The Karate Kid Part III
1989 · Directed by John G. Avildsen
Original language: English
- action
- family
- drama
- adventure
The story
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.
What it’s like
Bright, sun-washed Southern California in the late eighties: saturated daylight on strip malls, beaches and dojo mats, with a slightly glossy, straightforwardly lit 35mm look that never tries for much atmosphere. Camera work is conventional and workmanlike, mostly medium shots and tidy coverage of training sequences, with the tournament finale staged as bright, crowd-filled sport. Sound leans on a synth-and-guitar pop score, cheerful montage rock, and the crack and thud of sparring, so it plays loud and bouncy rather than quiet. Vibe: sunny, earnest, old-fashioned underdog comfort. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a nostalgia rewatch, or easy background viewing. Pacing is brisk and episodic, the emotional register warm and sincere, with a grown-up man and a restless teenager each learning to forgive and to trust a little more. Intensity is moderate: a fair amount of fighting and bullying, with punches and kicks landing in tournament and street confrontations, but no gore, and the cruelty stays light and cartoonish. It is for viewers who want a feel-good, mildly corny action film about family loyalty and second chances.
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