| This classic film was remade this year with Jackie | | | | Han Wen Wen in the second movie and Elizabeth |
| Chan and Jaden Smith. The 1984 version starring | | | | Shue in first movie, a slightly older girl with some |
| the recently deceased Pat Morita was one of my | | | | maternal qualities who takes interest in this |
| favorite movies when I was young. It's about a | | | | pre-pubescent 12 year old boy. |
| boy that grows up without a father. In the first | | | | Karate Kid is about a coming of age with a |
| movie, his mother picks him up out of Philadelphia | | | | starkly portrayed, childlike character of a boy. He's |
| and moves him to LA, while in the second movie | | | | thin, small, and waiflike. His potential girlfriend is |
| she moves him from Detroit to Beijing. It almost | | | | more developed so when he earns her love, it is |
| doesn't matter where they came from and | | | | the sweetest of victories. |
| where they ended up. What's important here is | | | | But this movie is about bonding, like the bonding |
| the journey to manhood that this boy Dre Parker | | | | you saw in an Officer and a Gentleman with |
| experiences. | | | | Richard Gere. This older man, Mr. Han, teaches a |
| Jackie Chan brilliantly portrays the same character | | | | struggling boy the discipline of martial arts. Jaden |
| we see in 1984 - moderately depressed, | | | | Smith's character, Dre, grows, overcomes several |
| burdened, intelligent, and loving. He skillfully plays | | | | obstacles, and in the final scene defeats the bullies |
| Mr. Han, the wounded hero who takes interest in | | | | who in turn honor Mr. Han as the true teacher |
| a young boy who's all alone in a new place - a | | | | and realize their own disgrace. This is about good |
| boy who's picked on by bullies who just want him | | | | and evil, but its essence comes from a boy who |
| to suffer. And of course there's a heroine (aside | | | | finds a father figure in the end. |
| from a steadfastly committed mother). She is | | | | |