Bad movies I love part 14.

I really can't think of why I haven't posted about this movie already. The Karate Kid is really one of those terrible films that strikes a chord in all who've seen it, especially at a tender age.

I still remember watching it in the theatre with my dad. I marveled at the wisdom of the good Mr Miyagi and drooled over the uber hot Elizabeth Shue. I didn't care how much you had to stretch your imagination to believe this simple albeit touching story of a geeky kid who whoops ass on his tormentors, the Karate Kid was the movie to cherish for every young boy.

The Karate Kid is formulaic, corny, and simple, but you simply don't care. The crane kicking wuss made you cheer and yes even you wanted to plant your fist across the evil Johnny's nose. You were sold on the premise alone and really is that such a bad thing? It was after all entertaining and I for one salute the film for not being pretentious. It's a simple sports film centered around the martial arts and there's hardly anything to find offensive about this, unlike many movies in that genre.

Now watching it as an adult you laugh at the ridiculous Cobra-Kai dojo and it's absurd sensei. And yes you really have to turn your brain off to believe that any of the beat downs Daniel suffered would've likely cost him an organ in real life, but every time you hear the line 'sweep the leg' chills hit your spine.

Don't deny your love for this film, embrace it. For those that turn their noses at this review tell me the song below doesn't touch your cold black heart.

I need to switch gears and post about an overrated film soon. Any ideas? Matt?

"Formulaic, manipulative, hokey....and thoroughly rousing.....the film's sincerity and poignance have a way of steamrolling over gaps in plausibility and logic." - Steven D. Greydanus