The Next Karate Kid
Tags: violence, romantic

Plot synopsis:
Mr. Miyagi travels to Boston to attend a commendation for Japanese-American soldiers who fought in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II. He meets Louisa Pierce, the widow of his commanding officer, Lieutenant Jack Pierce. At Pierce's home, they catch up on old times and war stories.
Miyagi is introduced to Pierce's granddaughter, Julie, a teenage girl struggling with anger issues due to her parents' deaths in a car accident. Her behavior has led to friction between Julie and her grandmother and her fellow students. She sneaks into the school at night to care for an injured hawk, Angel, which she keeps in a pigeon coop on the roof.
Miyagi invites Louisa to stay at his house in Los Angeles to enjoy peace and quiet tending his garden while he stays in Boston as Julie's caretaker. At school, Julie meets and befriends Eric McGowen, a security guard in training and a pledge for a shady school security fraternity, the Alpha Elite. The members are taught to enforce the school rules, even using physical force, by a self-styled colonel, Dugan. In this group is Ned, who makes repeated unsuccessful sexual advances on Julie. Eric learns of Angel and promises to feed her while Julie is with Miyagi.
When Julie survives almost being hit by a car by jumping into a tiger position, she reveals to Miyagi that she was taught karate by her father, who learned from her grandfather, Miyagi's student. The next time she sneaks into the school to feed her bird, she is detected by the Alpha Elite, and chased through the school. Julie hides in the cafeteria until Ned finds her, at which point she hits a fire alarm with her backpack, causing Ned to let go of her. Escaping the school, she is arrested by the police and gets suspended for two weeks. Miyagi uses this time to take Julie to a Buddhist monastery to teach her the true ways of karate.
Julie learns through direct lessons about balance, co-ordination, awareness and respect for all life. She befriends several monks including the Grand Abbot. The monks hold a birthday party for her, giving her a cake and an arrow that Miyagi had caught while it was in flight in a demonstration of Zen archery.
Upon Julie's return to school, she finds that Angel is now able to fly and Miyagi assists Julie in releasing the bird back to the wild. In preparation for the prom, Miyagi teaches Julie how to dance and buys her a dress. While Julie goes to the dance with Eric, Miyagi and the Buddhist monks go bowling. A local player challenges them, loses the match and accepts their tutelage. Under the orders of Colonel Dugan, the Alpha Elite bungee jump into the dance. When one of the members breaks his arm, Eric shows concern but Ned angrily tells him to mind his own business.
Eric drives Julie home and kisses her. Ned follows them and smashes Eric's car windows with a baseball bat. Ned challenges Eric to a fight at the docks and is joined by Colonel Dugan and the Alpha Elite. They set fire to Eric's car and severely beat him, but Eric is saved by Julie and Miyagi.
Ned tries to grab Julie, but she challenges him to a fight. She holds her own, using the karate she has learned, until Ned cheats by throwing sand in her face. Despite the disadvantage, Julie defeats Ned and turns her back on him. Colonel Dugan bullies the rest of the group to continue the fight, but they refuse. Miyagi challenges Colonel Dugan to fight and wins, leaving the Alpha Elite disappointed in their instructor. The film concludes with Angel flying freely above the water.

Review: Here is introduced a new kid , girl , with the subsequently two times Oscarized Hilary Swank .
The story deals with a troublesome teenage named Julie (a newcomer Hilary Swank) , thanks to Miyagi she aware that Karate is his salvation , as she battles an evil nemesis , facing off a violent young group trained by an expert fighter (Michael Ironside) .
Meanwhile , Julie falls in love with a youngster (Chris Conrad) .This enjoyable movie , a sort of junior version of 'Rocky' , develops a sincere and deep friendship between two protagonists , the rookie young girl and the wise old man .
Avildsen was originally slated to direct his fourth Karate Kid film but dropped out in order to make 8 seconds (1994) .
The three previous films , all of them produced by Jerry Weintraub and directed by John G Avildsen , are the followings : original Karate Kid I (1984) in which are presented the classic characters , Karate Kid II (1986) where the protagonists travel to Okinawa and Part III(1989) where Daniel again battling nasty enemies .
