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The Karate Kid Part III

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The Karate Kid, Part III
The Karate Kid, Part III movie poster
Directed byJohn G. Avildsen
Written byRobert Mark Kamen
Produced byJerry Weintraub
Karen Trudy Rosenfelt (co-producer)
Sheldon Schrager (executive producer)
Doug Seelig (associate producer)
StarringRalph Macchio
Pat Morita
Thomas Ian Griffith
Martin Kove
Robyn Lively
Sean Kanan
CinematographySteve Yaconelli
Edited byJohn G. Avildsen
John Carter
Music byBill Conti
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release dates
June 30, 1989
Running time
112 min.
Countries United States
 Japan
LanguageEnglish

The Karate Kid, Part III is a 1989 film, and the second sequel to the hit motion picture The Karate Kid (1984). The film stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Thomas Ian Griffith, Robyn Lively, and Martin Kove. Like the first two films, it was directed by John G. Avildsen, written by Robert Mark Kamen, stunts choreographed by Pat E. Johnson, and music by Bill Conti.

Plot synopsis

The story picks up almost a year after the events ending the original film and opening the sequel. After it is established that Sensei John Kreese's (Martin Kove) Cobra Kai dojo has lost all its business, Kreese visits his Vietnam War comrade Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), who is also a karate expert, fellow Cobra Kai (later indicated as the real owner of Cobra Kai dojo), multimillionaire and president of a multinational company with a record of polluting the environment with toxic chemicals. Silver and Kreese scheme to take revenge on Daniel and on his teacher, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), and make Cobra Kai successful once again.

Daniel leases a shop, and he and Miyagi prepare to open their own bonsai tree store. Visiting a pottery store across the street, Daniel meets Jessica Andrews (Robyn Lively), and they instantly become friends.

Silver recruits "Karate's Bad Boy" Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan), promising him 25% of potential Cobra Kai profits if he succeeds in claiming Daniel's title at the upcoming All-Valley Karate Tournament, but Barnes demands 50% and Silver gives it to him. After breaking into Miyagi's home, Silver overhears Daniel tell Miyagi that he will not be participating in the tournament, as Miyagi felt that defense of the title would merely be fighting for personal reward. That evening at the bonsai store, Daniel and Jessica are confronted by Mike and Snake (Jonathan Avildsen), one of Silver's goons. They threaten to harm Daniel if he does not join the tournament. Daniel declines, and Mike, while promising to return, departs in a heated rage. Again at the bonsai store, Daniel and Jessica are again confronted by Mike and Snake, who are now joined by Mike's personal trainer Dennis (Christopher Paul Ford). Daniel once again refuses to enter the tournament. The three goons respond by destroying the shop. When Daniel attempts to prevent this damage, he and Jessica are attacked. Mike demonstrates his cruelty by kicking Jessica brutally in her stomach when she tries to protect herself. Miyagi shows up and fends off the three men. Miyagi and Daniel arrive home to find their stock of bonsai has been stolen, with a tournament application hanging in their place.

Having received no assistance from the local police, Daniel and Jessica decide to dig up a bonsai tree which Miyagi had planted halfway down the cliffs surrounding the Devil's Cauldron. Daniel thinks they can use the tree, which is the one true bonsai Miyagi brought from Okinawa, as a new source of capital, although Jessica doubts Miyagi will condone this sale of a valuable family heirloom. When Daniel and Jessica become trapped at the bottom of the cauldron, Silver's three goons pull up their ropes and force Daniel to finally sign up for the tournament before lowering the ropes again. Barnes then purposely breaks the valuable tree. Daniel returns to the shop with Miyagi’s damaged bonsai, which Miyagi immediately mends and restores. Miyagi, who has sold his truck in order to buy a new stock of trees, refuses to train Daniel for the tournament.

Silver, who has befriended Daniel numerous times under the fraudulent guise of a humble friend of Kreese sent to apologize on behalf of their Korean master for Kreese's previous actions, offers to "train" Daniel at the Cobra Kai dojo. Daniel accepts, and during the training sessions, Silver schools Daniel in many cheap and corrupt ways of fighting. Silver repeatedly invites Daniel to attack a wooden dummy, injuring Daniel in the process. After several sessions, Daniel eventually destroys the entire dummy, at which point Silver proclaims that he is now ready to win the tournament. That night, Silver coaxes Daniel into assaulting a stranger while at a club with Jessica. Daniel, displeased by his own aggressive behavior, apologizes for his recent actions to Miyagi and Jessica (who reveals plans to return to Columbus, Ohio), and visits Silver at the dojo to inform him that he no longer wishes to train with him, and that he also no longer intends to compete in the tournament.

Silver reveals his real agenda to Daniel, and both Mike and Kreese enter the room. After Mike proceeds to chase Daniel, Miyagi arrives and quickly fends off all three men. Afterwards, Miyagi finally decides to train Daniel for the upcoming tournament. They train by Devil's Cauldron, where they replant the now-healed bonsai.

At the tournament, Mike makes his way up to the final round to face Daniel. Silver orders Mike to alternately score points and then intentionally lose them by incurring penalties with illegal moves designed to hurt Daniel and break his spirit. Mike is to continue this for the duration of the three-minute regulation period, and then score a quick point in sudden death. Mike does exactly as instructed, and a fearful Daniel begs Miyagi to let him forfeit the match. Miyagi refuses, and reminds him that he still has his best moves left. In the sudden death period, Daniel finds one last bit of resolve and begins the kata that Miyagi taught him. A hesitant and confused Mike finally comes in to attack, and Daniel quickly counters by throwing him to the ground and scoring a point with a punch to Mike's ribs. A disgusted Silver and Kreese walk away as the crowd throws back the Cobra Kai shirts that were given to them. An excited Daniel decides to forego the tradition bow, and instead hugs Mr. Miyagi. The overjoyed duo continue their long embrace as the film ends.

Reception

Criticisms

KK3 did considerably less business than the first two films, grossing only $39 million at the box-office.[1] It was dismissed by critics who considered the installment in the series as having jumped the shark[2][3][4][5]. Film critic Leonard Maltin gave KK3 a "BOMB" rating (the worst rating that a movie can possibly get in Maltin's eyes) and regarded KK3 as "an utterly stupid movie that was hopeless."

It must also be noted by the third film Macchio had grown up and was no longer had the youthful looks that made the first two films successful. Added a significant weight gain that varied thoughout the film, (indeed in some scenes he was significantly heavier than in others).

See also

References

  1. ^ The Karate Kid, Part III (1989) - Box office / business
  2. ^ The Karate Kid Part III is by far the worst in quality of the trilogy, but by far the most fun to watch. The best parts come from the corny lines and inane plot workings. Just have fun with this one--it's so bad it's great!
  3. ^ And here's where the wheels started to come off.
  4. ^ Any warmth of the previous two films is lost in this sequel too far, as the desperate continuation of "The Karate Kid" franchise shudders to a pathetic halt.
  5. ^ [1] In this third film, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) has been reduced to a standard element in a standard plot. And Daniel (Ralph Macchio) is no longer an interesting kid, but simply a series of predictable attitudes.
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