All 6 Karate Child Films (& Cobra Kai), Ranked From Worst To Finest

The Karate Child films ranked may be robust to slender down because the franchise spans six movies, together with sequels and a remake. The Karate Child launched Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his karate sensei/finest pal Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita). 1986’s The Karate Child Half II and 1989’s The Karate Child Half III quickly adopted, and Morita then headlined 1994’s The Subsequent Karate Child alongside a brand new co-star, Hilary Swank, who performed Julie Pierce, Mr. Miyagi’s second scholar. 16 years later, The Karate Child model was resurrected for a 2010 remake that starred Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.

Nevertheless, simply as essential to The Karate Child films’ enduring success was Cobra Kai, Daniel’s enemy dojo, which returned — together with LaRusso’s teenage rivalry with Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) — in a critically acclaimed TV collection that started on YouTube Crimson and concluded on Netflix. Cobra Kai cemented The Karate Child‘s legacy and impressed a brand new era to rediscover the movies. This even led to the rebirth of the film franchise with Karate Child: Legends. Whereas Karate Child films have various ranges of high quality, they proceed to face the take a look at of time, and one is unequivocally one of the best round.

7

The Subsequent Karate Child (1994)

The Closing Pat Morita Karate Child Film

The Subsequent Karate Child was the ultimate movie to star Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi, however with out Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso. Also called The Karate Child Half IV, future Academy Award-winner Hillary Swank was launched in her breakout position as Julie Pierce, a troubled Boston teenager who Mr. Miyagi takes duty for. It is also the primary of the Karate Child films not directed by John G. Avildsen or written by Robert Mark Kamen.

The plot includes Mr. Miyagi studying that Julie Pierce, the granddaughter of his late World Battle II Military comrade, already knew some Miyagi-Do karate, so the sensei decides to proceed her coaching and educate her essential life classes. The Subsequent Karate Child additionally stars Michael Ironside because the villain, Col. Paul Duga, and Walton Goggins has a small position as one of many Alpha Elite, the movie’s stand-ins for Cobra Kai as dangerous guys.

Regardless of the appeal of Miyagi and Julie’s relationship and the athletic gusto Swank delivered to her position, The Subsequent Karate Child options characters that are not very nicely fleshed out and consists of more and more absurd stakes. The movie culminates in a predictable brawl between the Alpha Elite, Julie, and her boyfriend, Eric McGowen (Chris Conrad) which mimes the start of The Karate Child Half II. The defeated Alpha Elite flip their backs on Col. Dugan, identical to the Cobra Kai did to John Kreese (Martin Kove) within the second Karate Child, and Dugan is humiliated by Miyagi the identical manner Kreese was.

The Subsequent Karate Child does introduce an attention-grabbing new component of Buddhist monks whose monastery Miyagi takes Julie to for coaching, however the monks are performed for comedy as a substitute of deepening the audiences’ philosophical understanding of Miyagi-Do karate. The Subsequent Karate Child was a essential and monetary failure upon its launch in 1994, however there may be nonetheless enjoyment to be discovered watching Mr. Miyagi prepare Julie-san whereas lamenting that “boys are simpler.”

6

The Karate Child Half III (1989)

Daniel’s Karate Child Trilogy Ended On A Low Level

The Karate Child Half III was launched in 1989, and it was the ultimate and, simply, the worst chapter of Daniel LaRusso’s film saga. Recent from a summer time in Okinawa with Mr. Miyagi, the younger Daniel LaRusso returns to Los Angeles and finds himself embroiled in a diabolically ridiculous plot by John Kreese and his finest pal, multimillionaire Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), to spoil LaRusso’s life and power him to defend his karate championship with the intention to convey the Cobra Kai dojo again to prominence.

Daniel-san’s relationship with Mr. Miyagi is examined like by no means earlier than, and he even abandons his sensei as LaRusso briefly joins Cobra Kai earlier than he involves his senses. The Karate Child Half III has an analogous ending to the unique movie, however this time, Daniel’s predictable triumph lacks the identical influence or exhilaration.

The most important subject with The Karate Child Half III is Daniel-san himself; LaRusso has by no means been extra temperamental, irrational, and unlikeable, and Macchio (who was 28) was clearly too previous to nonetheless be enjoying 18-year-old Daniel.

The mustache-twirling villainy of Terry Silver is entertainingly over-the-top, which is a part of why his return within the Cobra Kai collection is welcomed. His scheme in opposition to LaRusso, nonetheless, is nonsensical. Equally cartoonish is Daniel’s new rival, “Karate’s Dangerous Boy” Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan), who engages in a stage of harassment in opposition to Daniel and his new (platonic) feminine pal Jessica Andrews (Robyn Vigorous) that ought to have known as for police intervention.