Personally i have seen this movie about half a dozen times.I think it is great.Do not get me wrong,in my humble opinion the original karate kid(1984)with Ralph Macchio was better but Hilary Swank gets the job done nevertheless.An exciting story,a lot of action,a little bit of drama and sentimentality when it was required and exceptional acting;What is not to love?All that hate does not make any sense.Someone who liked the first movie should like this one too and even if you were not a big fan of the first movie you absolutely have to give it a try.Mr Miyagki for once more turns out to be an excellent teacher that every (karate)kid would want to have.This is a must see and it goes in my personal top 25 movies..
Miyagi's humour wasn't quite as witty in this one as in part 3, but it was funny enough to make the movie worth watching.The girl's part was pretty good.
The acting is decent, Hilary Swank is a worthy replacement for Ralph Macchio, while Pat Morita elevates this movie to a better level acting who is arguably the best character of the film and giving a strong performance in the process.Overall, it was pretty decent, and better than its reputation.
I like that this movie had new dynamic in some ways.Hilary Swank was really good as Julie.
Pat Morita is his usual amazing self.Eric made for a pretty cool supporting character and a nice love interest for Julie.
Like I said, I found it refreshing that they tried something new with this.I wouldn't say it's anywhere near as good as the original Karate Kid or Part II, but I enjoyed it more than part III.RATING: B.
It was really cheesy at parts, but other parts were enjoyable and funny.Miyagi is great as usual, which is the main reason I even bothered to watch the movie in the first place.
This movie is worth at least a one-time viewing if you really liked the Karate Kid movies.Hillary Swank did a pretty good job too.
The plot was pretty hoaky, and it was similar to the first Karate Kid, but there was a different dynamic since the hero was a girl this time..
Pat Morita, desperate for work, any kind of work, agreed to reprise his role as the "Karate teacher" and bring his brand of Karate to the silver screen once again, except this time, Hillary "skank" Swank is the student.I can just see the Hollywood writers getting excited about the idea of having a "tormented, spoiled brat" female take the role from Ralph.
Getting back to the movie at hand, its rather funny because, I saw Boys Don't Cry and was really impressed with the performance of Hillary Swank, and in flipping through the sea of channels the other night, I came across the showing of this film and I hadn't realized at the time of my first viewing of this movie that she was in it.
I grew up with the Macchio movies, but never had the pleasure of watching this train wreck of a movie.We meet Swank's character, and with no regard for subtlety, we learn her story: teenage girl, parents died, mad at life, no respect, looks like a dude.
. And of course, watching Swank perform Karate moves is nothing short of hysterical.Best Line of the Movie: Miyagi explains to Swank, "Your Grandpa saved Miyagi life...
How this was the jump-off to Swank's career, I have no idea.It's just sad this movie was the last thing we will remember from Pat Morita's acting career.
Pat Morita, the one who plays Mr. Miyagi worked his way with Julie quite different from Daniel.
"The Next Karate Kid" is a thoroughly predictable movie, just like its predecessors.
I thought that Eric (Chris Conrad) and Julie (Hilary Swank) looked good in their prom attire.
However, I think there can never be too many movies like the first Karate Kid.
In this movie, Hillary Swank is a particular gem as the Next Karate Kid.
The final installment in the Karate Kid series is predictable, poorly acted, and so bad it borders on the enjoyable.
Now of course there is the boy that likes her and the mean bullies that are pretty similar to the first Karate Kid, but I would recommend this one.
Pat Morita is perfect as always as Mr Miyagi and Hilary Swank brilliant as a teen who has recently suffered the tragic loss of her parents.
Set several years after Part III, Daniel is off on his own, leaving Miyagi free to instruct another troubled teenager, this time a woman, played by Hillary Swank, who is the granddaughter of his old commanding officer, who is being terrorized in her school by(you guessed it!) bullying martial arts/military cadet students(led by the dependable Michael Ironside) Plot is utterly predictable and uninspired; Miyagi's story was tied to Daniel's so having him instruct this girl is incongruous; it just didn't involve the viewer.
Contrived plot loss so that Julie could step up.Film was disappointing because the title "The Next Karate Kid" implied the showcasing of some good fight scenes for the protagonist (Julie) like there were in the culminating scenes of the first movie, Karate Kid's "All Valley Tournament", but there were none.
I like the title of this movie "The next karate kid" instead of calling it Part IV or something.
I also like the idea that the film focuses on a female character - that was a good idea especially considering the previous three movies focuses on a male character.
