Karate Kid Part III (1989) Retrospective / Review

[@GrandUltimateMe]

Terry Silver makes this film.

[@DerekBoldiene360]

The best scene is when Miyagi threw Mike Barnes though the door and took down Mike Barnes, John Kreese and Terry Silver.

[@jasonwilke4103]

Agreed

[@ElTigre12024]

Yes. As weak as this film is, Terry Silver and Mike Barnes made for good villains.

[@danielstack4158]

Bad movie, even Ralph says that, buy they at least got one good character out of the reboot. I remember Siskel and Ebert not liking the movie, but they called out the Terry Silver part as being well acted.

[@PoisonousPen]

“Party time…”

[@mws755]

The whole point of Karate Kid is he's not supposed to be a good fighter. He's an underdog and wins with heart through Mr. Myagi's guidance. If they made him a great martial artist then the whole point of the films would be lost

[@MillerGenuineDraft1980]

I love The Karate Kid movies but does anyone else think that they are a Poor Man's Rocky Series???

[@razkable]

Rocky B their directed buy the same guy john alvidson so yeah he wanted it to be a kids version of rocky basically that's why daniell talks like rocky and is relatable and an underdog

[@MillerGenuineDraft1980]

razkable Yeah i knew John Alvidson was the director, i just thought i would throw that out there. Mr. Miyagi is like as asian Burgess Meredith but with a better sense of humor. I cant be bothered with the Karate Kid remake i will never watch it.

[@razkable]

Rocky B it different but you should watch it its not bad just different its not as good as the first but hey its about kung fu not karate so pretend its not a remake just a stand alone movie called kung fu kid trust me you will like it then its cool and dramatic but funny and Jackie chan is amazing and lets be honest he looks like cause he is in real life like an old master of martial arts mr. miyagi is fat and short lol in the new movie Jackie is not unexpected to kick ass or underrated like miyagi cause he is in shape and famous in the movie its just unexpected to see such a retired legend who is so depressed get back up after life kicked him down so much and the one positive it has over the original is the student helps the master cope in unique way they need each other it isn't a one sided master knows all implied that Daniel is like a son to miyagi relationship the student has to get the master back up off his feet multiple times its interesting the villains suck though their too mean not enough cheesy corniness to make them likeable at the end but im a fan of 80's movies so maybe you like that its darker than the original its more like the second film you hate the villains all the way through to the end 7.9/10 not bad not great though

[@AmerIndianWarrior]

@Rocky B They are both Italian actors and movie characters, Stallone and Macchio, Balboa and Larusso. Same director, music composer, producer you name it. Only thing is Balboa is the boxing under dog while Larusso is the karate under dog. Both good movies Rocky and the Karate Kid.

[@iamthem.a.n.middleagednerd1053]

Daniel Laruso is the only Karate man who got worse at Karate as the movies went along.

[@shuichiminamino5788]

Stuart Otis yo you call people karate man too lmao I thought I was the only one

[@sainttrunks1982]

Did if you watched or paid attention in the movie his Karate got Better as the movie went along after cobra kai lessons. Just Because Mike Barnes's karate was 'levels' above his doesn't mean Daniel's was worse. #TheirAreLevelsToThis

[@riusins]

Nah the second movie was perfect he beat chozens ass. Third movie was a total let down. Should've never even been made.

[@donkique956]

Even now with the new Kobra Kai episodes... he still sucks.

[@iluomobravo]

Stuart Otis hahahahahaha

[@porcu12345]

Tbh I really enjoy how Karate Kid 3 explores Daniels mental health, his anxiety and self doubts. Then his strained relationship with Miyagi. It's definitely different in that regard.

[@jjmah7]

“He {Daniel} acts like he’s been snorting cocaine. One minute he won’t shut up and then gets all pissed off on his come down” LOL!!!! So true

[@bathrat]

Terry Silver and the score make this movie.

[@OliverHarper]

+bathrat Definitely!

[@liamgardner527]

+Charlie g oh please!!!

[@MJforlife-777]

agreed. as for daniel. bloody hell. i hated him in this film. shouldent he be you know wiser????

[@BrooklynAvenue]

Terry Silver eats dinosaur ass. He sucks and his character is one of the worst, most overblown middle school level written pieces of shit in the history of the galaxy.

[@DlCKWALLACE]

Agreed.

[@Therealtlorenzo1]

it's crazy that Ralph Machio was damn near 30 in this film and looks like a teenager.

[@Therealtlorenzo1]

+Therealtlorenzo1 Wow I posted my previous comment before I even started watching the review and he mentioned his age in it. Now I don't feel like I have special information. JK

[@JayDee284]

+Therealtlorenzo1 U should see him today he's in his 50's but looks around his 30's

[@Therealtlorenzo1]

.

[@Therealtlorenzo1]

JayDee284 I have seen him lately and you are right he does look like he is in his 30's

[@ChrisWolff2013]

The guy was born in the fountain of Youth.