The most important subject with The Karate Child Half III is Daniel-san himself; LaRusso has by no means been extra temperamental, irrational, and unlikable, and Macchio (who was 28) was clearly too previous to play 18-year-old Daniel. Nevertheless, Pat Morita reliably brings an incredible efficiency as Miyagi, who silently mourns how far Daniel-san has fallen earlier than he saves his pupil as soon as extra. The viewers appeared to start to be tiring of the Karate Child films by the discharge of The Karate Child Half III, which grossed a disappointing consumption. It took 30 years for Daniel to make his comeback because of Cobra Kai.

5

Karate Child: Legends (2025)

The Franchise Turns into Unified

15 years after Jackie Chan’s The Karate Child reboot, Sony introduced the franchise again in an surprising manner following Cobra Kai‘s success. Karate Child: Legends brings the whole franchise collectively by using Chan’s Mr. Han and Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso. They don’t seem to be the celebrities of the film, although, with the film shifting its focus to a brand new character, Li Fong (Ben Wang), an adolescent from Beijing who strikes to New York who restarts his kung fu coaching to take part in an area event.

Karate Child: Legends doesn’t reinvent the franchise formulation completely, because it leans into acquainted tropes and plot factors which have been featured within the earlier 5 films and Cobra Kai. There is a younger teenager with martial arts expertise, an area college bully, a very aggressive dojo, and an enormous event on the finish. This will all make Karate Child: Legends really feel too much like what the earlier films have completed, because it would not stray too removed from the arrange that audiences have come to count on inside this universe.

But, there are nonetheless some recent and thrilling developments to get pleasure from. Li Fong is a good new lead for the franchise, and Wang’s efficiency, each emotionally and bodily, is spectacular. The film even seems able to flip the franchise on its head by having Li prepare an older man in kung fu. That is a enjoyable change up that helps Karate Child: Legends stand aside till the narrative takes a flip to make it Li’s flip to struggle, bringing in Mr. Han and LaRusso to be his mentors.

If Li Fong is the Karate Child franchise’s future, it is going to be in good fingers.

These anticipating an incredible crossover will doubtless be disenchanted, particularly relating to the restricted roles for Han and LaRusso. Their scenes collectively may be efficient, nevertheless it additionally feels compelled at instances. What the film lacks in its means to correctly bridge the universe collectively, it makes up for by introducing a likable new lead who is sort of formidable as a fighter. If Li Fong is the Karate Child franchise’s future, it is going to be in good fingers.

4

The Karate Child Half II (1986)

Mr. Miyagi Will get His Time In The Highlight

Launched in the summertime of 1986, The Karate Child Half II admirably wasn’t a clone of the unique; as a substitute, the main target shifts to Mr. Miyagi, who’s accompanied by Daniel again to his hometown in Okinawa to go to his dying father. The go to additionally reignites his lifelong rivalry with Miyagi’s former finest pal Sato (Danny Kamekona). LaRusso additionally will get an interesting new love curiosity in Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita) and an unforgettable new enemy in Sato’s nephew, Chozen (Yuji Okumoto).

The Karate Child Half II revealed the origin of Miyagi-Do karate and elevated Daniel-san’s martial arts talents, which culminates in a brutal struggle with Chozen that irreversibly escalated the extent of violence of The Karate Child films past the managed confines of karate tournaments.

The Karate Child Half II is not the equal of the primary film, nevertheless it deepens the friendship between Daniel-san and Mr. Miyagi whereas additionally introducing essential new parts to the mythos. The movie was shot in Hawaii, which doubled for Okinawa, and but it is unusual (however handy for LaRusso and the viewers) that regardless of being again residence, Miyagi and Sato solely converse with one another in damaged English as a substitute of Japanese.

The love story between Daniel and Kumiko would not fairly dwell as much as the lyrics of the movie’s chart-topping theme track, “Glory of Love” by Peter Cetera (which was initially meant for Rocky IV), however LaRusso’s animosity with Chozen has palpable hazard and life-or-death stakes. The Karate Child Half II was a fair larger field workplace success than the unique, incomes $115-million worldwide, which made it one of many highest-grossing movies of 1986.

3

The Karate Child (2010)

The Fashionable Reboot Strikes True

2010’s The Karate Child accomplishes the miraculous feat of being a remake that is virtually nearly as good as the unique (and it is truly even higher in sure methods). Starring Jaden Smith as Dre and Jackie Chan as his mentor, Mr. Han, The Karate Child title is a complete misnomer used purely for advertising and marketing for the reason that movie was shot virtually completely in China (together with the Forbidden Metropolis) and is about kung fu, not karate. The Karate Child 2010’s story is a beat-for-beat echo of the 1984 authentic, however that seems to be optimistic.

Towards all odds, The Karate Child 2010 succeeds by being true to the core essence of the unique movie whereas creating successful characters in its personal proper.

