Wait a sec, there is a Karate Kid part 3? (1 Viewer)

[Travis Hedger]

So the other day I saw part 1 on HD Net and decided to look up Pat Morita online to see what other movies he has been in. He has kept rather busy apparently, with a few movies this year even.

Anyway looking through the credits I see The Karate Kid part III. I was a bit perplexed as this was the first time I had ever heard mention of part 3 or even know that it existed. I know of part 1, and I saw part 2 in theaters. The Next Karate Kid I have seen bits and pieces of on TV.

So how is part 3? Is it worth a view in order to complete the "trilogy" or will I be able to live without it?

 

[Matt Stone]

I saw 3 at the theater when I was pretty young. I watched it a lot as a kid, but it was pretty lame. If they released the whole trilogy in a nice DVD set, I'd probably pick it up.

Here's a pretty decent plot summary from IMDB:

"After Daniel and Miyagi defeats the Cobra Kais, and after Miyagi humiliates their master, Kreese. All of his students desert him and he hasn't had any new ones. Kreese decides to close the dojo, he then goes to to his friend, Terry, who is also the dojo's owner, to turn the keys, and announces that he is leaving town. Terry decides to send him on a vacation and before he leaves, he tells Kreese that he is going to get Daniel and Miyagi. Part of his plan is to recruit a deadly karate fighter, Mike Barnes to fight Daniel in the tournament, he then pretends to be a friend of Kreese, who wants to "apologize" for Kreese disgraceful behavior. When Daniel's invited to participate in the Karate tournament that he won last year, Miyagi believes that it's not a priority. So Terry offers to train Daniel but in reality, he is putting Daniel through a gruelling training regimen as part of his plan. And Daniel's constantly being hounded by Barnes. Eventually all of the training that Terry puts Daniel through and Barnes' hounding, causes a rift between Daniel and Miyagi."

 

[Brook K]

Part III is ESSENTIAL viewing. The epic conclusion of the series. 10-11 months after the first film, a bored billionaire, who today would simply have started his own reality TV show, has nothing better to do with his time than to try and destroy the life of a teenage karate champion. As ESPN's Bill Simmons put it, "In eleven months time, 3 separate groups of people on two different continents have attacked Daniel-san. What is it about this kid that rubs people the wrong way?" And just why would Daniel submit to a training regimen that consists of punching a block of wood until his hands bleed?

And as if this wasn't enough for one movie, wait until you find out the shocking secret behind the billioniare's quest as a figure from Daniel's past returns to laugh diabolically.

Edit: BOO, HISS Matt, you spoiled the secret

 

[Matt Stone]

Haha, damn...I ruined quite possibly the greatest film of the last 20 years.

 

[Richard Travale]

No here's the mind blower...
There's a Karate Kid 4

 

[Patrick Sun]

Isn't that the one with an Oscar winner in it?

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

Obviously he'd seen Kill Bill, Vol. 2.

 

[Ernest Rister]

Karate Kid III is the Superman III and Jaws III of the KK series.

And just like Superman III and Jaws III, as bad as you think they are, nothing can prepare you for the crapfest that resulted in Part IV.

 

[teapot2001]

The darkest of the trilogy, part 3 has Daniel-san being lured to the dark-side... of... karate. Daniel-san struggles between fighting for the dark-side and maintaining his relationship with his mentor and father-figure, Mr. Miyagi. And yes, Daniel-san has a new girl in his life--will it last this time? And there is what is perhaps one of the most shocking moments in movie history involving the bonzai tree. Like Brook said, part 3 IS essential viewing.

~T

 

[Chris]

Isn't Karate Kid IV the one with the girl? Or is that 3? Or is 3 the one where Daniel comes back and does the fight thing again stateside? I'm trying to remember.

 

[Jonathan Carter]

Nice to see the Bill Simmons reference Brook K. His website is essential viewing on an almost daily basis.

 

[MichaelD]

Part 4 is with Hilary Swank, and even though it is hard to believe, it is worse than part 3.

 

[Dave_Brown]

How can you say that??????? No way! From the early moment when she instinctivly uses Tiger to land on the hood of the pizza car, causing Miyagi to know there is something special about this girl, to the military prep boys devoted to making her life hell, this is must see at its best.
I still get chills when I think of how they all face off at the end of the movie. Her boyfriend getting his ass handed to him, the burning barrels lining the walkway. And the way she turns to Mr. Miyagi and exclaims: "No! Let me fight him!" You just know there is gonna be some Tiger Paw style butt whumping this girl is gonna lay down.

Ok, ok, the movie sucked.

 

[Jonathan Carter]

I think the funniest part about all of this is the fact that the studio decided that they needed a 4th Karate Kid to begin with. I'm pretty sure that when Ralph Macchio ditches the series, the series is officially the worst thing ever. You don't typically try and revive something that bad.

 

[GeorgePaul]

I guess Avildsen figured any actress could hold up a Karate Kid film better than lifeless Elisabeth Shue.

 

[Matt Stone]

Hey, don't be ripping on Elisabeth Shue. She was in not one, but two of the classic 80s trilogies

 

[MichaelD]

The other being Adventures in Babysitting??

 

[Citizen87645]

KK3 was pretty bad. The HORRIBLE scene with the bonsai tree is forever burned into my memory. I swear the tree changed size and shape every shot!

 

[teapot2001]

quote:The other being Adventures in Babysitting??

Back to the Future



~T

 

[Bryan Tuck]

quote:Karate Kid III is the Superman III and Jaws III of the KK series.



And just like Superman III and Jaws III, as bad as you think they are, nothing can prepare you for the crapfest that resulted in Part IV.

I'd also add The Omen series to that list.