAS:
   
   "The Karate Kid I & II Collector's Edition" comes with a cardboard slipcase which contains both Karate Kid films on Blu-ray.
   
   JUDGMENT CALL:
   
   "The Karate Kid" was a film that I called inspirational and enjoyable, "The Karate Kid, Part II" was a film which I enjoyed a lot and at the time, I enjoyed much more than its predecessor. I felt the film added a new emotional dimension for its characters and the relationship between Miyagi and Daniel, also the beauty of the village and the location definitely enhanced the film. Once again, Pat Morita does a fantastic job and this time to see the character pushed to the limit.
   
   I was very impressed by Pat Morita's performance and singing in Japanese and just making his character seem so realistic and making us believe in that character. Miyagi has quite a few action scenes and this is not bad for an actor who was born in California, let alone a man who was born with spinal tuberculosis and was not expected to walk earlier in his life.
   
   The character of Daniel LaRusso was also played quite well by Ralph Macchio. There was no major American machismo in the film and if anything, more of a naivete as he tries to understand the customs and the ways in Okinawa. It is known that there has been this tension between America's occupation in Okinawa and Robert Mark Kamen made sure there were lines that existed in the film especially when Daniel and Miyagi were talking about the war and the lives lost. Especially in the beginning of the film about how peaceful the village was until the military base was created. These issues continue to exist between American and Okinawa relationships.
   
   Macchio's chemistry with actress Tamlyn Tomita worked quite well onscreen and similar to Elisabeth Shue, the film helped Tomita in achieving roles in "Santa Barbra" and most notable "The Joy Luck Club" years later.
   
   But "The Karate Kid, Part II" was a film that I thought was much better then but watching it now, it was quite banal and aside from the performances of Pat Morita, watching it now, I'm not sure if the enjoyment was more for the fact that I thought the film was shot in Okinawa (when actually it was in Hawaii) or I felt that the major battle in the film was extraordinary at a young age. But it was an enjoyable film especially to watch it again over 20-years later but my appreciation towards the film has waned a bit since then.
   
   But I can easily remember Peter Cetera's "Glory of Love" being played on the radio over and over and seeing the video clip on MTV, needless to say, the second film had more marketing and hype to make it this major box office hit nearly tripling the box office return of the fim.
   
   I suppose in terms of the buildup of wanting to see Daniel beat the Cobra-kai's in the first film was inspiring and you were rooting for the character, "The Karate Kid, Part II" was more of a film where you wondered how does Daniel even fit into this equation when the film deals primarily with Miyagi. But the film does work itself out and overall, it was good film but overall, watching the two Karate Kid films again, I appreciated the original film much more today.
   
   John G. Avildsen and Robert Mark Kamen were able to create two enjoyable films but similar to the "Superman" films, everything past the second film seemed to go downhill and thus, I can see why Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has focused on the first two films on Blu-ray.
   
   And if you enjoyed the two Karate Kid films, there is no doubt in my mind you will want to purchase this on Blu-ray. Comparing it to the 2005 DVD's, not only does the film look much better but it also sounds much better and the lossless audio makes your viewing are come alive as the surround channels really do utilize the crowd scenes during the end of both films.
   
   Overall, two enjoyable films and if you enjoyed "The Karate Kid, Part II", more than likely you enjoyed the first. So, I definitely recommended "The Karate Kid I & II Collector's Edition"! Definitely recommended!

5 comments about The Karate Kid Collection (Four Film Set).

1. For those that grew up in the 80's, these are a must-have nostalgia collection! First two are top notch, with the third one coming in as just ok ('bad guy' & 'love interest girl' really did a poor job of acting), with the 4th a nice finish to the series. Worth the price I paid for it so I'm happy with the purchase!



2. The movies are good but they put III and IV on the same disk and therefore in the same case - pretty cheap if you ask me.



3. These movies are great, and everyone needs to own them!! They teach good lessons in life.



4. Well, I must say I do own the first three Karate Kid films. I never did get a chance to see the fourth one with Hilary Swank but I did hear it was the weakest of the series so I guess I'll skip it for now. I'll start with the first film which is of course the best one. It has a great plot. A teen-age boy named Daniel who is very kind-hearted and has a deep interest in karate relocates from New Jersey to California with his mom. This is where all the trouble begins!
   
