Alright, settle back into that worn spot on the couch, maybe mentally adjust the tracking on your VCR, because we're popping in a tape that likely caused a few double-takes back at the rental store: 1994's The Next Karate Kid. It arrived a full five years after Part III, promising more Miyagi wisdom but... wait, where's Daniel-san? The absence of Ralph Macchio's iconic character felt jarring, like showing up for pizza night and finding out they only had pineapple. Yet, there was Mr. Miyagi, the serene heart of the franchise, played with enduring warmth by the wonderful Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, ready for one more round. This time, however, his reluctant student wasn't a New Jersey transplant finding his way in Reseda, but a fiercely troubled Boston teenager named Julie Pierce.
Miyagi Takes Boston
The premise, penned by Mark Lee and directed by Christopher Cain (known for Young Guns), shifts the action clear across the country. Miyagi travels to Massachusetts for a commendation ceremony honouring Japanese-American soldiers who fought in WWII, a genuinely touching nod to history often overlooked. While there, he takes temporary guardianship of Julie (Hilary Swank in one of her earliest leading roles), the granddaughter of his former commanding officer. Julie is smarting from the loss of her parents, consumed by anger, and generally pushing everyone away. Naturally, Miyagi sees the wounded soul beneath the tough exterior, and the familiar sensei-student dynamic begins anew, albeit with a different flavour.
It's fair to say that Pat Morita is the reason to watch this film. He slips back into the Miyagi persona effortlessly, delivering those familiar koans and quiet observations with the gentle authority we came to love. His chemistry with the young Hilary Swank is the film's strongest asset. You see glimpses of the powerhouse actress Swank would become – she fully commits to Julie's rage and vulnerability. It’s fascinating to watch her here, years before Boys Don't Cry or Million Dollar Baby would earn her Academy Awards, already demonstrating a compelling screen presence. It's a demanding role, navigating grief and adolescent angst, and she handles it with considerable grit.
Alpha Elite Problems and Bowling Monks
Instead of Cobra Kai bullies tormenting Daniel at the beach, Julie faces off against the "Alpha Elite," a bizarrely aggressive high school JROTC-style security group led by the sneering Colonel Dugan, played with scenery-chewing relish by the ever-reliable screen villain Michael Ironside (Top Gun, Total Recall). Dugan teaches his charges that fear, intimidation, and brute force are the keys to respect, making him the perfect philosophical counterpoint to Miyagi's lessons of balance and inner peace. The conflict feels a bit forced, lacking the organic rivalry of the original films, and the Alpha Elite often come across as comically overwrought rather than genuinely menacing.
The script also takes some... interesting detours. Miyagi introduces Julie to a group of Buddhist monks for some unconventional training, which includes lessons in meditative calm achieved through... bowling? Yes, you read that right. It’s one of those 90s movie moments that feels charmingly goofy in retrospect, even if it perhaps stretched the Miyagi-do philosophy into slightly unfamiliar territory. There's also a hawk named Angel that Julie nurses back to health, providing a rather on-the-nose metaphor for her own healing journey.
A Franchise Finding its Feet (or Stumbling?)
Let's be honest, The Next Karate Kid didn't exactly set the world on fire. It landed with a bit of a thud critically (currently holding a frosty 7% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.5/10 on IMDb) and commercially, pulling in around $15.8 million worldwide against its $12 million budget – hardly the returns the earlier films enjoyed. It felt like a franchise trying to adapt to a new decade, perhaps unsure how to proceed without its original star. Christopher Cain’s direction is competent, but it lacks the specific heart and pacing that John G. Avildsen brought to the first three instalments. The attempt to broaden the appeal with a female protagonist was commendable for the time, but the execution often felt derivative of the original formula rather than a fresh take.
The film often struggles with tone, trying to balance Julie's very real trauma with slapstick moments involving the monks and the almost cartoonish villainy of the Alpha Elite. Some of the dialogue feels clunky, and the climactic confrontation, while giving Julie her moment to shine, lacks the emotional punch of Daniel LaRusso facing his demons at the All Valley tournament. It’s a sequel that feels disconnected, despite Morita’s valiant efforts to bridge the gap.
Worth Rewinding?
So, why revisit The Next Karate Kid on VHS Heaven? Well, partly for the sheer curiosity factor. It’s a fascinating, if flawed, artefact of 90s franchise extension. Seeing Hilary Swank in this early, raw performance is genuinely compelling. And any chance to spend more time with Mr. Miyagi, hearing his wisdom and watching him patiently guide another lost soul, holds undeniable nostalgic appeal. It might not have the magic of the original trilogy, but it has moments of sincerity, particularly in the interactions between Morita and Swank. It's like that oddball tape you rented on a whim – not the classic you hoped for, but memorable in its own quirky way. I remember seeing it on the shelf, feeling that pang of disappointment about Daniel, but the image of Miyagi was enough to make me grab the tape anyway.
Rating: 4/10
The score reflects the film's significant shortcomings – a weak plot, tonal inconsistencies, and a failure to recapture the magic of its predecessors. However, Pat Morita's unwavering presence and Hilary Swank's promising early performance prevent it from being a complete write-off. It's more of a franchise footnote than a highlight, but one with enough earnestness (and 90s oddity) to warrant a nostalgic glance.
It wasn't the knockout blow the franchise needed, but The Next Karate Kid reminds us that Miyagi's wisdom could resonate beyond Daniel-san, even if the vehicle carrying it felt a little wobbly. Wax on, wax off... just maybe skip the bowling alley scene if you're short on time.