The Karate Kid Part III
The Karate Kid Part III
PG | 29 June 1989 (USA)
The Karate Kid Part III Trailers

Despondent over the closing of his karate school, Cobra Kai teacher John Kreese joins a ruthless businessman and martial artist to get revenge on Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.

Reviews
Perry Kate Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!
ChikPapa Very disappointed :(
Libramedi Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant
Brooklynn There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.
zkonedog I won't beat around the bush here: At face value, this is a pretty poor film, not even in the same league as the first two installments. However, the touching relationship between Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Maccio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) makes it a worthwhile addition to round out the trilogy.For a basic plot summary, Karate Kid III sees the famous pair have a falling-out over Daniel's karate future. Without Miyagi's guidance, Daniel falls into a trap, requiring him to defend his karate championship (despite his wishes) one more time.There are two major problems with this movie:1. First, the plot is paper-thin and utterly ridiculous. You know Daniel will be competing at the film's climax the second you push play on your remote, so all the "will he, won't he drama" is irrelevant and boring. It doesn't help that the villain of the story is nothing more than a cackling goon with the stereotypical leather jacket and slicked-backed greaseball ponytail. He's more ridiculous than truly hateable.2. Second, is the meaningless entry of yet another love interest for Daniel. This relationship goes absolutely nowhere and ultimately just wastes time that could have been spent more productively elsewhere.Luckily, KK3 is somewhat redeemed by one bright spot: Miyagi's care for Daniel. Perhaps one of the best mentor-mentee relationships in film history reaches even greater depths here when Daniel's "karate faith" is tested to the maximum. Despite all the contrived drama, you'll still be emotional at film's end due to the touching emotional bond between the duo.So, while this is easily the worst of the original Karate Kid trilogy, it is worth watching for the two title characters alone.
yihdzelonh In the "Karate Kid III," La Russo has returned home from Japan and his demeanor and Karate skills, very strangely, are so inept that one would never believe that he has ever so much as 'practiced' any kind of Karate move -much less been good enough at one point to have even entered a tournament -and even much less 'won' it. His physique is very 'non-linear, his athleticism and stamina completely non-existent -- his walk is reminiscent of a 'miniature Big Bird.' Everything about him is absolutely 'pathetic' to the point of being a 'parody' of his former self...so much that it is quite 'hilarious' to watch...Throughout the movie he very effiminately talks and screams like Judy Garland -in the Wizard of Oz- and his naive face looks very similar to that of "Princess Leia." The "Karate bitch" is preyed upon by one of Kreese's friends -and an upcoming 'bully karateka' in numerous ways: La Russo is 'coerced' against his will into entering the annual tournament...and the gullible retard LaRusso is easily tricked by Kreese's pal that he wants to befriend and train LaRusso.The movie -a parody of the previous two Karate Kid movies -has many absolutely hilarious moments: The 'bully karateka' slapping LaRusso around inside of the bonzai gift shop and then taking off in his car whilst doing a few 'doughnuts' before narrowly missing a train, LaRusso asking Miyagi to show him 'sweeps' and Miyagi instead showing Danielson how to use a 'broom,' Silver training Danielson to become an aggressive 'pitbull' of a fighter by having Danielson breaking wooden stilts, Danielson breaking the nose of a boy 'hitting' on his girlfriend at a dance, and especially the entire final tournament: the 'bully karateka' yelling profanities at Danielson telling him his karate isn't worth (*bleep*) and then being 'psyched out' by Danielson in the finale and losing the tournament.The 1980s is a decade rife with 'awesomely-bad' movies (perhaps much more than any other decade) and The Karate Kid III -though in most repects a 'bad' movie- is nonetheless somehow VERY 're'-watcheable...and one of the most 'awesomely-bad' movies I've ever seen. It is also easily one of the most 'unintentionally'-funny (or WAS it 'intentionally-funny'?) movies I've ever seen. One of my favorite movies of all time. 5 stars.