   He falls for a cute blonde named Ali who is the girlfriend of champion Johnny Lawrence who is the best student at the Cobra-Kai karate dojo. Oddly, Johnny is not exactly a traditional villian per-se like some of his friends seem to be. It basically is a love-triangle sort of situation. Obviously, Johnny has the edge as he is bigger and much more skilled than Daniel. But Daniel has a secret weapon that everyone soon finds out about. He befriends an elderly Japanese karate grandmaster and war hero named Mr. Miyagi. Mr. Miyagi is well aware of Daniel's situation and expresses to teach him all the tricks to defeat Johnny and his friends at a tournament which he sets up with Johnny's ruthless instructor, Kreese.
   
   The second film takes place in Japan. Daniel takes a vacation with Mr. Miyagi and ends up not only learning about Japanese culture but fighting for his life as Mr. Miyagi's long-time rival and one time best friend, Sato along with his first-rated student challenge the two. This paves way for the third film with is again based on a tournament. In my opinion, this really should have been released after the first as it seems to be more of a direct sequel to the first than the second film was. It picks up where the first tournament ends. Kreese turns on Johnny for having lost to Daniel and starts to choke him. Mr. Miyagi jumps to Johnny's rescue which persuades Kreese to throw a couple of punches at him! However, Mr. Miyagi proves very elusive to hit and he ends up severely injuring both of his hands due to accidentally hitting two car windows instead. Mr. Miyagi has the opportunity to give Kreese a severe beating due to his handicap but decides to let him go and forgive him.
   
   Kreese, humiliated and now without students opts to consider giving up karate. But his war-buddy and vicious karate instructor, Terry who is also his partner discovers the situation and vows to help Kreese put an end to Mr. Miyagi and Daniel's championship reign. He handpicks a great Cobra-Kai type martial artist named Mike Barnes. Terry makes Barnes a great offer providing he can defeat Daniel which persuades him to really attack Daniel with a viciousness that very much intimidates him. Daniel really wants to continue fighting in tournaments but Mr. Miyagi advises against it as he believes karate is more so for defending life and honor rather than his trophy! This forces Daniel to choose another instructor who happens to be Terry! Terry pretends to be his best friend and on his side but puts him through such physically demanding training that it drains Daniel and turns him into a vicious Cobra-Kai with an attitude.
   
   He ends up mistreating Mr. Miyagi and breaking someones face in a street fight. Daniel finally sees he is being someone he's not and returns to Mr. Miyagi who finally promises to train him. I really did enjoy this one but I do agree with the other review on here that Mike Barnes didn't have the charisma of Johnny or even Chozen. In my opinion, they should have brought Johnny back to fight along side with Daniel getting revenge against Kreese for choking and mistreating him! Also, if you remember, he did sort of make amends with Daniel at the end of part 1 and Mr. Miyagi did save his life. It would have been really interesting to see how Mr. Miyagi would've trained Johnny.



5. Back in the early 80's and 90's these were the movies to watch. Now 20 some odd years later my 7yr old really enjoys them as well. Thanks.

5 comments about The Karate Kid (Special Edition).

1. good service, came on time and looks in good condition. haven't watched it yet but looks like it'll be fine.



2. I gave this movie a 5 rating. What a relief it was to be able to sit down and watch a movie with my grandson and not have to put my hands over his eyes because of scenes not appropriate for his viewing. Made popcorn sat back and enjoyed the show. He really enjoyed it and I enjoyed watching him enjoy it. It was a nice family afternoon.



3. The early '80s was a time when coming-of-age films and underdog turned victorious style of films dominated the box office. One of the films that captured the attention of many and still is a time classic today is the 1984 film "The Karate Kid" directed by John G Avildsen ("Rocky", "Lean on Me", "Inferno") and a screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen ("Gladiator", "Taps", "Lethal Weapon 3, "The Fifth Element").
   
   The film was an amazing hit at the box office, making over $90 million, receive rave reviews from critics and would later spawn several sequels, a television show and would earn actor Pat Morita an Academy Award nomination for "Best Supporting Actor" and elevate the popularity teen-hearthrob Ralph Macchio to great heights.
   
   With the 2010 remake of "The Karate Kid" starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, what best to reacquaint audiences of the first two films (the third and fourth films were panned) which makes its HD debut on Blu-ray with a special "Karate Kid I & II Collector's Edition", the Blu-ray release of the film will also be sold separately.
   
