Masterful Movie

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

i am a big fan of the 1st three, even the 3rd one had its good qualities, but there is nothing good about this movie i can say , i am shocked pat Morita did this movie, the story and acting is laughable , the plot makes no sense , the jade smith one is better than this, I'm sorry to say this is a karate kid movie, thank god they didn't make another, i feel like someone used a crane kick on my head after watching it , if i could give it a zero i would. I am so sorry pat that you did this.

When analyzing this fourth film of the Karate Kid series (although I would consider it more of a "distant cousin" to the original trilogy), the first phrase that comes to mind is "you can only go to the well so many times". With "The Next Karate Kid", the well ran dry.For a basic plot summary, the film sees Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) mentoring a troubled teen (Hilary Swank) who's parents have passed away. A mash-up of Karate Kid I, II, and III then occurs, with themes from each film present but briefly touched upon.Though I could go on and on about why this film is poor, here is the primary reason: the high expectations. The original "Karate" trilogy is so incredible, that anything less from the established characters is going to be a letdown. Thus, the whole movie I kept waiting for great things to happen, but they never did. I can't think of one single scene from this film that tops any scene from the first three.The only thing that elevates "Next" above a one star is the performance by Morita as Miyagi. As in KK III, he steals the show with his comedy and words of wisdom.I think that the fourth Karate Kid film can be summed up thusly: Had the original trilogy never been made, this film may be looked at as decent. However, when comparing it to the gold standard of that trilogy, it is hugely disappointing.

I wanted to watch this movie with an open mind but with so many parallels made to the first, i couldn't help but quietly laugh at this poor attempt of a new spin on the franchise, i loathe to say this but even the poor remake of karate kid (so bad) topped this.It was a joke and i felt embarrassed for everyone involved, everything as so flat even the action was bad. Can we just rewind time and pretend this movie was never made please ? This was indeed a poor assembled car that should never have made it to the factory let alone be released out to general population.1/10 - and the one is for the guts hillary swank had in order to commit to this comical farce.

It had been five years since the third film in the original trilogy, but for some reason they felt like another film with a brand new "kid" would breathe life into the series, Ralph Macchio being grown up of course, I decided to watch it. Basically Kesuke Miyagi (Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita), once an Army Sergeant attends a commemoration for Japanese soldiers who fought in World War II for the US Army in Boston, and there he meets his commanding officer's widow Louisa Pierce (Constance Towers). She then introduces him to her bad tempered and bratty teenage granddaughter Julie Pierce (young Hilary Swank), who lives with the memory of her parents being killed in a car accident. This has caused friction between her and her grandmother, but also with her fellow school students, but she also passes time caring for an injured hawk she has named Angel, kept in the school roof pigeon coop. At school Julie meets and befriends young and kindhearted security guard Eric McGowen (Chris Conrad) who works in the fraternity known as the Alpha Elite, and she also gains an enemy in aggressive student Ned (Michael Cavalieri), both are taught by vicious mentor Colonel Dugan (Michael Ironside). She finds herself being horribly bullied by the nasty members of the Alpha Elite, and after revealing that she used to be taught karate to her new friend Mr. Miyagi, he agrees to teach her more moves to defend herself. She learns balance, be co-ordinated, awareness of incoming threat, and to have respect for all life, and she becomes friends with the monks that Mr. Miyagi has helping her. When she returns to school she knows that Angel, who was initially taken by Ned but returned, is able to fly, and they release her into the wild, and is then given a new prom dress from Mr. Miyagi. For some reason there the Alpha Elite are order by Colonel Dugan to bungee jump and enter, and when Julie leaves she and Eric share a kiss, but they also get caught up in a proposed fight on the docks. In the end, Mr. Miyagi is standing back to let Julie use her newfound karate skills to defend herself in the fight with Ned who is encouraged by Colonel Dugan, of course she wins. Also starring Arsenio 'Sonny' Trinidad as Abbot and Walton Goggins as Charlie. It is nice to still have Morita returning for his most famous and once Oscar nominated character, and young double future Oscar winner Swank does alright as the new female karate kid, but the film is let down by the same old same old plot, nothing new to be seen really, not a original or highly interesting martial arts adventure. Okay!