Alas, producer Jerry Weintraub failed to realize it was best to leave the story at the point where it had ended, and convinced Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita to make an extra effort to turn the film into a trilogy.
Lucky for her, she is currently living with Mr. Miyagi (Morita), an old friend of her grandfather who happens to know how to get back at the bad guys.All those factors ad up to seven clichés, and that's just a generic plot summary - imagine what the detailed scenes must be like!
Hilary was great as julie, and Pat was once again magnificent as Mr. Miyagi, but there should have been more references towards the other three movies!
It doesn't feel like a Karate Kid movie unless you hear that Pan-Flute!
I figure if they were going to make a 4th Karate Kid, they should've made it about Daniel and Miyagi, not the annoying Julie!
At least I still have the fond memories of the originals and try to forget this horrible sequel.The story is that at a commemoration for Japanese soldiers fighting in the US Army during World War II, Miyagi (Pat Morita) meets the widow of his commanding officer.
And there's another karate gang that bully Julie and eventually they take it too far, so Julie and Miyagi have to do battle with them.The performances are fine, but this movie wasn't nessercary at all.
It's a shame that this didn't continue the story of Daniel and Miyagi, but I guess that story didn't really have anywhere to go since Daniel was grown up by then (even if they did, he'd be more like a "Karate Man" and that'd probably be crap too), so they changed it to focus on Julie instead.
i am a big fan of the 1st three, even the 3rd one had its good qualities, but there is nothing good about this movie i can say , i am shocked pat Morita did this movie, the story and acting is laughable , the plot makes no sense , the jade smith one is better than this, I'm sorry to say this is a karate kid movie, thank god they didn't make another, i feel like someone used a crane kick on my head after watching it , if i could give it a zero i would.
I wanted to watch this movie with an open mind but with so many parallels made to the first, i couldn't help but quietly laugh at this poor attempt of a new spin on the franchise, i loathe to say this but even the poor remake of karate kid (so bad) topped this.It was a joke and i felt embarrassed for everyone involved, everything as so flat even the action was bad.
In what plays like a vapid after-school special, The Next Karate Kid (the fourth in the series) recasts the "kid" as a troubled teenage girl (Hilary Swank) whose rebellious streak proves too much for her kind but frustrated grandmother (Constance Towers).
The movie is completely predictable in plotting and all of the manufactured conflicts -- particularly the vendetta of evil disciplinarian Michael Ironside (this guy is allowed to work with kids in a school?) -- are ridiculous.
I read a few reviews of the movie and got the impression that it was not as good as the previous Karate Kid installments.
Although my favorite is still Karate Kid II, I felt this fourth installment of the movie series was consistent with the others and had some important lessons to share.
I watched Karate Kid Part 2 about a month ago and was impressed by just how poor a movie it was.
In addition, she is fit and agile enough to do the kick and for sure she is charming and polite To work, the team needs also a sincere mentor and Pat Morita is just perfect: always simple, straight The zen Japanese session they took in the country may be unlikely like all the story with the always bad and grumpy Ironside but I don't care as you can find breath and wisdom.
In fact, it's almost a zen movie: just a simple story with little things and that's what life is about For sure those who seek violent bloody fight are surely disappointed but I think that the final confrontation was indeed perfectly done: it's about focus and will and not about bruises I expect to find bad reviews about it but I don't care: in a medium filled with stupid violence, a movie like this one can't be welcomed and it's a real pity!.
When analyzing this fourth film of the Karate Kid series (although I would consider it more of a "distant cousin" to the original trilogy), the first phrase that comes to mind is "you can only go to the well so many times".
With "The Next Karate Kid", the well ran dry.For a basic plot summary, the film sees Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) mentoring a troubled teen (Hilary Swank) who's parents have passed away.
good work from actors and good story plot is.== this movie may not have popular cast but only a novice (Hilary Swank) but she can play it well.
JuLiE PiErCe is the best when I see how great Hilary play there...yeah pretty face, strong skills of karate...remember that a good storyline is important than the casting.A good storyline, no matter if the actors are famous or popular or not...if the director finds the right ppl to act, no matter who, the movie can be winning...so this is the result of "good storyline, find the right one to play julie pierce"!see how wonder hilary swank is...!better than any other movie which only win in casting but not a good storyline!.