   VIDEO:
   
   "The Karate Kid" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1). Before I watched this film on Blu-ray, I had the opportunity to watch the 2005 DVD version and the first things that caught my attention was how the film looked its age. But I have seen how older films can look incredible on Blu-ray and with "The Karate Kid", although the opening sequences may show its age, the film looks absolutely beautiful for a 26-year-old film.
   
   A lot of early '80s films didn't exactly utilize the best film stock and sometimes the film quality looks DNR'd or a bit cloudy and waxy. This was not the case of "The Karate Kid". Detail is much more apparent with the objects and surroundings and also there is a good amount of grain with this release.
   
   Outdoor sequences look quite vibrant and reds, yellows and orange colors look quite nice and some colors really do pop. Blacks are nice and deep and overall, this is the best I have seen of this film and probably the best picture quality of "The Karate Kid" we are going to see of this film in a long time.
   
   AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
   
   "The Karate Kid" is presented in English, French and Portuguese 5.1 DTS-HD MA and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. For the most part, the majority of the film is dialogue driven. I noticed the music such as Bananarama's "Cruel Summer" really sound quite nice in lossless, especially Bill Conti's music which definitely sounds great in HD.
   
   There are some moments with crowd ambiance or clanging when Daniel is trying to jump the fence but the majority of the surround that one will hear is during the tournament when the audience definitely is heard all around you. So, the majority of the surround channels are utilized towards the end of the film.
   
   SPECIAL FEATURES:
   
   "The Karate Kid" comes with the following special features (presented in standard definition):
   
   *
   * Blu-Pop (TM): Activate the exclusive Blu-pop feature to reveal pop up trivia, interviews and more secrets from the film! Watch Ralph Macchio and William Zabka discuss their experience of working on "The Karate Kid".
   * "Beyond the Form" Featurette - (13:03) Pat E. Johnson, martial arts master and choreographer explains what karate is and how he wanted to make the karate look realistic in "The Karate Kid" and training the talent.
   * Commentary with Director John G. Avildsen, Writer Robert Mark Kamen and Actors Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita - The original director's commentary from "The Karate Kid" 2005 DVD release. It was great to hear all three together and to hear Pat Morita reminisce about those years and have a lot of fun. Really fun commentary, especially in regards to the filming of the tournament.
   * "East Meets West: A Composer's Notebook" - (8:17) Composer Bill Conti talks about composing a movie and what he wanted to accomplish with "The Karate Kid".
   * "Life of Bonsai" Featurette - (10:00) A featurette about the bonsai tree.
   * "The Way of the Karate Kid" Part 1 Featurette" - (23:59) Robert Mark Kamen talks about writing the screenplay for "The Karate Kid". Direct John G. Avildsen and Robert Mark Kamen talking about the cast, Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita talks about auditioning for the role. The cast talks about being part of the film and working with director John Avildsen.
   * "The Way of the Karate Kid" Part 2 Featurette" - (21:25) The cast talk about director John Avildsen's talent. Also, information on the filming of the martial arts tournament.
   
   EXTRAS:
   
   "The Karate Kid I & II Collector's Edition" comes with a cardboard slipcase which contains both Karate Kid films on Blu-ray.
   
   JUDGMENT CALL:
   
   "The Karate Kid" was one of those inspirational coming-of-age, underdog becomes victorious films that were so indicative of the '80s. Along with films such as "Vision Quest" and "Revenge of the Nerds", "The Karate Kid" was a fantastic film that definitely made me and many of my classmates want to sign up for karate class.
   
   Ralph Macchio wasn't this hulking actor, known for his work at the time on TV series such as "Eight is Enough" and the film "The Outsiders" (1983), Macchio does a fantastic job playing Daniel,a skinny guy who learns martial arts from a book and we sympathize with him as he is a person who is constantly being bullied, getting beaten up by the jocks and I can easily remember the audience in the theater in applause after Daniel's crane-kick. The other time I ever recall seeing this was for "Rocky IV". But really, when you think about the character, I don't know anyone at that time who could have played a convincing Daniel. Macchio was perfect for the role!
   
   Pat Morita did a wonderful job playing Mr. Miyagi. Having watched Morita play Arnold on "Happy Days", it was great to see him in such an important supporting role and although it would seem both Mr. Miyagi and Daniel would be like oil and water, the two manage to have great chemistry onscreen. One of the most interesting lines from the film was when Miyagai talks about Okinawa as his country and I'm sure many people caught that and said, "Okinawa is not a country". But this was smart on Robert Mark Kamen's part as a writer (especially leading to the second Karate Kid film) as Okinawan's viewpoint towards Japan and how natives of the island have looked at Okinawa as a separate nation especially since the culture and language is much different than Japan.
   