[@mrmacross]

This movie qualifies for "So bad it's good." My favorite parts of unintentional hilarity are that he fights a duel to the death in part two, but then in part three is terrified of a bully. I also like how referee Pat Johnson gives Barnes nothing but warnings after the repeated dirty cheap shots.

[@tennessee2828]

@ This is the answer!

[@RonnieG]

Terrible movie lol

[@RyBreadisRyGuy]

Exactly! That's always been my gripe with this film. How can you come back victorious to a death match but afraid of a guy in a tournament?!

[@ElTigre12024]

That’s why this should have been part 2 and the trip to Okinawa should have been saved for last. The stakes were much higher in Daniel’s fight with Chozen.

[@Haerinx87]

Daniel was also terrified of Chozen.

[@pickynicky2112]

Man, I'm addicted to these classic retrospectives:)

[@williamozier918]

As far as the weak fighting of the Karate Kid, it's because it was aimed at feasible karate that the viewer could do. Like, very few people are actually going to be able to be a VanDamme or a jackie Chan or a Steven Segall. BUT someone could be a Daniel Laruso. That was the true charm of this movie. It presented a level of heroism which was realistically obtainable by the audience.

[@MorganKing95]

Watching the first movie always motivated me to continue practicing karate when I was younger, because I felt Daniel and I were similar and on the same level. Watching really skilled martial artists like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris for example can be motivating, but not in the same way

[@HurricaneDDragon]

William Ozier What they use in these movies is not karate at all.

[@mnightshade107]

@bee boo 😂😂😂😂

[@rodneysettle8106]

Jkd Buck76 he did in the karate kid 2.

[@undeadwarfare828]

He punched Chozen in the grion after getting money stolen from him in Karate kid 2.

[@ulaghchi]

Terry Silver is movie magic. And LaRusso's pathetic martial artistry this time is hilarious.

[@edwardfeeney1258]

I deff agree it was a stollen blackbelt from part 1 so he can enter tournament 2 months of lessons don’t make no blackbelt with no history of martial arts lessons he didn’t belong in tournament nor should he have won

[@ChristianDoig]

Mike Barnes, is that you?

[@willycheez7218]

He was fighting like the best underage karate fighter in the region lol

[@darthmong7196]

Then Cobra Kai must've been like Christmas to you too.

[@AtlasIsShruggingNow]

Karate Kid 3 wasn't a disappointing end to the series. I liked it almost as much as the original. The Next Karate Kid was a disappointing end to the series.

[@AtlasIsShruggingNow]

I've learned that it's best to be honest & open about what you think & feel regardless of who agrees or not. Sometimes I agree with the popular opinion & sometimes I don't but I call a spade a spade regardless & always have reasoning behind what I like & don't like.

[@lingeringquestions519]

I loved the third movie and The Nest Karate Kid. I just figured Daniel had moved out, like kids do and was living his own life. I loved the main girl, because she had so many girly traits and also had a chip on her shoulder in a way girl characters don't always get. Mr. Miyagio was as cool as ever and I new there was something special about the way he and other Japanese American soldiers were honored during the first few scenes.

[@GisherJohn24]

This is not a good movie by any stretch. 3 was overall pretty bad when you put it against the original and even 2. Terry Silver IMO was the only redeeming factor. Bad writing didn't help much either. A day after Daniel beat the most deadliest of fighters (The Chozen) in Part 2, he come back a weak, bumbilng bafoon. Why was he scared? He was just a wimp. They could have really made the ending better by Daniel having an epic flashback during the fight with barnes and having all the lessons he learned and all the enemies he faced in the past and then unleash on Barnes at the end of 3. It could have been so much more.

[@christianblade2052]

AtlasIsShruggingNow Then to add insult to injury they decide to do a crappy remake of the story with Jaden Smith.

[@lingeringquestions519]

I liked that one, it was just different, although Jaden Smith was too young to be portrayed without his shirt, like he's a big guy, but it may have been a partial joke, to show how he sees himself. I don't like it as much as the first and it should be The Kung fu Kid, but I like how we see the little boy have to grow up so fast, as he takes care of the adult he wanted to take care of him, and how that man must learn to be a proper adult.

[@jameskennedy4377]

I had the opportunity to ask John Avildsen (very nice man, btw) about the Karate Kid films and one thing I mentioned was that it was unusual to have a film/film series featuring a master/student relationship where the master does not eventually die, leaving the student to conquer his enemies on his own. I told him I was surprised that at some point in Part 3, Miyagi did not die. Avildsen said he had proposed a twist to that traditional storyline for Part 3 where Daniel would be killed and it would be up to Miyagi to carry on without him. Predictably, the studio balked.

[@Iconhulk]

+James They were right.. Daniel dying..? How they would've even played that out in a PG.. No way.. PG-13 and R Yes, it's possible.. PG not possible.. I could understand even see Mr. Miyagi dying but not Daniel..

[@jameskennedy4377]

It definitely would have been risky but I like when movies take risks.

