Ranking Karate Kid Movies
Blog Andrew Joseph 29 May , 2025 0
Karate Boy: Legend Opening this week, bringing together the 80s karate children's movies and the 2010 reboot – there was once the same schedule/continuity as the original franchise.
Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan are now serving as Daniel Larusso and Mr. Han of Karate and Kung Fu respectively, Karate Boy: Legends are bridging these two worlds in ways that have never been imagined. So, in honor of this new climax, we rank all five Karate Kid movies for you!
Yes, to answer your burning question, Netflix Cobra Kai Canon, who is still a legend. This doesn't mean that the Cobra Kai character will pop up there, but Legends doesn't discount or deny Cobra Kai's actions. occur Three years After the Cobra Kai finale, the legend involves Mr. Chen, seeking Daniel Larusso to be played by Ben Wang (American-born Chinese) with the help of training and mentoring student Li fong.
So which is the best karate boy movie? The original works feature Miyagi, once the late great Pat Morita, directing Daniel (or Hilary Swank's Julie) through violent clashes in life, while the reboot brings Chen and Jaden Smith to the early Miyagi/Daniel characters. This is the ranking of all karate kids flicks!
Honorary nomination: Cobra Kay
It's a transpiration series, so it doesn't qualify here, but Cobra Kay is a huge miracle in The Realm of Traditional Sequels. Here are six season follow-ups of the first three Karate Kids movies, which brings back almost every old character you can think of, redeem them, polish new lights at them, and spin them in a fantastic way. At the same time, a new generation of karate students and their own interpersonal dramas were introduced. Cobra Kai is so interesting that it creates a new fan base for the series, many of whom don't even know the show is a show-based movie.
5. The next Karate Boy (1994)
A true outlier in Karate Boy Legend involves Mr. Miyagi in Boston and offers a house exchange with his old war partner's widow so he can try to weirdly spy on her angry, sad granddaughter Julie (Hilary Swank).
Yes, nothing is more ideal than a traumatized teenage girl who just puts her parents in a car accident because her grandmother can’t deal with her and needs a break because she lives with an old stranger. The Next Karate Kid isn't a horrible movie in itself, but no one called on Miyagi's wisdom in the mid-90s (especially when part of it was during the “change” Julie's angry phase, wearing angry girls, wearing a dressed girl) Dugen obviously had the freedom to rule over beating kids and/or order them to jump bungee jump and dive bombs. Anyway, Julie kicked their ass.
4. Karate Boy Third (1989)
Over the years, there have been more and more retro identifications for the third part of Karate Children, some of which may be related to Cobra kai, especially how to redeem (or at least call) the more bizarre elements of the film.
By 1989 – especially given how crowded '89 summer with big blockbusters – Miyagi/Larusso Shtick's dress is a bit thin. It's not the right time for a new Karate Kid movie, and of course, these two best friends fall down and Daniel briefly succumbs to his dark side anger.
But the third part – Although it involves the millionaire toxic waste giant Cartoon Park, who seeks emotional and physical revenge against a teenage boy because he humiliates his old military friend, there is still a silver lining of (Terry). Of course, Daniel is weirdly goodbye to the final round as the All Valley champion (which is a stupid new game rule), but the film still peaks in a big showdown. Adult men and karate “bad boy” Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan) try to ruin the teenagers' lives, and it barely does not, blow up their faces. All of this leads to Cobra Kai being banned from Whole Valley and…well, you have to watch the rest of Cobra Kai. It does get better.
Ranking Karate Boy/Cobra Kai Series
Ranking Karate Boy/Cobra Kai Series
3. Karate Boy (2010)
The Karate Kid in 2010 is an effective reboot, and one would think that given the box office success, there will be a much earlier follow-up event than in 2025. It may even continue to be Jaden Smith as the star.
One of the most surprising things about this karate boy is actually loyalty as an actual remake. Like, all the story beats come from the original 1984 film. From mom trying to get her son excited to Smith’s new place, avenge his school bullies to Smith’s Dray, to his new girlfriend’s parents who disapprove of parents…it’s almost one-on-one. Usually, this is not what we expect to restart now. Everything is usually a new sight for old materials. No, not this. It played hits.
Again, everything still works. Smith's Dray is a flattering lead, and Chen is as good as Han (although his backstory seems a bit also Dark), the Chinese environment makes this story a nice karate to the refresh of the prince.
2. Karate Children Part Two
Karate Boy Part Two is an excellent sequel that sends Miyagi and Daniel to Okinawa and embroider them in the old Miyagi girlfriend drama. It makes a lot of money, has a hit song (The Glory of Love by Peter Cetera), and sweetly continues the story of Daniel and Miyagi's alternative friendship. Ending Daniel's on-screen relationship with Elisabeth Shue, it feels like a typical sequel cheating, but Daniel has a better summer romance with Tamlyn Tomita's Kumiko for our money.
The second part is not as weird as the first movie, but offers these merchandise as a follow-up because they recognize that Daniel and Miyagi fans care, no matter where they are. Daniel's mom is eliminated (although not as funny as she's in the third part), and the rest are reverberating very much in the best pace of the first movie: New Girl, New Girl, New Bullying, Secret Action, The Last Fight (This Time Death!), etc. In fact, it has more in common with the 2010 retraining. Still, the second part is more or less the exact sequel you are making.
1. Karate Boy (1984)
In 1984, Rocky director John Avildsen (who'd go on to direct two Karate Kid sequels as well) gave us another rousing, emotional underdog story, this time about a teenage boy, freshly translated from New Jersey to LA's San Fernando Valley, who forms an unlikely friend with an elderly Japanese man and wins a regional karate tournament. Morita) was nominated for the Oscar for his portrayal of Mr. Miyazaki’s war veteran/karate teacher.
Do you know how to go back to the future, and they will never explain that Marty and Doc Brown are friends? Like, this kid and this ancient weirdo are bffs, no one blinks? The Karate Kid actually stepped in to make you invest and believe in the close connection formed by a tortured teenager and a secluded handyman (he is a karate master). Since moving to California, you believe it when Daniel, who still finds trouble, tells Miyagi that he is his best friend. And, you buy newbie Daniel Larusso, who can compete in the Karate Championship with just about a month of training, as Miyagi gives him the basics needed for fighting and winning (strategically and ideologically and ideologically, defensively).
Karate Boy is one of the most fun and inspiring movies of the 80s. It has a great script, powerful performance and exciting story. First Love, the typical '80s bully (played by William Zabka) and the iconic special Ace-the-leeve Kick.
Still most.
What is your favorite in the series? Add your layer list above and let's discuss it in the comments!