   As "The Karate Kid" proved to be successful and has done well for the careers of Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue who plays the love interest would also benefit from the film's popularity and eventually would lead to major roles in "Adventures in Babysitting" (1987) and "Cocktail" (1988).
   
   And also credit has to go to Billy Zabka (who plays Johnny Lawrence) and the guys of Cobra Kai. You couldn't help but hate these guys as they were the epitome of jock bullies that were so full of themselves. Their performance helped elevate Ralph Macchio's game and made you want to see the underdog come victorious. And add Martin Kove as John Kreese, the necessary evil who dictates how his students should fight in the tournament.
   
   For many people who grew up during the time "The Karate Kid" was in theaters or watched it ad infinitum on cable, sure the film is definitely nostalgic but even 26-years-later, the film still manages to hold up quite well and is still as enjoyable as when I first watched it in 1984. And to make things much more impressive, the film looks and sounds great on Blu-ray.
   
   "The Karate Kid" has everything that people - young and old can appreciate. An enjoyable, inspiring film that will no doubt continue to entertain future generations. It's pretty surreal to read the various message boards from people who were not even born with this film came out but yet has as much as passion as one who did grow up around that time period.
   
   Overall, if you are a big fan of "The Karate Kid", this Blu-ray is definitely worth owning. And if you enjoy the second film as well, "The Karate Kid I & II Collector's Edition" is the version you most like would want to buy. Nevertheless, "The Karate Kid" is a definite classic and is definitely recommended!



4. Received the item quickly, and watching the movie in Blu-ray was great. Pleased with the transaction and the product.



5. Excellent movie better than the latest version that came out in 2010. A must see for all who have not scene it before.

5 comments about The Karate Kid (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy).

1. The Karate Kid (2010) is a remake of the 1984 Ralph Macchio/Pat Morita classic. For some reason (probably marketing-related), the producers decided to keep the name "Karate Kid" instead of altering it to the more appropriate "Kung Fu Kid", a name fans have been calling it on the interwebs. For martial arts purists, "The Karate Kid" is inaccurate, because this movie is about kung fu, not karate. In China, this film is presented under the more accurate name "Kung Fu Dream". To avoid confusion, I will refer to this version as "Kung Fu Kid" in this review.
   
   The Karate Kid was made during the 80's, at the height of Japan's economic dominance. With China's rapidly growing influence and prominence in world affairs, it is only natural that more and more films these days are about China. Though the names and places are changed, the film sticks very closely to the original Karate Kid story arc. This is both good and bad. Fans of the original will be pleased that the 2010 version is so faithful in spirit and tone to the source material. But because of this, we get very few surprises with the main story progression. If you've seen the 1984 Karate Kid, you'll know how this film ends. However, I did not mind this at all. I enjoyed Kung Fu Kid tremendously and found all the changes and similarities refreshing after having seen so many awful attempts at "East meets West" kung fu films and bad remakes. This is a heartwarming family-friendly movie about love and friendship that seems to have been done with loving care and devotion on all sides. It also provides us a rare glimpse into daily Chinese urban life that, outside of films made by Chinese filmmakers, Americans rarely get to see. Much of the film is shot in cinéma vérité style. If you don't like the shaky camera look, you might be annoyed.
   
   Story: Again, we have a single mom raising a boy. She moves a great distance in search of better job opportunities. Here, instead of moving from Raseda, NJ to LA, it's a bigger leap from Detroit to Beijing. In the original, Daniel is a high-schooler. Here, he is Dre, a middle school student (played by 12 year old Jaden Smith). The change is important. Maybe it's to market the film better to younger audiences, but it introduces a new dynamic to the film and changes the story quite a lot. He is still terrorized by bullies, but a 12-year old's problems and concerns are a lot different than a 16 year old's. Jackie Chan plays the part of Dre's teacher perfectly, Mr. Han. He is friend, surrogate father, and teacher, just as Mr. Miyagi was. Again, we have a man grieving from a deep personal tragedy and profound loss. I found that this was handled very well in the story and the change in details perfectly incorporated into the story.
   