[@brucewayne1662]

Uuum they did the right thing.

[@wrmty56413]

Terry Silver fought in the Vietnam War??? Reminds me of that line in "Falling Down" - "What the hell were you, a drummer boy? You must have been eight years old!"

[@RustyX2010]

well if Terry Silver was in his late 30's in 1989 then its possible that he was in Vietnam

[@teejay3698]

RustyX2010 when did nam end?

[@RustyX2010]

1975

[@andybliss5965]

Born in 1960, they stopped sending people in 73

[@royfr8136]

In the movie could pass for a young looking 38- 40...easily.....I’m 41 and people think I’m younger. If the movie is set in 1984: 85...and he’s 40.....then in 1973he was old enough

[@GAJ0003]

After his life and death fight against Chozin , Barnes should have been easy pickings. The final fight should have been against Kreese and Silver after he defeats Barnes.

[@panthergecko77]

GAJ0003 ikr a final fight with Silver would’ve been so epic

[@brandonh9557]

I've been saying this for years. It never made sense to me that Daniel would be scared of Mike Barnes after fighting Chozen at the end of Part II.

[@butterflyfieldtrips]

Totally agree. He fought Chozen in a fight to the death and won. That should have developed Daniel's character and fighting skills for KK III.

[@highjim7778]

Mike was a national level tournament fighter, he wouldve smashed chozin and daniel in a street fight or tournament fight he was trying to win.

[@SomethingThatSCREAMS]

It's because karate kid was essentially remaking Rocky. And karate kid 3 is kind of a lot like Rocky 3. Where Rocky feared Mr T and was badly beaten and intimidated early in the movie.

[@raykelley4585]

You've got some editing skills! The mini trailers you cut for your reviews often make mediocre films look epic.

[@OliverHarper]

+ray kelley Thank you very much Ray!

[@herbie747]

This is now my favourite YT channel. Only found it the other day & I'm addicted. Sitting here stoned going through old movies. Great editing work, Oliver. Excellent research & narration flow too.

[@SpeedBoost]

Ralph is 28 in this? That is insane, maybe he's a secret Highlander or something.

[@LetsGoMetsGo33]

and the guy who played Terry Silver was 27. The Vietnam vet was younger than the recent high school grad.

[@raymondjblaze7761]

That is how we are supposed to age.

[@SimonAshworthWood]

Indeed. He should play an immortal in the next Highlander film. 🤗

[@SimonAshworthWood]

@@raymondjblaze7761 yep. If we live healthy, we look younger than people the majority of people of the same age, because they live unhealthy lifestyles.

[@raymondjblaze7761]

@@SimonAshworthWood facts G. 100

[@TripleRp]

I thought it was hilarious that Daniel got his a$$ handed to him throughout the entire movie. For that, Karate Kid III was hilarious.

[@luapssub2415]

Karate Kid 3 is Great...idk why it gets bashed all the time...I think its my favorite after the first

[@CajunMetalHead1994]

luap ssub Well I think its the weakest of the franchise because he constantly gets beat up. You would think by the third movie he could handle himself in a fight against mostly anyone. Look at the fight scene at the end of the second movie, he wasn't great, but could fight pretty well.

[@luapssub2415]

terry fucking silver enough said lol

[@TeleeClips]

CajunMetalHead1994 The tagline of the original movie was "The secret to Karate lies in the mind and heart, not in the hands." I think they were trying to follow that in KK3 and Daniel was supposed to losing his way, getting angrier and losing his focus. It's not until the end of the movie that Daniel snaps out of it, goes back to his original training and wins the tournament. Based on that though it doesn't make sense that someone just as angry and irrational as Barnes could beat up Daniel so badly. In the end I guess Avildsen just wanted to conclude the trilogy by going full-circle and just ended up rehashing the first film. He made the same mistake with Rocky 5.

[@elitesociety1204]

TripleRp What are you laughing at? Daniels foes wouldn't be friends with you either. They are the type that admires John Rocker. You see any dope homie fools in any of the movies? If Daniel wasn't of the social elite and was a dope homie fool(wigger). You be on his side.

[@mattleuty5285]

No matter how much this film can be disliked for numerous reasons, I always watch it when it comes on. Nostalgia is very powerful and at 38 I feel this was my film era. The biggest disappointment for me was when the light switch "accidentally" gets knocked and we don't get a proper fight scene between Myagi, Silver and Kreese. I would have loved to see a good Myagi show piece because we were denied it in part 2 with Sato. KK3 could and should have been so much more but we really need to cherish and protect it for what we have when the likes of Will Smith and family think they have the right with all the money they have to come and take a piss on the Karate Kid franchise with their abomination of a Karate Kid movie.

[@mattleuty5285]

TheYorkMan Yeah you are right. Sometimes I love the characters from a film that much, that when a bad sequel is made, I go into denial mode and justify it in my mind and try and convince myself that it's not all bad!!!