SnoopyStyle Disgraced karate teacher John Kreese loses his students and his dojo. He finds help from his Vetnam war buddy Terry Silver who is a wealthy toxic waste disposal businessman. Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) return from Okinawa to find their apartment being demolished. Daniel uses his college fund to buy Miyagi a bonsai tree workshop. Jessica Andrews (Robyn Lively) makes pottery across the street. Terry Silver buys properties for Kreese to restart his dojo. Miyagi won't let Daniel defend his title. Terry recruits thugs to force Daniel to enter the tournament. Miyagi won't train him and Terry tricks him into being his student. Terry teaches him all the wrong techniques.The major problem is that this repeats the original and even ends with the same tournament. There are also a few minor annoyances. I doubt the cops would ignore the vandalism and the beatings. There has to be a more devious way to force Daniel into the tournament. Those young thugs are cheesy villains but Thomas Ian Griffith is infinitely worst. I love Martin Kove but his character mostly gets sidelined. The most disappointing is Daniel himself. After all these years, he has not grown much. The third film should have Daniel be a big brother to someone else. It's an obvious way for the franchise to continue but they decide to do a repeat.
moviemattb After watching the first two movies, I might as well give my thoughts on this one because I have never seen this one, and I heard that this one isn't good. So, what's the story? "The Karate Kid, Part III" picks up where the second one left off (like the first one, recapping scenes as flashbacks like in the "Rocky" movies) as both Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi return home to Los Angeles after their trip in Okinawa started working a business of themselves by selling bonsai. Meanwhile, Kreese is now broken down after losing his students due to his behavior at the All-Valley Tournament wants revenge on Daniel and Miyagi as he calls in his old friend Terry Silver, who they serve together during the Vietnam War. So Terry agrees, and makes Daniel to be a bad influence by teaching Karate in the wrong way; its now up to Miyagi and Daniel to go one more round against Kreese; Terry; and their student Mike Barnes. First off, I don't mind the idea of a revenge story for Kreese getting revenge on Daniel and Miyagi, but it was not well executed enough. Secondly, didn't the filmmakers learn their lessons to make Macchio's character not be bullied like what he had in the first two movies? Guess not. Third, the new love interest Jessica Andrews played by Robyn Lively who I think is an okay actress in this movie but doesn't seem that interesting to me. I felt that it would've been something if either make our main hero be together with Kumiko from the second movie or renew his relationship with Ali from the first film; its one or the other but I think they are much better love interest in this girl in the third movie. Fourth, the ending is so anti-climatic because there nothing exciting going on, it has just gone back to basics like what the first movie did. I wish the action in the last act of movie would have been something new and different. Why not have Daniel go against Terry? If "Rocky V" can do that, so can this. What I mean is teacher against student. Miyagi is the good and Terry is the bad. Terry is suppose to be a bad influence for Daniel because he wants him to fight dirty and do what he does; he also has more of a personality than Mike Barnes. The first two movies where always about Daniel going against a bad student; this is one would have been something new and different if a student goes against a teacher. Daniel would have just said to Terry that he doesn't want to fight Mike Barnes, he wants to fight Terry because like said be a bad influence. That is what the ending should have been. Lastly, for my criticism, I wish if this movie hasn't taken the "Rocky III" route if you had Miyagi saying that he doesn't want to train Daniel anymore. Just like Mickey saying to Rocky "Fight him without me." Anything good? Yes. I thought the movie does have some good acting, but for Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. I am sure that these two will always have a chemistry than Morita having a chemistry with Hilary Swank, which I might review that one. For Macchio, I know he is a fine actor, but he looks old to be a teenager. Should have been called "The Karate Man" or something, which that would have been something if you are going for a different approach to the series. Also, his character is a bit to aggressive when he keeps having issues with bullies and losing his temper. The filmmakers would have made his character smart, but no, they didn't learned their lesson. The music by Bill Conti is very good as well as the film's cinematography. John G. Avildsen is a fine director, but he doesn't add anything new to the table besides bringing the old stuffs back. Of course, I do say Thomas Ian Griffith plays a very well done villain and I still wish if his character fights Macchio's character instead of Mike Barnes. The movie is watchable, but it is misguided. Sometimes I thought the series should have end with the second one. "The Karate Kid, Part III" is not the worst, but has its moments. I give it a 4 out of 10.