   All the iconic Karate Kid moments are here, including the famous chopstick fly-catching bit. I won't spoil the surprise, but you'll laugh when you see it. We are also treated to a fantastic fight scene between Mr. Han and the bullies, showcasing Jackie Chan's signature comical kung fu choreography. As mentioned earlier, we get to see a part of Chinese life that is rare to see in American-made films. We see some fantastically intimate scenes of daily Chinese life and schooling in Beijing, a city that is both ancient and super modern at the same time. In the background of the famed Beijing Aquatic Center (Watercube) and Olympic Stadium (Bird's Nest), we have centuries-old traditional Chinese houses. We also see some of China's magnificent natural landscape as well as visit a Buddhist monastery where monks practice kung fu. The style of kung fu and philosophy show in the film is taichi chuan. This is never explicitly spoken, though the numerous depictions of the taichi symbol (yin-yang) appear throughout the film.
   
   The finale is all flash and rock n' roll, complete with an AC/DC and Red Hot Chili Peppers soundtrack, animated scoreboard graphics, fast cuts, and outrageously impossible kung fu/pro-wrestling moves for 13 year olds, like somersaults, leg lariats, and backflip kicks. This aspect of the movie I objected to. The producers just turned the ending into a video game. One kid even has hair like (Street Fighter IV Action Figure Guile) and does a pre-fight touchup of his coif.
   
   To sum up, I was worried about this remake, but after having seen it, my fears were misplaced. The film is very enjoyable and wholesome and it is clear that the filmmakers have a lot of respect for the source material, the acting, as well the art of kung fu. There are many small changes made to bring this story into China and the 21st Century, but all of them done very well and naturally. It is an homage to the original and stands up as its own film. Highly recommended.



2. I have scene this movie and i have was just amazed! It was by far 1 of the best movies I have ever seen. Its a mixture of comedy, action and drama. Not just me but most of my friends loved this movie. It is a great family movie appropriate for all ages. This movie teaches important lessons, and the scenery is just amazing like unbelievable! I am not going to write a summery about this cause I want you to experience the movie yourself.



3. To me, the first "Karate Kid" movie is "Mr. Miyagi and his Apprentice." The story of the 1984 hit movie is predictable and Ralph Macchio and his karate fight scenes look disappointingly amateurish, but Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita, Oscar-nominated as a wise karate teacher, is fun throughout, and the master-pupil relation between Miyagi sensei and Macchio's young hero Daniel is convincing and touching.
   
   Now after three not-so-great sequels (including one starring then unknown Hilary Swank), a remake arrives with Jaden Smith as Dre Parker, a new kid in a Beijing school, and Jackie Chan as Mr. Han, a quiet maintenance man who teaches martial arts to the bullied boy. Probably the new "Karate Kid" movie should be called "The Kung-fu Kid" as karate is hardly mentioned in the film, but this is not really a big problem. Beautifully shot in China and professionally choreographed, the remade "Karate Kid" is overall enjoyable, but is deeply flawed and weak in many regards.
   
   Though the friendship between the two main characters Dre and Mr. Han is credible, and Jackie Chan's acting itself is very good, Chan's Mr. Han lacks a sense of humor that lends depth to the character of Miyagi. One subplot about Dre's love story, devoid of chemistry, only slows down the pace of the 140 minute film, which is too long by 40 minutes. Occasional attempt at humor are weak at best, but if you have seen any of director Harald Zwart's unimpressive works in the past ("Agent Cody Banks" "The Pink Panther 2"), you will not be surprised at that.
   
   The martial art tournament sequence is acceptable, though wires and stunts are obviously used. Jackie Chan also gives one amusing fight scene against the bullying boys, almost stealing the film from Jaden Smith.
   
   This is not a bad remake. Only that it needs a new title and a tighter story.



4. 
   
   First of all, I was thinking this would be good until the trailer revealed it all. Man, I was so wrong about it and it ruined my weekend the week this pile of garbage came out as my martial arts school was paid so much to do promotions by performing in theaters to lure in customers. This will leave dissapointment to fans of the classic, the only people that would like this are kids of the current generation.
   
   I wasn't born in the 80's, since I'm from the 90's generation. I grew up watching the classic and it's been a part of my childhood since then, my papa used to rent the movie so much for me. Unfortunately, that was it after the trilogy and it went downhill w/"The Next Karate Kid" and the Jaden Smith one is worse than the previous.
   
   
   Here's why this movie isn't good
   
   The title left confusion, leaving many people wondering as to why it's called that when they could've just called it "The Kungfu Kid". What's wrong with calling it that? The movie is known by a different title in Asia of what I just mentioned.
   