[@boneyard009]

Is it me or did karate kid 3 made sense?? I've always thought out from 1-3, Daniel, afraid of bully's, 2, Daniel is afraid of loosing a loved one, 3, Daniel is afraid of life. Can't be afraid of none of these things. Must Believe in yourself. Be true to your heart

[@EvaFull]

Terry Silver just steals every scene he is in. I’ll never forget when I 1st rewatched this during college around 2008 & just fell in love with this movie from an all new over the top cheesy perspective. Now it is one of the my most watched/loved “So Bad It’s Good Movies” right up there with others like Showgirls, Robocop 3 (the unintended comedy is so much funnier than the actual intended comedy), The Class of Nuke ‘Em High & The Toxic Avenger.

[@yethboth7873]

This is my favourite Karate Kid film despite it getting a negative reception by the critics. I like how in this film that Miyagi's relationship with Daniel has evolved into a father figure which they both become very close. I really like the score in this film as it is a highly emotional score. I also like how Daniel was full of self-doubt within himself throughout the film but then comes out on top in the end and overcomes his fear. The final scene where he and Miyagi hug each other is really moving.

[@Nostalgic90s765]

My main criticism of this movie was always that it didn't make sense as the third film. It didn't make sense that Daniel was afraid of Barnes after he had a death match in KKII. But then when I watched the trilogy for the first time with someone who hadn't seen it before and they pointed out that it made sense to them because after KKII Daniel probably got PTSD, lol. It's never mentioned in the movie, but when you look at Daniel's behavior throughout KKIII, it kind of makes sense. Now, if I view it in that light, KKIII has become an excellent film.

[@steveleeart]

The fight between Miyagi, Kreese and Silver was very good - I always thought that was how Yoda might have fought... slow, paced but able to react and deliver strong blows as needed. This is how Yoda should've fought in episodes 2 and 3 - not jumping and flying around everywhere like something out of cirque de soleil! I also love the musical score in this film, but agree that the whole thing was done without much love... apparently the original idea would have shown us how Miyagi's ancestry came about learning Karate and the writer said it would have had scenes you would have scene later in a movie like CROUCHING TIGER or HERO... too bad the studio didn't trust him enough to do that!

[@Iconhulk]

+Steve Lee You can't hit what you can't catch.. Yoda showed how fast, quick and agile he was..

[@steveleeart]

Iconhulk ... it still looked silly as f*%#

[@Iconhulk]

opinions vary

[@teejay3698]

Plot twist yoda bites you

[@MT20233]

The original Star Wars had slow fighting and that was weak .. yoda was the best swordsman in series he had to be fast to match the speed of others

[@Obiwan1994Kenobi-iv4jf]

I like this movie. I felt it was a decent end to Daniel's story, even though it does admittedly feel incomplete to that regard.

[@VinylEldred]

I don't understand everyone's problem with Daniel in this film he is supposed to be over confident and a hot head after beating Chozen and Johnny anyone would think they are invincible after that.

[@KevinLopez-rl6wq]

"For fans at the time, it could have been so much better." It's a funny a thing, but when I was a little kid, KK part III was my favorite one. Now I recognize it for what it is, but after part II, it's hard for me to imagine where they could have gone with it afterwards. Daniel has hit it off with a cute Okinawan girl who he has a real connection with, he's had a true test of his skills with a fight to the death with Chozen, so what more does he have to accomplish?

[@goldoil1131]

I find the Terry Silver character so hilariously compelling. I can’t stop laughing whenever I think of the concept of a multimillionaire wanting to gang-stalk some local teenage karate champion.

[@GothamKnight84661]

Hey Oliver have you seen Cobra Kai yet?

[@elvisleeboy]

I never realised how much Ralph Machio looked like Gary Lineker.

[@iamnegan938]

elvisleeboy spot on

[@BennysBenz]

Haha thats so true he looks like Lineker in the Japanese league not in the '86 WC.

[@AmerIndianWarrior]

elvisleeboy Aw no he doesn't lol.

[@danielwilliamson6180]

Terry Silver is the Darth Sidious of the trilogy.

[@biguy617]

I guess that makes Kreese The Vader of the trilogy

[@danielwilliamson6180]

@@biguy617 Well, Terry Silver doesn't appear until the 3rd movie. I don't know why I said that.

[@nickperkins8477]

Even when I was eleven years old, I cringed when Terry said “Now, the real pain begins, Danny-boy.”

[@PatTheBatmanFan]

You might be pleased to know that the South Seas apartments are still there, just as they were.

[@renehernandez52]

my least fave , followed by the next karate kid.... but ill admit, kinda guilty pleasure?

[@VincentNoot]

Little did they know Terry would come back with a vengeance 20-25 years later.

[@notmyrealname453]

2:52 I look forward to Terry's brother, Tony Silver, showing up in Cobra Kai season 5.

[@CinemaGulp]

Agreed. This was a really weak film. I think part of the reason was that part 2 was so effective and, in my opinion did everything that a sequel is supposed to do. Change the location, up the stakes, and create a larger scope and situation. Part 3 went backwards in that sense.

