The Movies That Moved Me: John G. Avildsen’s THE KARATE KID: PART II
It was only recently upon rehashing clips of The Karate Kid: Part II that I realized how much of an impact this film had on me over the years. I’m even inclined to say that it’s my favorite out of the current six-film bunch.
Invariably, and easily, you can fall on how palatable a story these films tell about a fish-out-of-water kid in a new neighborhood, and who finds himself at odds with the local karate badasses while coping with the complexities of young love. That was the first film, while these themes are then transferred from the film’s California bearings to Okinawa where our lead character, Daniel (Ralph Macchio), joins his companion and friend, Miyagi (Pat Morita) in response to a letter regarding Miyagi’s ailing father.
Just as things couldn’t possibly get any worse, Miyagi is confronted by rich land developer Sato (Danny Kamekona) who has more than a bone to pick with Miyagi in a years-long grudge that Sato’s own nephew, Chozen (Yuji Okumoto) has chosen to capitalize on with Daniel. As Daniel treads new romantic prospects with Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita), Sato has taken it upon himself to hold Miyagi’s former village home hostage as a bargaining chip in exchange for a chance to settle old scores once and for all. It’s not until a deadly storm sets in that all bets are off and hearts begin to change, leading only one hangup left to untangle as a Daniel is cornered into an end-all-be-all death match with Chozen.
I admit, I wrote all of this out of habit as I didn’t intend to make this a traditional review. I did, however, want to point out what matters most about this film to me, which really pertains to a scene earlier in the film when Daniel comes to Miyagi about a problem, and Miyagi advises him to simply “breathe” in bringing things back into focus. This is something I’ve actually found myself telling friends every now and then, not as a consultational factor since I’m no expert, but as someone who oftentimes feels overloaded and needs a moment of stillness before things can reset properly.
It’s also an amazing measure of Daniel’s character when he’s thrown in all these extraordinary situations, whether its a whim bar bet on an ice breaking challenge with Chosen with The Moody Blues playing in the background, or the rescue of a village girl from a top a shattering bell tower amid heavy wind and rain. I recall trying to play this level on the Nintendo game several times and failing. I don’t know why but I just couldn’t nail it. Unforgettable, really, but invariably it’s a scenic best among bests in a film that, to me, is the best of the Karate Kid franchise.
If you’re ever feeling bogged down by life with your mind running, if it helps, sit for a bit with The Karate Kid: Part II. Either that, or a proper listen to Peter Cetera’s “Glory Of Love” might do the trick.
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Lead image: Columbia Pictures