   Casting of characters was just blah! Jaden Smith's acting wasn't good and he seems to try too hard to be likable. Personally, I didn't like how Hollywood decided to pick this kid that looks nothing more than some hoodlum of a thug wannabe, his image shows it in the movie. He talks too much with cheesy lines after another, making him rather annoying than likable. His character didn't even bother to learn Chinese, which makes it pointless to live in a country that you don't know speak the language for, let alone that he can't even use chopsticks. His mom gets annoying with the whole "pick up your jacket!" and wearing all these flashy looking clothes to try to fit in with the Chinese. Overall, Ralph Macchio beats his act.
   
   Jackie Chan's acting wasn't good, no offense to you JC fans out there. I appreciate his previous flicks to where he's not some grumpy man (like Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino) who hates his life after he got his wife and kid killed in a car crash for simply arguing w/his wife which explains the whole wreackage of the car he has which made no sense. His character's attitude seemed like he wanted to get off the set as soon as possible. That's not the Jackie Chan we all know and love. Also, even I heard some Theater staff saying that JC was even upset with the title. Noriyuki Morita's acting as Mr.Miyagi was a whole lot better and the opposite of JC's grumpy Mr.Han.
   
   Next off is those Chinese kids that bully Jaden's character. They are such douchebags, which makes Johnny Laurence and his Cobra Kai gang more likable and less annoying. The leader of the Chinese kid is the worst of all, in the movie they did far much worse than what the Cobra Kai gang did to Daniel. What was really immature of them (Chinese kids) was when they flopped Jaden's lunch tray, ruining his clothes and when they grabbed his backpack, they tossed it around and kicked it for a bit, such jerks! Johnny Laurence was a douche on his part, but he made up for it with some of his lines that was funny. Also, the Cobra Kai followed their teacher's order completely by not messing with Daniel until the Tournament, not unlike Cheng and his gang of immature losers.
   
   Dre Parker is already hitting on some girl and he only 12 years old and yet to hit puberty. The movie shouldn't involve some elementary age kids that know little or nothing about acting, it could've been saved from suckage if they didn't choose first timers that made their bad acting obvious with all these lines they throw in. It would've been better if they involved teenagers, not some wannabe looking hoodlum and a group of wannabe bad boys in an elementary school setting.
   
   
   Enough said about this, for it will damage the name of the classic for years to follow. I can just imagine how I'd be talking about the one and only and when people jump into the conversations, they'd be asking "Which one? The Ralph Macchio one or Jaden Smith?" There's only one Karate Kid out there and that's Daniel Larusso. Stick with the classic if you want to see a good movie, not those crappy remakes.



5. Jaden Smith displayed passion. It was a delight to see the various emotions on his face. I have seen all the Karate kid movies and this one is the best. Jackie Chan was exceptionally sensitive in the part of an adult learning from his student, showing that if we open our minds even the young ones can teach us a thing or two. I will not spoil this for others. Just ignore the negatives and see the movie for yourself, you will be entertained. I am getting the DVD. Will Smith move over we have a new kid in town.

5 comments about The Karate Kid.

1. The Karate Kid (2010) is a remake of the 1984 Ralph Macchio/Pat Morita classic. For some reason (probably marketing-related), the producers decided to keep the name "Karate Kid" instead of altering it to the more appropriate "Kung Fu Kid", a name fans have been calling it on the interwebs. For martial arts purists, "The Karate Kid" is inaccurate, because this movie is about kung fu, not karate. In China, this film is presented under the more accurate name "Kung Fu Dream". To avoid confusion, I will refer to this version as "Kung Fu Kid" in this review.
   
   The Karate Kid was made during the 80's, at the height of Japan's economic dominance. With China's rapidly growing influence and prominence in world affairs, it is only natural that more and more films these days are about China. Though the names and places are changed, the film sticks very closely to the original Karate Kid story arc. This is both good and bad. Fans of the original will be pleased that the 2010 version is so faithful in spirit and tone to the source material. But because of this, we get very few surprises with the main story progression. If you've seen the 1984 Karate Kid, you'll know how this film ends. However, I did not mind this at all. I enjoyed Kung Fu Kid tremendously and found all the changes and similarities refreshing after having seen so many awful attempts at "East meets West" kung fu films and bad remakes. This is a heartwarming family-friendly movie about love and friendship that seems to have been done with loving care and devotion on all sides. It also provides us a rare glimpse into daily Chinese urban life that, outside of films made by Chinese filmmakers, Americans rarely get to see. Much of the film is shot in cinéma vérité style. If you don't like the shaky camera look, you might be annoyed.
   
