Rewatching after 15 years - One complaint
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Karate Kid
fountaincap — 9 years ago(July 31, 2016 06:23 PM)
So I'm rewatching the movie after about 15 years since the last time I saw it in late high school. Viewing it again as an adult and with a more refined eye for film, I still enjoy it for its classic underdog tale and also for showing the tension between different classes of people, which I didn't pick up on in my youth. Very similar to
Rocky
, not surprisingly, since it was by the same director.
My only complaint about this movie, and somewhat with the entire trilogy, after seeing it again is that, unlike with Rocky, I was never convinced that Daniel got stronger, tougher or more focused. He was still a whiny, cynical and wimpy teenager after all that training from Miagi. After every point he got in the tournament he had this look on his face as if to say "Holy cow! I did that? Wow!" And he wins the tournament with a gimmick.
I get it, he's still by no means meant to be a seasoned fighter at that point. But he has no hunger, no focus or grit. Right up until the tournament he was saying how scared he was and preparing to get his ass kicked. By contrast, Rocky, although his opponents were always more physically intimidiating than him, had the Eye of the Tiger. After he gets through his daily struggles with life at home, Adrian and all that and trains with Mickey, he's focused and determined to win. Daniel's eyes are still like a Deer in the Headlights by the end of the movie. This aspect of Daniel even continued in parts II and III with only brief moments where he looks like his karate has gotten stronger and where he looks tougher.
Anyone feel the same way? -
metsrus — 9 years ago(August 03, 2016 06:42 PM)
But he has no hunger, no focus or grit.
Right up until the tournament he was saying how scared he was and preparing to get his ass kicked.
By contrast, Rocky, although his opponents were always more physically intimidiating than him, had the Eye of the Tiger. After he gets through his daily struggles with life at home, Adrian and all that and trains with Mickey, he's focused and determined to win.
Basically the same thing Rocky said in this scene, revealing his doubt. He said he had no chance against Apollo. But what made him go on is because he has nothing to lose, because everyone has already considered him a bum. -
fountaincap — 9 years ago(August 03, 2016 07:03 PM)
Right, Rocky was still scared, but his general feeling was, it don't matter, I'm doing it. I'm gonna show everyone I'm not just another bum from the neighborhood.
Granted, Daniel sort of says this when he asks Miagi to fix his leg, but I still got the general feeling that he was a wimp.
Another contrast I thought of between the two movies:
Rocky II
: Apollo threatens Rocky: "You're goin' DOWN!" Rocky: "Nah. No way".
Karate Kid
: Johnny pushes Daniel and says: "You're dead!" Daniel: Deer in headlights lol. -
metsrus — 9 years ago(August 03, 2016 07:57 PM)
Yeah Daniel doesn't have the toughness of a Rocky, not yet anyway in the films. Rocky was what raised in the streets, while Daniel-san was raised by a single mom who coddled him. I don't think he ever had a male influence in his life until Mr. Miyagi. But given Daniel's young age in the movies, I'm sure there was still time for development. I'd like to think he has grown up to be a strong man in his 30's, not Balboa tough, but still strong. Karate can build self confidence.
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Sonic_whovian — 9 years ago(August 04, 2016 10:32 AM)
Yeah because a teenager who lives with his mum and goes to school is going to be as tough as a professional boxer who works as a loan shark who grew up on the streets and has already had years of training and fight experience by th first movie whereas Daniel had done a couple months of karate.
You could say rocky turns into a wimp in rocky 2 and 3 as well because in the second movie he barely trains and doesn't want it for most of the movie until the last bit and in rocky 3 he gets knocked out in 2 rounds then can't be bothered to train and tells Adrian how scared he is -
nycboy94117 — 9 years ago(February 05, 2017 06:04 PM)
I have to disagree. The continuity of this movie was within 1 year. Part 2 picked up right wear Part 1 left off. Maturity and experience takes time; years actually, so I guess that is why Daniel acted that way he did because he is just learning and the discipline of being a Karate Master takes years and years of physical and mental experience.
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MsStarchild — 9 years ago(February 08, 2017 08:02 PM)
As someone who studied karate for more than a decade, what nycboy says is true. I made it to 3rd degree Black Belt in Shin Nagare Karate and 1St Degree Black Belt in Ju Jitsu. It takes time to even get a certain degree of confidence, experience(both mental and physical) and strength even sparring in classlet alone tournament fighting.
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ZolotoyRetriever — 4 years ago(November 30, 2021 06:37 PM)
After every point he got in the tournament he had this look on his face as if to say "Holy cow! I did that? Wow!" And he wins the tournament with a gimmick.
I noticed that too. It was off-putting. I got that same vibe in Karate Kid II, especially in the scene where he managed to break the 6 sheets of ice with one hand chop. His reaction was so childish, it was like he was saying, "Wow, I actually did it! Mr. Miyagi and his bag of karate tricks really work!" -
preachcaleb — 1 year ago(March 18, 2025 04:44 PM)
I like that it wasn't the same as Rocky.
Daniel is just a 17 year old kid. Rocky was older and bit more bitter. He worked as muscle for loan sharks. He had more experience in the real world and that showed in his character. Rocky was angry. Daniel was scared. He'd had only about six weeks of actual training. Miyagi agrees to teach him after his assault on Halloween and the tournament is in mid December.
Heck, Rocky had had many professional fights. He knew how they went. Daniel was competing in his very first tournament against seasoned competitors.
So many stories, so little time.