Common Sense Note
Parents should know that this movie contains a smattering of swear words, one incident of drug use, and some fairly violent fight scenes.
This is a wonderful film for families to watch together. Its lessons -- about strength, gentleness, generosity and perseverance -- hold value for all viewers regardless of their age. Issues that might lead to discussion are the story of Mr. Miyagi's past and how it affected him, how it feels to have to start over in a completely new environment, and how people can interpret something like karate so differently.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sarah Wenk
It's a rare movie that manages to be both entertaining and enlightening, and to remain so for twenty years. But THE KARATE KID is one of those movies. It's the story of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), who moves with his mother from New Jersey to California and is confronted with a culture he doesn't fit into. After being beaten up several times by students from a local karate school (run by a sadistic teacher), Daniel finds a mentor -- Mr. Miyagi (a wonderful performance by Pat Morita), the maintenance man for Daniel's apartment building. Miyagi agrees to teach Daniel karate, although his methods are unconventional, to say the least. But Daniel learns, and in the very exciting final tournament scene, he puts his lessons to good use.
But there's more to the story than simply overcoming bullies. Daniel learns about Miyagi's painful past and his deep generosity, lessons which are as valuable to him as how to punch, or the now famous "wax on, wax off." Daniel learns about the many different kinds of balance that it takes to become a man, and the audience learns along with him. It's all done with a very light touch -- no preachy speeches, just a gentle unfolding of experience and understanding. The performances are relaxed and natural. Even the obligatory relationship storyline is realistic and unaffected, with Elizabeth Shue as a refreshing normal-weight teenager. This is an excellent film, one that families can share.
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ViolenceQuite a few fights, some in the karate tournament, some not. |
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LanguageModerate. Spoken by the young hero as well. |
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Social Behavior"Fighting doesn't solve anything" says one character, although the script seems to indicate otherwise. Remembrance of US wartime injustices, plus depiction of a Vietnam veteran as a psychopathic scoundrel. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoMarijuana use (by the junior villain). The noble father-figure gets drunk. |
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