Product Details

• Actors: Pat Morita, Ralph Macchio, Pat E. Johnson, Bruce Malmuth, Eddie Smith
• Directors: John G. Avildsen
• Writers: Robert Mark Kamen
• Producers: Jerry Weintraub, Karen Trudy Rosenfelt, R.J. Louis, Susan Ekins, William J. Cassidy
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• VHS Release Date: August 22, 2000
• Run Time: 113 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302824729
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,786 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Literally picking up about five minutes after the conclusion of the 1984 The Karate Kid, this 1986 sequel, also directed by John G. Avildsen, sends Ralph Macchio's and Pat Morita's characters to the latter's home turf in Japan, where the older man is confronted by an old rival, and Macchio's newly confident fighter gets a tougher challenge than the punks back home. Sillier than its predecessor, this follow-up at least has some distracting soap opera elements in Morita's coming to terms with an old flame, while Macchio woos a lovely local girl. Ironically, it's the action that evokes laughter, particularly a climactic fight that gets over the top quickly. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Getting real..., August 26, 2001

By 

J. Elmquist "Moviephile" (Somewhere else...) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Karate Kid II (DVD)

The first Karate Kid literally spoke to any kid who felt out of place and picked on. Strongly enough, it was a concept played out over and over again. But the evenhanded direction of Avildsen made it a triumph. So what do you do for a sequel? You get real. Not that the first one wasn't real. The threat to Daniels safety in the first movie was always there and fully realized. But take this student and mentor pair and send them to Okinawa, and you have a whole different ball game. The story centers more on Miagi and his journey home to see his dying father, and facing demons he left as a young man. Asian culture takes certain things much more seriously. Honor in this movie is a subject brought up constantly, and we see it from Daniels perspective; as an American who does not understand why these people do things they way they do in the name of honor. As Daniel comes to grips with this life code in the small village of Miagi's youth, he realizes that the bully who has targeted him this time does not hold back. He's ready to kill Daniel. He has no qualms about it either and feels it's justified. As Daniel swoons a beautiful Asian girl and finds he's getting in deeper with the affairs of Miagi's past, he holds his ground, and his good upbringing helps to hold his own honor in place. In the end, the climatic fight scene is what really makes the movie. The whole story builds up to that moment. The idea is that this fight is real, there is no competition, no points. This is not a tournament, this is not a spectacle. Daniel is fighting to stay alive. And it is more brutal then the rules laden tournament of the first movie. Morita and Maccio play off each other so well it's obvious these two have great chemistry. The teacher/student relationship is apparent from the first scene despite their polar opposite personalities. As in the first movie, each character gives the other what they are missing. Daniel gets a father figure/teacher, Miagi gets a son/student. This movie is just as good as the first in my opinion, just different. A different set of circumstances played similarly to the first one. It's as different as it can be while still holding the same values. I give it four stars only because of some very minor inconsistencies but overall, it is a very good film.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One step above the Crane technique... (Pt. 2 of 3), December 15, 2005

By 

Underground Reborn "gnome" (ny) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Karate Kid II (DVD)

You could tell from the ending of the first `Karate Kid' that this was only the beginning of the story. The continuing journey of Daniel LaRusso bursts wide open in 'The Karate Kid Part II' Mr. Miyagi must return to his home land of Okinawa to see his dying father, but he is also well aware that the scars of his past are still there waiting for him after all this time. Daniel learns of Mr. Miyagi's best friend Sato and how Miyagi broke the village tradition to ask for the hand of his best friend's betrothed wife. Daniel learns through his trip that karate is more than tournaments and trophies. He learns that it is about honor and pride. He soon understands that there are people who take honor very seriously that they will stop at nothing seek out the purity of honor if it has been disgraced. That means anything is possible, even a fight to the death. Only through the sacred rules and techniques of the Miyagi family karate can Daniel overcome the tremendous obstacles he will face at this step in his journey.

This movie is one of the fabled sequels that live up to its predecessor. The story is darker and Pat Morita's performance is his best by far. I am surprised that he didn't get nominated a second time for an academy award. The villains are just as evil as the Cobra Kais (who actually make a brief appearance in the film) and the final fight shows that karate is not about fancy moves and glory. The message learned from `Part II' is that when it comes to fighting the most powerful technique is the one that your opponent doesn't see.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an oversight by the editors..., January 5, 2001

By 

steve sperry (Deland, Fl United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Karate Kid Part II [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Karate Kid II is not only the best of the series, it is a premier movie of the eighties. In the beginning it was only made to build upon the successful sequel theory, but this film was part of a greater movement; Kid II was instrumental in the popular acceptance of "Eastern" culture. For Asian-American children, it provided a springboard into popular white society and created a mystique and awe about anything Asian. For some, respect grew from the disciplined culture that was eloquently protrayed throughout Kid II. For many others, Asians were again equivocated with martial arts and respected for an element of the eyes. No matter what the initial reasonings for acceptance or respect, it did lead to a general perception that Asian culture was something to be admired and that if cross-bred with American culture, there could be a tremendously successful result. Karate Kid II plays on all the emotions of American capacity and is both sad and inspiring. If an editor chooses to dismiss any piece as only "for kids," then unfortunately his narrow sightedness will never allow him to write an article worth reading. Buy it. Watch it. Take it to heart.