The Next Karate Kid

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The Next Karate Kid

PG

1994

1h 44m

Kids & Family

Drama

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Popcornmeter

7%

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28 Reviews

24%

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50,000+ Ratings

Karate master Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita) goes to Boston to attend a military reunion. There, he visits with Louisa (Constance Towers), the widow of his former commander, and meets her granddaughter, Julie (Hilary Swank). Julie's parents were recently killed in a car accident, and she is still reeling from the loss. When Julie surprises Miyagi with her knowledge of karate, he takes her to a Buddhist monastery for training and to help her come to terms with her angst.

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Critics Consensus

The Next Karate Kid is noteworthy for giving audiences the chance to see a pre-Oscars Hilary Swank, but other than a typically solid performance from Pat Morita, this unnecessary fourth installment in the franchise has very little to offer.

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John Hartl

Seattle Times

The Next Karate Kid is harmless as children's entertainment, but for 104 very long minutes, there isn't a recognizable human being in sight.

Rated: 1.5/4

Jun 14, 2013

Full Review

Chris Willman

Los Angeles Times

The overt message of any Karate Kid movie: Don't fight unless you absolutely have to. The implicit message: You'll always have to. Let the smitings begin!

May 22, 2013

Full Review

Carrie Rickey

Philadelphia Inquirer

While the message that a girl can defend herself against the boys threatening her is a good one, it's lost in a movie where the bullies look like Mussolini's bodyguards and where Julie waits for her boyfriend and Miyagi to come to her defense.

Rated: 1.5/4

May 22, 2013

Full Review

Mal Vincent

The Virginian-Pilot

All this could be quite charming if it weren't so simple-minded and manipulative.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 1, 2022

Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

An irrelevant foot note in the "Karate Kid" series that can be overlooked if only for being so vanilla.

Aug 7, 2014

Full Review

David Parkinson

Radio Times

A few pre-prom dance lessons are the only significant departure from the tried and tested chop-socky formula, although Michael Ironside is good value as Swank's sinister gym teacher.

Rated: 2/5

Jun 14, 2013

Full Review

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Filippos S

So childish and bad movie..

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

Full Review

Tim M

Landing with a hard thud, The Next Karate Kid may have a young star in Hilary Swank but is without a single ounce of narrative or spiritual authenticity.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/07/25

Full Review

Cameron L

Not good, and not so subtle at all. Pat Morita is still wonderful, but the rest of the actors seemed uninterested (except for Michael Ironside)

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/25

Full Review

matthias s

The Next Karate Kid... well, let’s just say, I’m glad Mr. Miyagi is back because that’s about the only thing that felt familiar. From the start, you can just tell this one’s made by different hands — the heart and charm of the original are nowhere to be found. It’s more teenage drama than karate, and by the time the story actually kicks in (which takes half the film), you’re already wondering why Daniel-san isn’t here to balance things out. The whole thing feels like a rehash, but without the emotional depth or compelling writing that made the earlier films special. It’s not terrible, just... not a Karate Kid movie. Having Miyagi back alone doesn’t make it one. Now that I’ve officially watched the entire franchise, I’m ready to dive into Cobra Kai — hopefully, it brings back that magic. Fingers crossed!

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

Full Review

Issam A

This movie gets undue hate and it's because of the negativity that I avoided it for so long despite being a fan of the franchise. Parts are actually quite charming, for example the scenes with the monks, which add a touch of whimsy. Swank's training scenes likewise pretty stirring. The pay-off fight at the end is a bit meh but overall the film neither tarnishes nor elevates the Karate Kid legacy. I suspect being the first film without Ralph Macchio or even simply having a female lead might have contributed unfairly to its negative perception.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/22/25

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Danny R

Rewatched this recently, and it stand as a stark reminder of how bad Hillary Swank really is

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/10/24

Full Review

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Christopher Cain

Director

Hilary Swank

Julie Pierce

Pat Morita

Sergeant Kesuke Miyagi

Michael Ironside

Colonel Dugan

Constance Towers

Louisa Pierce

Chris Conrad

Eric McGowen

The Next Karate Kid: Official Clip - Karate Waltz

2:58

The Next Karate Kid: Official Clip - Gas Station Fight

2:23

The Next Karate Kid: Official Clip - Zen Archery

2:58

The Next Karate Kid: Official Clip - Boys Are Easier

2:50

The Next Karate Kid: Official Clip - Respect All Living Things

2:51

The Next Karate Kid: Official Clip - Julie Fights Ned

3:03

The Next Karate Kid: Official Clip - Miyagi Finishes Dugan

2:58

The Next Karate Kid: Official Clip - Julie's Training

2:24

The Next Karate Kid: Official Clip - The Sacred Garden

2:40

The Next Karate Kid: Official Clip - Dancing Monks

3:00

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Synopsis

Karate master Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita) goes to Boston to attend a military reunion. There, he visits with Louisa (Constance Towers), the widow of his former commander, and meets her granddaughter, Julie (Hilary Swank). Julie's parents were recently killed in a car accident, and she is still reeling from the loss. When Julie surprises Miyagi with her knowledge of karate, he takes her to a Buddhist monastery for training and to help her come to terms with her angst.

Director: Christopher Cain
Producer: Jerry Weintraub
Screenwriter: Robert Mark Kamen
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: PG
Genre: Kids & Family, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.7M
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Surround

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