Horrible teenage drama horrible martial arts film, doesn't deserve to be called Karate Kid. Better than the third film but this movie was still awful to continue the franchise.
I like the film because Pat Morita is good much better than he was in the third movie.
What a shame we see the last time Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid franchise.
It was really cheesy but other parts were enjoyable and funny.Miyagi is great as usual, which is the main reason I even bothered to watch the movie in the first place.
This movie is worth at least a one-time viewing if you really liked the Karate Kid movies.
It's not the greatest movie in the world but definitely something you could enjoy on a nice rainy day with the kids.Hillary Swank did a pretty good job too.
The widow of Mr. Miyagi's commanding officer from WWII is having trouble with her granddaughter Julie (Hilary Swank).
Hopefully, I will never have to review a movie in a bad manner again, I apologize for those of you who like The Next Karate Kid, I really, really do....
Just like the rest of the Karate Kid series, "Pump up the Volume," "Mobsters," "Valley Girl," the Brat Pack flicks, "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane," and any movie with Patrick Dempsey, this movie is a...*Guilty Pleasure Flick.*Entirely predictable, it satisfies that deep need humans have to view another's conflict, witness the climax of another's struggle, and view good "win out" in the end.
Ain't nothin' special about it except good performances by Pat and Hilary despite an underdeveloped little script churned out by the Karate Kid "factory."Yes, I will stand up and be counted -- I like it.
The cast all do a wonderful job, especially the main characters:  Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank) & Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita).
I remember watching this movie at the age of nine and being completely smitten by Hilary Swank as the feisty Julie.
The character Miyagi is still cool, I felt that we needed to see Julie learn a bit more Karate...But still it's a film that tries to journey into a new area...About finding one self and to a child this film genuinely excites..
New kid in town that struggles to adjust; a Mr. Miyagi that helps to instill self-confidence in the teen; and the climax of needing to use the recently learned karate in a pivotal fight scene.
The Karate Kid 2 managed to entertain me enough without making it seem like the fourth attempt to keep milking the original.In this fourth installment, the boy has left and in place is a girl.
i rate this movie 10/10 especially the scene where Miyagi sees his new pupil in underwear.not a problem with the boy, but see girl half naked bad..
She gets expelled for two weeks on bogus grounds, but she and Miyagi use the time to visit monks and there she perfects her Karate skills.Back at school, she gets a prom date, Miyagi buys her a pretty dress, teaches her how to waltz, but the mean kids hassle them, leads to a showdown on the piers, they burn his car, Miyagi and Julie show up, she kicks the bad kid's butt, Miyagi subdues the teacher, martial arts instructor, and everyone lives happily thereafter.OK, it is greatly contrived.
Pat Morita, Hilary Swank, Chris Conrad, Constance Towers, and Michael Ironside star in this 1994 drama sequel.
This is a pretty good sequel, Morita and Swank are great together and Bill Conti's score is excellent as usual.
I liked some of the meditation scenes, I enjoyed Miyagi taking Julie see the monks, there was a lot more enjoyable stuff then 3.9 rating indicates.
Even if Hilary Swank did a not to bad job something was missing all through the film.
Now, there is Julie (Hilary Swank), a misguided and troubled teenaged girl who is left in the care of Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), the legendary "Wax on, wax off" Chinese man from the previous installments.
This fourth installment of the "Karate Kid" movies is so bad it makes "Police Acadamy 4" look like an Oscar contender.
I can accept the fact this was the NEXT karate kid so Ralph Macchio can be happily retired from the series, and while Hillary Swank is great for the role....the plot to the movie is just dreadful.Mr. Miyagi's old buddy from World War 2 dies, leaving his widow to take care of her rebellious grand-daughter when her parents die in an accident.
Never mind!On a serious level, I enjoyed this film because it involved teaching a teenage girl how to do Karate, and her feelings are very different to what Daniel's were.
The Next Karate Kid. It had been five years since the third film in the original trilogy, but for some reason they felt like another film with a brand new "kid" would breathe life into the series, Ralph Macchio being grown up of course, I decided to watch it.
It is nice to still have Morita returning for his most famous and once Oscar nominated character, and young double future Oscar winner Swank does alright as the new female karate kid, but the film is let down by the same old same old plot, nothing new to be seen really, not a original or highly interesting martial arts adventure.
So the ending wasn't as triumphant as the ones for the first 3 Karate Kid films.