The Next Karate Kid - PG
Common Sense Note
Parents should know that kids will see recurring, vengeful beatings and hear a moderate smattering of "hells" and "damns." As throughout this series, fighting and one-upsmanship seem to make everything okay. A Vietnam-era military man is cast as the fascist creep. There's also reckless driving, bungee jumping, overtones of teen sexual harassment, Zen arrow catching -- and that's aside from the Mortal Kombat-style showdowns.
Families who see this movie might discuss sequels. Why is Hollywood so fond of making sequels, even though they are nearly without exception pale imitations of the original? Is it safer (or even less expensive) to rely on characters, situations, and plots that have already proven popular? Are you often disappointed with sequels? Do you still see them, anyway? If so, why? If not, why not?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Charles Cassady, Jr.
Eager-to-please material offers an unsuccessful mix of warm relationships, stark brutality and hit 1990s rock songs. A couple of charming moments, like the dance-teaching scene, are undermined by a predictable, violence ridden story.
"I don't think you know anything about girls!" bleats a reckless female teenager, being straightened out by the martial-arts wisdom of a kindly old Japanese karate master. Folks behind this movie don't seem to know much about girls. Or boys. Or grownups. But they sure know how to stage a fight.
Karate master Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita) leaves his California home to attend a ceremony honoring WWII veterans like himself. There he meets the widow of an old army buddy whose orphaned 17 year-old granddaughter, Julie (Hilary Swank), is in perpetual trouble at her Boston high school. Miyagi thinks he can help. At school Julie is stalked by a bullying gang of athletes. At a Buddhist monastery, Miyagi teaches the rebellious girl self-esteem and self-defense. He even shows her how to dance, in preparation for the upcoming prom. Julie is a changed person now. But the jock bullies are not. Under orders from their coach, they crash the prom and later beat Julie's boyfriend. Enter Julie and Miyagi; she uses her karate to defeat the lead bully, while Mr. Miyagi trashes the cruel adult.
Original actor Ralph Macchio was a a little too old to be a karate "kid," when this formulaic sequel was assembly-lined out, so he's been replaced. Never mind that newcomer Hilary Swank and most of her fellow high schoolers all look to be in their mid-20s. The gender change does this Karate Kid sequel little good. In fact, it adds a disturbing sexual threat when the slavering jocks chase Julie through the deserted high school at night.
The gentle, cross-cultural, cross-generational friendship between Miyagi and his new student is undercut by the inevitable brawls. Whether with creeps in the classroom (just what young viewers need, more images of black-clad school predators) or rednecks at a gas station, fisticuffs are never far off.
"Miyagi always look for way not to fight," says the peace-loving old man in his pidgin English. Yeah, sure; if Miyagi ever succeeded, Hollywood would find way not to make movie! Noriyuki "Pat" Morita also lent his voice to a far better feature about a girl warrior, Disney's animated Mulan.
Rate It!
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ViolenceRecurring, vengeful beatings. |
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LanguageModerate. Scattered "hells" and "damns." |
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Social BehaviorAs throughout this series, fighting and one-upsmanship seem to make everything okay. Vietnam-era military man is cast as the fascist creep. Reckless driving, bungee jumping, overtones of teen sexual harassment, Zen arrow catching -- and that's aside from the Mortal Kombat-style showdowns. |
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