[@go-goakins1489]

Compared to Karate kid 4, karate kid 3 wasn't that bad but I always thought Daniel's erratic behavior was a downer. The first and second ones are still cool

[@nklas9997]

Go-go Akins agree! Visited this movie again brought back my childhood and thought it was okay

[@VinylEldred]

It's because they are trying to portray him as a hot head with lots of confidence after beating Johnny and Chozen

[@theserpent8667]

Until recently, I wasn't aware of the existence of the karate kid 4. Looks awful. Should I watch it, or is it a waste of time?

[@VinylEldred]

@@theserpent8667 Are you referring to The Next Karate Kid or Karate Kid with Jaden Smith

[@theserpent8667]

@@VinylEldred The next one. I've seen the remake. Is the next one worth my time, or is it as awful as it looks?

[@tjcarr8097]

I hope they get the story back on track with the Cobra Kai series next year!

[@fredlebhart1393]

They did!

[@dybixs1400]

@@fredlebhart1393 they fucking did

[@hjscollages]

My least favorite out of the original franchise. However, when I was a kid I could watch this movie over and over again.

[@DeathbySkullfxxx]

This film is one of my guilty pleasures. Its not a good movie by any means... Daniels a dick... Silver deals in toxic waste... the movies a cartoon. But I frickin love it. LOL

[@THEremiXFACTOR]

+aicdragon I know what you mean.

[@THEremiXFACTOR]

I think this film is an entertaining watch but of course not nearly as good as the first, or second for that matter. Regarding Macchio's performance, I feel that he was probably trying to play 'young' again. He was supposed to be the same age as in Part 2, but this was made 3 years later. So perhaps he had just kinda forgotten how to play the role in a natural way. As for the fighting, I actually really enjoy the fighting in these movies. It's always fun to watch IMO.

[@rickrude6301]

I head all the top UFC stars use Terry Silvers :"Quick Silver method" of training!

[@locke103]

no wonder so many of them are a joke. traditional martial arts is such a rare thing now.

[@patrickkavanagh7371]

I still like 3, was the first ppv movie I ordered back in the day. Classic villains and love the shot of Daniel and Myagi on the cliff training with music playing, touching little moment with the two one last time in the series.

[@wmlau69]

That movie came out during the summer of 89 dubbed “Summer of Sequels” which included “Ghostbuster 2”, “Indy 3”, “Star Trek 5”, “Lethal Weapon 2” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids 2”

[@midcoastJB007]

Also, Licence To Kill was another major squeal that came out in the summer of 1989. Due to its poor box office performance and other factors going on behind the scenes at United Artists/ MGM is why the James Bond series took a six-year hiatus before Goldeneye came out.

[@bradfordboucher1459]

Silva made Daniel bust his knuckles up, to get back at Mr. Miyagi for making Creese punching thru the window....good call

[@jameswalton5938]

So when will you give a retrospective on Karate Kid 1 and 2 ???

[@finally_startingtopost]

Damn Ollie - you do a really great job. Growing up with these movies in America was fun and there is something about your reviews that really bring that out for me. Keep up the great work - you come off even-handed, smart and effortless in your smooth analysis. Your accent works very well (I'm in Chicago USA) for me too.

[@OliverHarper]

Yes if you do a search on my Channel you will find more Retrospectives!.

[@BigSmokinJoe]

I'd love to hear an Oliver Harper Special on Cobra Kai. I enjoyed it on so many levels. Long may it last!

[@OliverHarper]

yes i do use Siskel and Ebert in many of reviews. :) Thanks for the feedback.

[@iceveiled]

Great video. The first KK is still the best -- an 80's classic. It's the only Macchio KK film that holds up well.

[@michaelconsuegra7316]

That's the only good one to me. As for the two sequels that followed: They're just not likable.

[@rogerserafin]

....and then Chozen from Karate Kid 2 looks for Danial to regain his honor.

[@Fearyourown]

I have to disagree with some of the things you say. Brought up on these films and I love no3 better than 2. I think it's great how kreese is brought back into the fold and the intro of Silver. I've always looked at it as refreshing and with a slight twist. Silver is a fantastic character in this film for sure. With regards to the fight scenes yes simple but way more effective than the 100mph fight scenes that plague films today which are hard to keep up with. The tournament is a bit shite this I agree on I think it would of been better if the story climaxed to an outside street style fight or something like that. Overall I love this film and often watch it over the others. The downside is we never got a Terry silver or Mike Barnes action figure by Remco. Maybe not everyone's cuppa this film franchise but the toyline was wicked 😎

[@midcoastJB007]

Yeah, from what I understand Karate Kid 3 had a really poor marketing campaign behind it when compared to Ghostbusters II, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade and Batman. I am guessing that since the production was so fast paced and due to the movie only having a 10-million-dollar budget overall there was not enough money to invest in marketing the movie, apart from a tie in novelization. Given the popularity of older movies getting toys/collectibles years after the fact, it is a bit surprising that no one has made action figures of Mike Barnes or Terry Silver. Heck, even the Cobra Kai tv series only has a small number of action figures of the characters that appear in the show and not everyone is represented.

