I Thought Karate Kid: Legends Was Going To Be A Cash-Grab, But As A Fan, I Was Pleasantly Surprised
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Alright…we have to talk about Karate Kid: Legends.
If you know me, you'll see that I'm a big fan of the series. While I wouldn't say I've been a fan since the beginning – since I wasn't even around in the beginning – the Karate Kid movies have become a massive part of my life. I started young and my enjoyment has only grown into a genuine love and appreciation for the entire franchise – I even have two bonsai trees that my boyfriend and I take care of, called LaRusso and Miyagi, because we love the series so much.
So, of course, when I found out there was going to be yet another movie in the franchise I was a little hesitant, but excited nonetheless. It's always a risk to bring another movie into a long-beloved franchise and potentially mess up its film legacy. And, honestly, The Karate Kid didn't have the best traction with many of its later films.
But I wanted to give the new movie a shot, and I'm pleasantly surprised as a longtime fan. Let's get into why, and why you should watch it.
I'll be honest and say I wasn't expecting this to be a great movie going into the theater for my screener. A part of me thought it was going to be terrible, and that's the truth behind it.
Often, when franchises continue to expand and attempt to add another sequel or bring characters from separate franchise movies into one film (as seen with LaRusso and Mr. Han), it doesn't end well. You end up with either a horrible story that the writer hoped would be original or a hodge-podge of characters that don't make sense together.
That's sort of what I felt going into this. There are so many potentially great movies coming out as part of the 2025 movie schedule, and this one was up there, but I didn't think it was going to become the next big hit of this year. However, what I expected and what I was given are two completely different things.
Is it the best Karate Kid movie? No, but there's a lot to love about it. If you're a fan of the best action movies, you're going to enjoy the fight choreography. There is something so visceral and raw about watching people kick-ass and take names in a full-fledged karate fight. Maybe it's just me – because I'm clumsy as heck and could barely kick a soccer ball, let alone a living, breathing, moving person – but that is just so impressive.
Besides that, of course, there are plenty of other reasons to enjoy the film, too. I grew up around New York City, so having a Karate Kid movie set in the city I love is something I will always support.
There's also the fact that Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio are fun as heck in the same scenes together.
We're all very aware of who these two actors are. Macchio is a legend for his films in the '80s/'90s and, of course, keeping this franchise alive and kicking. Chan is, well, Jackie Chan. We've seen him for decades. We've watched him fight. We know how kick-butt he is, and he also has great comedic timing.
Put these two in the same scenes together, and I found myself belly-laughing plenty of times.
There's just something that happens between them that allows them to play off each other so well. And, not only that, but watching them fight is like watching a dance.
They have two completely different fighting styles – karate versus kung fu – and yet somehow, they move together like yin and yang, two opposites that flow yet also harmonize in a way that leads to Li becoming a better fighter.
I feel like whenever someone sees a new film in a franchise they love, they always have such high expectations – like 'you better not mess this up.' It has happened with many Star Wars movies. It's happened with the Jurassic Park films. Now, it's happened with the Karate Kid movies.
But I don't think Legends ever aimed to be as good as the original. Sure, with a title like that, it's obviously trying to lure people in with the idea that it's the 'legends' of the franchise (Macchio and Chan) coming together to teach a kid and that, in itself, is a cool concept.
However, what this movie does well is that it distinguishes itself sufficiently from the original to stand on its own as a film rather than trying to outshine it. That's where most films that fall into sequel-itis tend to go – they try to outdo the original, which is near impossible, and then fall so far behind that the franchise suffers.
These films have attempted to do that before, and most have not been successful. This one knew exactly what it was – a fun movie meant for the family with great chemistry from its leads and intense fight scenes. It didn't need to be philosophical because the first film already exists. It just needed to be its own thing.
I think the biggest thing I like about Legends is that it's not really a film for long-time fans. Sure, it's a part of the Karate Kid franchise, but this is the karate kid for this generation. This is what introduces kids to the world of Mr. Miyagi.
I know, I know, people will say, 'Well, why not just show them the original, then? What's the point of these new movies if we have the original?' And I'll give you the exact reason why – because sometimes kids just don't get it.
I say that from experience. As a kid, I didn't fall in love with this franchise because I watched the original movies. I fell in love with it because my dad took me to see the new (at the time) film with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, and I loved the fight scenes in it. Then, from there, I finally checked out the originals. As a kid, you don't want to watch 'old' stuff. You want to see all the new, funky, and fresh things that everyone is talking about.
But, if the new stuff is relatively good, it can get you hooked on the older films as well, and that's what happened here. I'm a massive fan of the series now. Do I think the 2010 movie is still good? Heck no – but because it came out when I was a kid, it introduced my generation to the series and created a whole slew of new fans who went back and watched the previous movies.
That's what this movie is for – it's for Gen Alpha and to carry on the legacy of Mr. Miyagi. To introduce this world to the next heap of fans, who will then want to see what came before, so the cycle continues, on and on.
This is a great movie to introduce you to the series. Is it as deep? No, of course not. But it has all the right moments and flair you would expect from a Karate Kid movie. If you like the fight scenes in Cobra Kai, or the drama of getting injured from a fight, or action films in general, this movie is for you.
If you have a kid who's watching this series for the first time and they ask about the earlier movies, then Karate Kid: Legends has done its job correctly. That's all that matters.
It might be time for another Karate Kid marathon. Who's with me? I need to learn that special kick — and somehow not break my legs.
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