   Story: Again, we have a single mom raising a boy. She moves a great distance in search of better job opportunities. Here, instead of moving from Raseda, NJ to LA, it's a bigger leap from Detroit to Beijing. In the original, Daniel is a high-schooler. Here, he is Dre, a middle school student (played by 12 year old Jaden Smith). The change is important. Maybe it's to market the film better to younger audiences, but it introduces a new dynamic to the film and changes the story quite a lot. He is still terrorized by bullies, but a 12-year old's problems and concerns are a lot different than a 16 year old's. Jackie Chan plays the part of Dre's teacher perfectly, Mr. Han. He is friend, surrogate father, and teacher, just as Mr. Miyagi was. Again, we have a man grieving from a deep personal tragedy and profound loss. I found that this was handled very well in the story and the change in details perfectly incorporated into the story.
   
   All the iconic Karate Kid moments are here, including the famous chopstick fly-catching bit. I won't spoil the surprise, but you'll laugh when you see it. We are also treated to a fantastic fight scene between Mr. Han and the bullies, showcasing Jackie Chan's signature comical kung fu choreography. As mentioned earlier, we get to see a part of Chinese life that is rare to see in American-made films. We see some fantastically intimate scenes of daily Chinese life and schooling in Beijing, a city that is both ancient and super modern at the same time. In the background of the famed Beijing Aquatic Center (Watercube) and Olympic Stadium (Bird's Nest), we have centuries-old traditional Chinese houses. We also see some of China's magnificent natural landscape as well as visit a Buddhist monastery where monks practice kung fu. The style of kung fu and philosophy show in the film is taichi chuan. This is never explicitly spoken, though the numerous depictions of the taichi symbol (yin-yang) appear throughout the film.
   
   The finale is all flash and rock n' roll, complete with an AC/DC and Red Hot Chili Peppers soundtrack, animated scoreboard graphics, fast cuts, and outrageously impossible kung fu/pro-wrestling moves for 13 year olds, like somersaults, leg lariats, and backflip kicks. This aspect of the movie I objected to. The producers just turned the ending into a video game. One kid even has hair like (Street Fighter IV Action Figure Guile) and does a pre-fight touchup of his coif.
   
   To sum up, I was worried about this remake, but after having seen it, my fears were misplaced. The film is very enjoyable and wholesome and it is clear that the filmmakers have a lot of respect for the source material, the acting, as well the art of kung fu. There are many small changes made to bring this story into China and the 21st Century, but all of them done very well and naturally. It is an homage to the original and stands up as its own film. Highly recommended.



2. I have scene this movie and i have was just amazed! It was by far 1 of the best movies I have ever seen. Its a mixture of comedy, action and drama. Not just me but most of my friends loved this movie. It is a great family movie appropriate for all ages. This movie teaches important lessons, and the scenery is just amazing like unbelievable! I am not going to write a summery about this cause I want you to experience the movie yourself.



3. To me, the first "Karate Kid" movie is "Mr. Miyagi and his Apprentice." The story of the 1984 hit movie is predictable and Ralph Macchio and his karate fight scenes look disappointingly amateurish, but Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita, Oscar-nominated as a wise karate teacher, is fun throughout, and the master-pupil relation between Miyagi sensei and Macchio's young hero Daniel is convincing and touching.
   
   Now after three not-so-great sequels (including one starring then unknown Hilary Swank), a remake arrives with Jaden Smith as Dre Parker, a new kid in a Beijing school, and Jackie Chan as Mr. Han, a quiet maintenance man who teaches martial arts to the bullied boy. Probably the new "Karate Kid" movie should be called "The Kung-fu Kid" as karate is hardly mentioned in the film, but this is not really a big problem. Beautifully shot in China and professionally choreographed, the remade "Karate Kid" is overall enjoyable, but is deeply flawed and weak in many regards.
   
   Though the friendship between the two main characters Dre and Mr. Han is credible, and Jackie Chan's acting itself is very good, Chan's Mr. Han lacks a sense of humor that lends depth to the character of Miyagi. One subplot about Dre's love story, devoid of chemistry, only slows down the pace of the 140 minute film, which is too long by 40 minutes. Occasional attempt at humor are weak at best, but if you have seen any of director Harald Zwart's unimpressive works in the past ("Agent Cody Banks" "The Pink Panther 2"), you will not be surprised at that.
   
