[.ca] "The Karate Kid, Part III (Widescreen/Full Screen)"

weakest of the original trilogy:
this movie is hands down,the worst of the original 3.the writing is seriously lacking in this one.the story is weak an not compelling.the protagonist is weaker than the previous 2,by a mile.this whole movie is anticlimactic.very little happens over the course of the film.Basically,Kreese,from the original movie wants revenge on Daniel and Mr Myagi for events that happened during the beginning of the 2nd movie.there is very little wisdom or philosophy dispensed by Myagi in this one.the ending is weak and anti-climatic,to say the least.if you do decide to watch Karate Kid 3,you should watch the previous 2 first,otherwise you might not quite understand what is happening.it is unfortunate that they had to end the trilogy on such a low note.maybe they just couldn't come up with anything better.in which case,they shouldn't have bothered.The movie is watchable,even entertaining at times,but does not live up to The Karate Kid name. 3/5

truly outstanding third installment of the series:
a lot of hate with this one, some of it justified, but who cares! this is simply one awesome movie, and it's a MOVIE. that means it doesn't have to be 100% accurate all the time! Sensei Kresse wants to avenge his humiliation at the end of Part 2, by teaming up with his vietnam partner Terry Silver, what an evil duo! and then, they recruit Mike Barnes, Snake, and Dennis to cause havoc on Daniel and Mr Miyagi, but no way! in the end, against all odds, Daniel and Mr Miyagi overthrow the evil and win. ahh i still remember when i saw this movie in the theatre, and the scene in the dojo where Barnes is beating Daniel into a pulp in front of Kresse and Silver, ('You want to see more?'asks Silver - 'I want to see a LOT more!' shouts Kresse) - but then when Mr Miyagi throws Barnes through the dojo doors to help his student, the entire theatre hall exploded into cheers and screams! that is the power of this movie. tremendous performances from everybody involved, i really can't fault it one bit. A must buy.

Utterly disgraceful:
The original Karate Kid is a masterpiece; a cinematic work of art jam-packed with universal moral lessons, outstanding acting, and jaw-dropping cinematography. The sequel, while not nearly as original as the first, maintains the intense charm, beautiful imagery, philosophical depth, and heart warming music made famous by the first. Then theres part III... I am at a loss for words in attempting to accurately describe the horror that is this movie. The acting is atrocious. The plot is paper thin. The "philosophy", if it can be called that, is total re-hash. The reccuring theme of Daniel having a "secret move" with which he is able to thrash the last boss (sound like any videogames you know of??)is intriguing in the first film, acceptable in the second, and totally inexcuseable in the third. What's worse, the secret move is a kata (Cringe..). I'm not sure how many reading this have ever formally practiced a martial art, but for those of you who have not, katas are not magical spells which confound enemies leaving them bewildered and vunerable to being tossed. Remember that if you are ever mugged. What else is wrong with this movie, lets see...Well, Daniel talks to bonsai trees. Sure, some people enjoy talking to plants, some even says it helps with their growth. Such "plant-talkers" also may be found watering their living-room carpet or baking the cat for 3 hours at 350 degrees. All perfectly healthy behavior, yes, but a bit out of place in a karate kid movie. I could go on about the absurdities scattered about this waste of a film: the karate instructors with personality disorders obsessed with Daniel, who spend the majority of their days threatening Daniel's life (which strangely enough is a crime in some states), the fact that Daniel's beloved mentor and father figure, who has saved his lfe, built him a very nifty shower curtain halloween costume, taught him self-confidence, self-defense, tolerence and discipline, given him a beautifully restored classic car, taken him to Okinawa, and remained one of the only positive influences in his life since his move from New Jersey to California...is abandoned and shunned for Daniel's pride. But then I would be typing all day. This film is an insult to the first two films. Literally, an insult. It is an insult to me, personally, and to everyone who knows and loves the characters of Daniel and Miyagi. It was most likely made in the spirit of Rocky V; a last ditch attempt by hollywood high-ups to squeeze the last drops of money-making potential out of a series that had already peaked, done at the expense of the series' reputation for quality. Shame on you, karate kid 3, shame! (The one star rating is based on the fact that it does contain SOME nice scenic shots and DESCENT music. Other than those two barely redeeming features, the movie is a waste of space. It is unnerving to even imagine that such a piece of complete trash could be released by a major hollywood studio. This may sound harsh, but if you havent seen it, judge for yourself. Rent it. If nothing else it is a great "invite your friends over and die laughing at the horrible images on the tv screen" movie.)

Even on DVD, Mike Barnes is Karate's Bad Boy:
Though he is in soap operas now, this film displays Mike's young days as a brash, fighting machine. He uses "quicksilver" to destroy his opponents, and Daniel-San gets a taste of this ferocity as he wets his pants when he is flung from the Cobra Kai dojo. Many feel that the real winner in the tournament was Mike Barnes, and I am among them. Perhaps the most tainted victory in the history of the "Under 18 All Valley Tournament," Daniel wins in distasteful fashion. You be the judge. The downside of the tournament is that Cho-sen, Johnny and Bobby did not compete. But this is negated by the return of Sensei John Kreese and the sensational debut of Terry Silver. This is the premier movie in the series. A mix of existentialism (another reviewer noted how it was reminiscient of Kafka) and homosexuality, this film is a profound, influential work of our times; indeed, as Daniel-San states, "this is the 80's, you can't be so damn passive!" Ultimately, the movie is about freedom, human anguish, and bravery. As Camus wrote about the war in Paris (which is the only thing that barely comes close to the intense fighting in this film): This huge \oDaniel Larusso\c, all black and warm in the summer night, with a storm of \oMexicans\c overhead and a storm of \oCobra Kais\cin the streets, seems to us more brightly lighted than the City of Light the whole world used to envy us. It is bursting with all the fires of hope and suffering,it has the flame of lucid courage and all the glow, not only of liberation, but of tomorrow's liberty.

A Diasappointing Third Chapter:
We purchased this item on the strength of the first two movies and were disappointed. It was dark and gratuitously violent. It was almost cartoonish in its portrayal of good vs. evil. One got the feeling that Pat Morita did not want to do this movie and only agreed when they said, don't worry it's a small part anyway, you won't have to say much. They should have stopped after the second movie rather than create this second rate follow up.