[@clarkterrell930]

I don't know what Siskel and Ebert were talking about. There is no blood fest in any of these movies. Mr. Miyagi always believed in fighting as a last resort (he didn't believe in never fighting) and he helps Daniel in the 1st and 3rd movies because Daniel really has little choice but to enter the tournaments to solve his problems. I think that is consistent with his mantra.

[@messybluesboy371]

Ralph Macchio actually didn't want to make this movie, but he had to because it was in the original contract that he would agree to make two sequels

[@OliverHarper]

Wow thank you very much for the great feedback!. I hope you enjoy my other reviews. :)

[@KhadijahJoySams93]

The ending was still beautiful

[@sainttrunks1982]

we agree

[@OliverHarper]

I may cover BATMAN in the next month or so. :)

[@PATS06]

The biggest thing Oliver forgot to mention (not his fault, this movie has so many plot holes) is how in part 2, Daniel defeated an Asian street fighter in a death fight (though he choose to be merciful at the end). Yet in this film, he cannot score "points" in a tournament setting. The movie was not faithful to previous character developments.

[@midcoastJB007]

@PATS06: Indeed, it also did not help that the script was rewritten rather quickly since the studio executives at Colombia Pictures were not very happy with the draft Robert Mark Kamen turned in. Kamen himself later admitted that it was not one of his better pieces of writing.

[@TESNoticias]

Nobody talks of messages which what is really important in the first Karate Kid saga (not even the actors). It's the very important view on how things come and are treated in life, how you see opportunities, how so many people are trended to see things clear or unclear, or weak or they can lose their paths. Karate Kid is really clear on this throughout the WHOLE saga: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE NO ONE, NOT EVEN YOURSELF, AND BE HUMBLE.

[@ButtaMilkBiscuitsGaming]

Lord that first minute with the music just brought me to tears that quick ugh... 40 to 51 seconds really got to me.... Especially seeing before hand Mr Miyagi had just picked up a picture of him and Daniel.

[@HECTOR2006ELPASO]

12:20. "...What the fuck?" I couldn't help but laugh. I don't think you've said that before on any other review. You always sound so calm on your reviews, I wasn't expecting it. Haha.

[@michaelwhite77]

Chozen to me was the best fighter in the whole series, he was brutal and he taught American GI's how to fight, that's hardcore

[@anthonycoscia5501]

I love part 3 It shows how many people can go from, good too bad. I believe it’s a great movie.

[@fusionspace175]

All the things you say are true but I love watching this movie, I love Daniels turn to the dark side. It never disappointed me as a kid and the nostalgia holds strong. And it gave us a strong plot point in season 2 of cobra kai.

[@LordDestroProductions]

Hold up. The South Seas Apts were demolished? In the new Cobra Kai series...its still there.

[@unstoppableExodia]

The best I could say about karate kid 3 is that Terry Silver is a good villain who raises the stakes in an entertaining way. That's what helps this to feel like a ramped up remake of the first film despite its low budget feel. Ralph Macchio's performance is a let down he'd been living too much of the good life and phoned it in a lot as Daniel-san. I didn't get around to seeing the karate kid movies until the late nineties when I was teenager. It was only 2 and 3 shown late at night in the summer holidays and I ended up enjoying them more than expected as I was at an age where nostalgia for the 80s was starting to become a thing and rather than cringe at things like the theme songs and other parts of it that are so 80s I was able to laugh with them and enjoyed the movies as a result. A few years later I downloaded the first karate kid movie and enjoyed it but wasn't overly fussed that the third was so similar to the first. I just accepted that by the third they had run out of ideas and it was a shameless cash grab. I couldn't think of anything better at the time and I didn't pay to see it in '89 so I had no reason to be butthurt about the third film in the trilogy being a little lackluster (especially given how common such a thing can be)

[@dominickmartino2778]

unstoppableExodia I wish they end 3 better but we got cobra kai now and its 🔥

[@unstoppableExodia]

dominick Martino agreed cobra Kai is really good. I've watched the first two episodes and enjoyed it and am weighing up if KZbin red might be worth a trial

[@bradenmerriman5206]

Barnes was also pretty good.

[@unstoppableExodia]

@@bradenmerriman5206 yeah he was basically more of a bad dude than Johnny Lawrence. I found his character to be a little bit two dimensional. Johnny Lawrence showed a bit of humility at the end when he congratulated Daniel immediately after losing to him. I’d still like to see Barnes be brought into season 5 of cobra Kai as the writers have a good track record of giving depth to these characters

[@michaelspikes1506]

This was the best one of the movies

[@therockreviews9007]

love your vids bro , keep up the great work

[@Darzzzzzzz1]

Great review Olly and you voiced most of what I thought about this movie for years. Fun question though who would win in an All Valley fight between Lawerence and Barnes? Ha! Side note - superb editing at the end.