   The martial art tournament sequence is acceptable, though wires and stunts are obviously used. Jackie Chan also gives one amusing fight scene against the bullying boys, almost stealing the film from Jaden Smith.
   
   This is not a bad remake. Only that it needs a new title and a tighter story.



4. 
   
   First of all, I was thinking this would be good until the trailer revealed it all. Man, I was so wrong about it and it ruined my weekend the week this pile of garbage came out as my martial arts school was paid so much to do promotions by performing in theaters to lure in customers. This will leave dissapointment to fans of the classic, the only people that would like this are kids of the current generation.
   
   I wasn't born in the 80's, since I'm from the 90's generation. I grew up watching the classic and it's been a part of my childhood since then, my papa used to rent the movie so much for me. Unfortunately, that was it after the trilogy and it went downhill w/"The Next Karate Kid" and the Jaden Smith one is worse than the previous.
   
   
   Here's why this movie isn't good
   
   The title left confusion, leaving many people wondering as to why it's called that when they could've just called it "The Kungfu Kid". What's wrong with calling it that? The movie is known by a different title in Asia of what I just mentioned.
   
   Casting of characters was just blah! Jaden Smith's acting wasn't good and he seems to try too hard to be likable. Personally, I didn't like how Hollywood decided to pick this kid that looks nothing more than some hoodlum of a thug wannabe, his image shows it in the movie. He talks too much with cheesy lines after another, making him rather annoying than likable. His character didn't even bother to learn Chinese, which makes it pointless to live in a country that you don't know speak the language for, let alone that he can't even use chopsticks. His mom gets annoying with the whole "pick up your jacket!" and wearing all these flashy looking clothes to try to fit in with the Chinese. Overall, Ralph Macchio beats his act.
   
   Jackie Chan's acting wasn't good, no offense to you JC fans out there. I appreciate his previous flicks to where he's not some grumpy man (like Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino) who hates his life after he got his wife and kid killed in a car crash for simply arguing w/his wife which explains the whole wreackage of the car he has which made no sense. His character's attitude seemed like he wanted to get off the set as soon as possible. That's not the Jackie Chan we all know and love. Also, even I heard some Theater staff saying that JC was even upset with the title. Noriyuki Morita's acting as Mr.Miyagi was a whole lot better and the opposite of JC's grumpy Mr.Han.
   
   Next off is those Chinese kids that bully Jaden's character. They are such douchebags, which makes Johnny Laurence and his Cobra Kai gang more likable and less annoying. The leader of the Chinese kid is the worst of all, in the movie they did far much worse than what the Cobra Kai gang did to Daniel. What was really immature of them (Chinese kids) was when they flopped Jaden's lunch tray, ruining his clothes and when they grabbed his backpack, they tossed it around and kicked it for a bit, such jerks! Johnny Laurence was a douche on his part, but he made up for it with some of his lines that was funny. Also, the Cobra Kai followed their teacher's order completely by not messing with Daniel until the Tournament, not unlike Cheng and his gang of immature losers.
   
   Dre Parker is already hitting on some girl and he only 12 years old and yet to hit puberty. The movie shouldn't involve some elementary age kids that know little or nothing about acting, it could've been saved from suckage if they didn't choose first timers that made their bad acting obvious with all these lines they throw in. It would've been better if they involved teenagers, not some wannabe looking hoodlum and a group of wannabe bad boys in an elementary school setting.
   
   
   Enough said about this, for it will damage the name of the classic for years to follow. I can just imagine how I'd be talking about the one and only and when people jump into the conversations, they'd be asking "Which one? The Ralph Macchio one or Jaden Smith?" There's only one Karate Kid out there and that's Daniel Larusso. Stick with the classic if you want to see a good movie, not those crappy remakes.



5. Jaden Smith displayed passion. It was a delight to see the various emotions on his face. I have seen all the Karate kid movies and this one is the best. Jackie Chan was exceptionally sensitive in the part of an adult learning from his student, showing that if we open our minds even the young ones can teach us a thing or two. I will not spoil this for others. Just ignore the negatives and see the movie for yourself, you will be entertained. I am getting the DVD. Will Smith move over we have a new kid in town.