In the 1984 film, Johnny Lawrence was a bully, but he was a cartoonishly rich one with a red mohawk. The bullies in are different. Led by the terrifyingly precise Cheng (Zhenwei Wang), these are trained martial artists from the "Iron Fist" school.
Smith brings a youthful, vulnerable energy to the role. While Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso was a teenager, Dre’s younger age makes the bullying he faces feel more visceral and his need for a mentor more urgent. the karate kid -2010
—lessons that are as applicable in daily life as they are on the tournament mat. to the original 1984 film or the In the 1984 film, Johnny Lawrence was a
The film diverges from the original's ending in a crucial way. Dre loses the final point. Cheng scores a legal head kick that sends Dre to the mat. But the win is irrelevant. What matters is that Dre gets back up, looks Cheng in the eye, and puts his fist out for a literal "reset." The film ends not with a trophy, but with respect. Mr. Han embraces him, and the cycle of violence ends. Smith brings a youthful, vulnerable energy to the role
When was released, it was compared endlessly to the original. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 66% (compared to the original's 90%). Today, that score seems harsh.
4.5/5 stars