by Farah Kheder
The Karate Kid, starring Ralph Macchio and directed by John G. Avildsen, did not disappoint. The movie was released in 1984, which is made blatantly obvious throughout the film. The hair, for example, was always either thoroughly curled and teased or pulled up into a pony with a scrunchie. Another dead giveaway was the classic rock soundtrack. You're the Best by Joe Esposito is a classic 80’s hit and it perfectly encapsulated the tone of the final scenes. After dealing with such a stressful year, it was fun to travel back in time for an hour or two to find colorful clothes, big scrunchies, and in-person schooling. The movie itself was captivating and highly entertaining. From the drama of high-school bullies and romance, to the action-packed intensity of karate tournaments, I couldn’t find it in myself to look away from the screen.
The plot is about a poor, scrawny kid named Daniel LaRusso moving to California with his single mother. Upon arriving at his new school, he is greeted by the kind, funny, well-mannered Ali Mills. When they start to get along, he unknowingly makes an enemy out of her ex-boyfriend, Johnny Lawrence, and all his friends. Johnny is irrational and possessive at best. Abusive and hot-headed at worst. It is later revealed that his entire friend group is enrolled in a karate dojo called Cobra Kai, whose entire agenda is to teach kids to strike first and show no mercy. They tease Danny, destroy his property, and beat him up. To defend himself, Danny becomes unlikely friends with repairman and karate mentor, Mr. Miyagi. Drama ensues as Danny attempts to face his bullies, date his crush, and adapt to a new environment all at once.
The adrenaline-pumping scenes were thrilling(As Danny goes from tournament to tournament training for his match with Johnny Lawrence, we get a glimpse of how dangerous and unpredictable karate can be. There are several points in the movie when you can’t tell if Danny can take another hit, let alone emerge as victor. That’s what makes the fighting montages so exhilarating), yet I found the heartfelt scenes between characters to be far more compelling. The unlikely paternal relationship that Mr. Miyagi and Danny form makes it hard not to fall in love with the characters and their dynamic. Ali and Danny are just as unlikely a couple, considering Ali is much more well off financially speaking. Watching them fall in love despite the class gap and other’s opinions was inspiring, and greatly executed by the actors.
Although it could be considered cliche, I found it exhilarating watching an underdog like Danny rise to the top against all odds. He proved all of Cobra Kai wrong by learning to fight with class and integrity, which is a lesson worth watching for. I would absolutely recommend this movie for a fun watch party with friends or a movie night alone.☆☆☆☆☆