Within the remake, Dre is a 12-year-old American in China who finds himself bullied by a kung fu gang and is rescued by his constructing’s handyman, who occurs to be a reclusive martial arts grasp. Mr. Han trains Dre in an unorthodox method to struggle in a event he ultimately wins, and he kinds a real bond along with his pupil. Dre additionally will get a love curiosity named Meiying (Wenwen Han).

Towards all odds, The Karate Child 2010 succeeds by being true to the core essence of the unique movie whereas creating successful characters in its personal proper. Jaden Smith is a charismatic and likable lead as Dre, however Kung-fu grasp Jackie Chan delivers a remarkably resonant dramatic efficiency as Mr. Han, who has his personal demons he overcomes by means of his friendship with the American boy.

The kung-fu within the movie is really spectacular and lightweight years past something within the prior Karate Child films, and the remake additionally finds novel methods for Mr. Han and Dre to flip the basic tropes of how Mr. Miyagi educated Daniel. The Karate Child 2010 acquired usually favorable critiques, and it by no means received a sequel, nevertheless it earned $358 million worldwide, which makes it the highest-grossing movie of The Karate Child franchise. Nevertheless, it exists outdoors the “Miyagi-verse” and it is not thought of canon by the producers of Cobra Kai.

2

Cobra Kai (2018-2025)

The TV Spinoff That Surpasses The Films

From its humble beginnings as an unique on YouTube Crimson, the Netflix present Cobra Kai has proved to be among the finest entries within the Karate Child franchise. Operating for six seasons, Cobra Kai picks up a long time after the occasions of the movies, and re-focuses the story on the rivalry between Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso (as adults). It is also the primary Karate Child mission to not characteristic Mr. Miyagi owing to the loss of life of Pat Morita in 2005. Nevertheless, very similar to the legendary actor, the legacy of Miyagi lives on within the modern-day.

Whereas it is uncommon for a TV spinoff of a film to surpass the unique, Cobra Kai is presumably one of the best entry in franchise, with many even claiming that it is higher than the 1984 movie that first launched the world to Danny, Johnny, Mr. Miyagi, and the All Valley Karate Match. The important thing energy of Cobra Kai is its masterful repositioning of the occasions of The Karate Child. The TV present zeroes in on the previous bully and antagonist Johnny Lawrence, following him as he turns his life round by making an attempt to revive the Cobra Kai dojo to its former glory.

Cobra Kai exploring how LaRusso and Lawrence’s lives intertwine sooner or later proved to be a storytelling stroke of genius, and made for an extremely participating viewing expertise. The present begins with Johnny and Daniel each operating dojos of their very own and passing on their former rivalry to their college students. Each characters have been developed in an extremely plausible manner too, with Daniel initially being one thing of a smug and unlikable antagonist, with Johnny repositioned because the struggling underdog who turns to martial arts when he feels he has nothing left.

Not solely does Cobra Kai proceed the story of Daniel and Johnny, nevertheless it additionally brings again a ton of Karate Child characters, similar to Chozen, Kumiko, Ali Mills, John Kreese, and Terry Silver. From starting to finish Cobra Kai is an absolute delight for followers of The Karate Child films, and there is a robust case for it being even higher than the movies (although the controversy is a fierce one).

1

The Karate Child (1984)

The Iconic Sports activities Film That Kick-Began The Franchise

The Karate Child is without doubt one of the most beloved and inspirational sports activities films, and it is tough to argue in opposition to the 1984 authentic being one of the best within the franchise (even when in comparison with Cobra Kai). Whereas it borrows elements of the formulation of the Rocky films, in addition to Rocky‘s Oscar-winning director, John G. Avildsen, 1984’s The Karate Child‘s enduring coronary heart and soul is the bond between Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi.

The plot is now legendary: Daniel moved from New Jersey to Los Angeles and have become rivals with Cobra Kai’s Johnny Lawrence after he started relationship Johnny’s ex-girlfriend, Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue). After being ganged up on repeatedly, Miyagi trains Daniel-san to compete in a karate event, which he wins by defeating Johnny. 40 years later, The Karate Child stays an eternally satisfying story stuffed with characters who’ve gone on to grow to be popular culture icons, and their story is being continued and expanded upon in Cobra Kai.

Lots of The Karate Child‘s well-known tropes have continued to resonate. The movie is fondly remembered for Miyagi’s ingenious strategies of coaching Daniel by making him carry out family chores like portray a fence and sanding the ground — in fact, “wax on, wax off” is eminently quotable — and Daniel’s climactic crane kick that he used to defeat Johnny is iconic. The performances by Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio stay touching and highly effective.

William Zabka was underrated as Johnny, though Cobra Kai has realized his full potential. It is unbelievable how three sequels, a remake, and successful TV collection had been all constructed from The Karate Child, which speaks to the unique movie as a real basic of the Eighties — one that also connects with generations of followers, new and previous, because the springboard for Cobra Kai and its characters.