[@manuelpuente7336]

how come that south seas appartments were demolish in this movie, and in the new cobra Kai series Daniel went with Johnny lawrence to the same building remembering when he first moved in

[@CubanAl74]

From what I've heard from comments by Ralph Macchio himself and the director John G. Avildsen, this film didn't turn out the way anyone wanted it to. None of them are happy with the final outcome. As time has gone by, even I as a huge fan of this series notice the flaws in this chapter of the franchise. I remember really liking it when I went to see it in the theater, even going as far as thinking it was the best of the series so far. Now, as an older and more mature adult, I realize that the opposite is true regarding this movie. But I don't think audiences would have responded positively to the film they originally wanted to make. They were originally going to make a film that would have found Daniel and Mr. Miyagi going back to the time of Miyagi's ancestors. I'm not sure if they would've gone back in time or how it would've been done. Shockingly, another idea Mr. Avildsen had was to kill Daniel off at the end. He mentioned this in a recent interview. But I agree with Oliver in regards to Ralph Macchio's performance in this movie. At times he was very hyper and annoying, especially in the scene where he and Jessica are climbing that cliff to retrieve that bonsai tree. That scene is an embarrassment to watch. I cringe when I think about it. I think the movie would've turned out much better if Ralph's performance had been different and if that final fight during sudden death overtime had been more exciting. That was not Daniel's best karate, contrary to what Mr. Miyagi expected. Well, that was my two cents. Over all, this was a great series despite the flaws of the 3rd movie. No remake, sorry Will and Jaden Smith, can replicate the lasting inspiration and joy provided by this classic film series.

[@Iconhulk]

+Alfred Daniel should of known enough Karate by this point and time.. Johnny and Chozen could of taken Barnes to the cleaners..

[@CubanAl74]

The problem with this movie in the end is that it had a poorly-written script. Ralph Macchio himself has mentioned his dislike of this film.

[@AmerIndianWarrior]

Alfred Seijas Yeah the whole plot of KK3 sucks, it made Daniel into a wimp but in KK2 he fought in a death match? Come on now. Like you I saw it in theaters as a kid and was disappointed unlike pt1 and 2. I rather look at 1 and 2 over 3 and forget about NKK and the ridiculous 2010 reboot, they are the worst. I hope they make an actual remake with Karate not Kung Fu in it. Jaden Smith sucks as an actor and so does his dad.

[@AmerIndianWarrior]

Alfred Seijas Can you blame him? It made him into a disrespectful punk with Mr. Miyagi I could not stand seeing that. In 1 and 2 he did not operate like that with him.

[@PATS06]

He is right....A marginal film that benefits from a great score and cinematography...

[@OliverHarper]

Thank you very much for your feedback and im glad you agreed with the points i made. :)

[@shoresean1237]

One major problem I always had was the karma houdini status of the villains. They get beaten, but that is all. They've broken at least a few notable laws, and there really is nothing to stop them from doing this or something like it all over again. Also, as you mentioned, being beaten seems to take nothing away from them. They're still sneering and getting themselves pumped up on their own evil. So the take-downs really don't mean anything.

[@willycheez7218]

That's a good thing. The previous KK villains just disappeared after getting beaten and did nothing after. It makes perfect sense that Terry and Kreese are still lit up here because it's not like Miyagi whooping them in some unsanctioned Cobra Kai dojo scrap is the end of their expansion

[@richardoaks8333]

I always appreciated the hug between miyagi and Daniel. I think its an underrated moment in the series.

[@danielchia5124]

I agree! They had always been so formal with each other, bowing out of respect to each other. It felt right when they finally hugged at the end of Part 3. It felt complete, like the father-son journey was finally complete.

[@JoeChillton]

I do wish an alternate ending existed with Daniel kicking Barnes's ass, then asimple takedown. A villain or henchman like him who's been a pain in Daniel's butt should have gotten his ass handed to him more. I loved the Thomas Ian Griffin after the fight, just gave up like "Sorry bro, you're on your own." Oliver, have you seen the film Crackerjack with him and Christopher Plumber?? You may wanna give that a look, and yes it's another Die Hard clone, except this time in a ski-resort. Variety!!!

[@Dude-oh8vq]

Great editing in those last twenty seconds!

[@themoongateofficial]

I just don't understand how, after winning a to the death battle with a guy who was way more advanced to mike, Daniel still had a tough time defending himself to

[@gokinsmen]

This movie would have been so much better if Terry Silver wasn't a psychotic villain, but simply a "modern" teacher with questionable methods. Maybe he teaches Daniel how to sneak in a cheap shot or two, calling it "gamesmanship." Or maybe he offers Daniel steroids so that he can bulk up and compete with stronger fighters. Then Daniel has to win clean with Miyagi's honorable old school methods.

[@franciscopuentes6049]

gokinsmen yeah!

[@jrvbamafan1]

Chozen should have been his last fight. It was by far the deadliest and best. Part 3 should have been part 2 and vice versa

[@WWammyy]

I loved the Story in part 3 as a continuation of the story I genuinely found the bad guy very exciting it was better than part 2 and as good as part one IMO

[@andymc96]

have you done videos for the other 3? i couldnt find them

[@richardrude9087]

Creed: What about the slope? Silver: Him I hurt through the kid😈

[@mashno226rz]

@Oliver Harper Can you please do reviews for the karate kid 1 and 2 please!!! I love your reviews!!!

[@OliverHarper]

cheers buddy, yes WIllow will be covered in the next coming weeks!.

[@highjim7778]

I hope they have this music in the new series as Johnny becomes the hero.

[@danielm2808]

Whilst I agree with what you say. I still love it and prefer it to part II. Nice channel btw, I'm hooked 😁

[@oogrooq]

Agree completely. "Who in Borneo knows what chloride sludge is?"

[@smashedt]

Part 3 was alright, I just think they should of did the final fight between Daniel and Barnes a lot different. Daniel should of kicked his ass really badly in a different tournament setting. If I was Ralf macchio, I wouldn't have done this film unless they changed the fight scene. He fought for his life in the second film and in this film he is crying like a sniveling idiot like he never took a punch and kick before. In the first film he did not know shit and he was not acting the way he was in this film. Pathetic

[@AmerIndianWarrior]

andrew ruiz Pathetic indeed they made him.

[@good03boy]

Even Sean Kanan (Mike Barnes) didn't like the way Daniel was portrayed in KK3.

[@OliverHarper]

You make a valid point about Daniel's paranoid attitude and his trust for Mr Miyagi. Some people had commented saying I was too harsh on the film which I was surprised by.. As you say I gave the film more credit than most critics have given it. Its a film that is universally panned but as I state in my review there is some nice parts to it.

[@NYOlly15]

I read somewhere that the original writer for the movie wanted it to be a continuation of the second film and it went something like this. After Chozen makes amends with his uncle Saito, him and Daniel went fishing before his flight back to LA. There was a tsunami that cast away their boat to a temple in China where they meet the Buddhist monks and learn about the origins of martial arts

[@johnny1963ify]

You can't be serious?

[@NYOlly15]

Better than this half assed sequel, no?

[@johnny1963ify]

+NYOlly15 I guess anything is better than this.

[@kylorun4340]

Then Chozen was tempted by Darth Sidious and returned to the Dark Side and massacred Daniel like what Obiwan done to Anakin, left him burned! and Daniel screamed MR. MIYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGI! HELP!

[@jasonleetaiwan]

That sounds hilarious. Going to China? Life of Pi? Well, Miyagi did say Karate was from China in the first film.

[@Von_D]

I like the kata counter he uses at the end. It reminds me of Asuka's counter in Tekken.

[@raptorbandito]

Another great review man! I noticed on your title collage graphic that you have some elements of the Willow movie poster. Are you planning on reviewing that movie in the future?

[@muffinpro_6157]

So was Silver like 5 in Vietnam

[@allsystemsgo8678]

But a total badass five year old.

[@AtlasLimited]

Ollie, your reviews are dead on. I feel the same way about this movie as well. The villian was great, Daniel looked chubby and still can't fight well. As a fan of the series, I can still watch this one and still have good memories about the overall story and characters. I like some things about what they were attempting to do such as Daniel being corrupted by Silver, but they just did not drive it all home. Thanks for your insightful and wonderful reviews!

[@darthbigred22]

Bill Conti....isn't he the guy who did the Rocky music?

[@OliverHarper]

Thebigredsnake He is indeed!

[@danielwilliamson6180]

He also composed the soundtrack for Masters of the Universe.

[@bing78]

He also did the bond flick "for your eyes only" 80's awesomeness.

[@bing78]

+DinoRocker 86 I love me some for your eyes only. A great rebound from moonraker.

[@jaimeflor4181]

Just saw Karate Kid 3 again. I loved these movies as a kid, but to be honest, Daniel getting the last point was kind of crap. The fight scenes in Part 1 and part 2, I'm okay with. At least Daniel got some strikes in on his opponents. However, the theme seems to be, Daniel learns a new secret move, the crane kick, whatever he did part 2, and then Kata in part 3. I know, luck plays a big part in 3 point tournaments, but Daniel was getting his ass kicked before scoring that last point.

[@AmerIndianWarrior]

Jaime Flor Drum technique he used in pt2.

[@danielreid3476]

A couple things. I realize the tournament is a plot device, but as someone who competed in quite a few karate tournaments as a teenager myself, NO referee would have allowed Barnes' conduct...at all. He would've been DQ'd for the sucker punch alone. And again it's a plot device, but nobody in tournament sparring would start doing a kata. I winced when I saw that in the theater. It was entertaining, though. And Terry Silver was so over the top it was hilarious and scary at the same time!

[@Iconhulk]

I always thought that part 3 Daniel looked a little out of shape or he didn't work out for the part.