The Next Karate Kid

The Next Karate Kid

Watch in the UK

Watch in the US

Data provided by

6 / 10

1 Review

Rate this movie:

6 Based on 1 Votes

10

0
9

0
8

0
7

0
6

1
5

0
4

0
3

0
2

0
1

0

Overview

Mr. Miyagi decides to take Julie, a troubled teenager, under his wing after he learns that she blames herself for her parents' demise and struggles to adjust with her grandmother and fellow pupils.

Media

The+Next+Karate+Kid

Cast

Michael Ironside

Director:

Christopher Cain

Writer:

Mark Lee, Robert Mark Kamen

Release Date:

1994-07-18

Run Time:

107m

Tagline:

It's ancient wisdom against teenage spunk. 1,000 years of karate tradition is about to get a kick in the pants.

Genres:

Action Adventure Drama Family

Keywords:

absurd buddhist monk classmate depressing high school karate los angeles, california martial arts pathetic revenge ridiculous sports teen movie

Financials and Popularity

Budget: 12,000,000.00$

Revenue: 15,876,353.00$

Vote Average: 5.4/10

Vote Count: 1173 Votes

Movie Popularity: 4.129

Spoken Languages: English

Review

View all reviews

Insomniacs Reviews
- 27 April 2026 at 10:51 pm

6 Based on 1 Votes
10

0
9

0
8

0
7

0
6

1
5

0
4

0
3

0
2

0
1

0
⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 6/10 THE SUMMARY Mr. Miyagi travels to Boston for a commendation ceremony for Japanese-American soldiers, where he meets the widow of his former commanding officer. He soon realizes her granddaughter, Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank), is a troubled teen struggling with the loss of her parents and a massive chip on her shoulder. To help her find balance, Miyagi takes her to a Buddhist monastery to learn the "gentle" way of karate. Meanwhile, Julie has to deal with the "Alpha Elite," a bunch of school-sanctioned bullies led by a drill sergeant who clearly missed the "chill out" memo. It’s a passing-of-the-torch story that trades the All-Valley Tournament for high school prom drama and monk-led training sessions. THE PROS The film is a win for giving us Hilary Swank in her breakout role; she is a total belter and brings a sincere, raw energy to Julie that makes her feel different from Daniel LaRusso. Pat Morita remains the heart of the franchise, and seeing Miyagi mentor a girl brings a fresh, paternal dynamic that is a sincere pleasure to watch. The scenes at the monastery with the monks—particularly the bowling sequence—are a celebratory explosion of Miyagi’s signature humor. It’s a sincere attempt to broaden the scope of the series, showing that Miyagi-Do isn't just about winning trophies in Reseda, but about finding peace wherever you are. THE CONS It earns a 6/10 because it’s a bit of a head-scratcher why the villains are so cartoonish; the "Alpha Elite" feel like they wandered in from a completely different, much stupider movie. The pacing is a tad sluggish, and the lack of a proper tournament climax makes the ending feel a sincere bit anticlimactic compared to the original trilogy. It misses the 7/10 mark because the plot is a bit of a "greatest hits" remix that doesn't offer much in the way of new stakes. It’s a decent enough watch for the chemistry between Swank and Morita, but it lacks the "it" factor that made the first film a legend. THE VERDICT A 6/10. Decent and worth a look if you’re a franchise loyalist or a fan of Hilary Swank’s early work. It is a vault essential only for those who want to see every chapter of Miyagi’s journey. Go and watch it for the "monk bowling" and Miyagi’s timeless wisdom—it’s the business for a quiet night in, even if it’s not exactly a black-belt achievement. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • Swank’s Training: Hilary Swank had no martial arts experience before the film but was a natural athlete. She trained for five hours a day to learn the choreography, which paved the way for her future physical roles like 'Million Dollar Baby'.• Hawk Cameo: The hawk that Julie cares for, Angel, was a real bird of prey. During filming, Pat Morita was reportedly terrified of the bird, which made the scenes where he had to be near it a sincere challenge for the veteran actor.• Casting Luck: Hilary Swank beat out hundreds of other actresses for the role, including a young LeAnn Rimes. Director Christopher Cain felt Swank had the perfect "tough but vulnerable" quality that mirrored Ralph Macchio’s performance in the original. THE VIBE Like a quiet afternoon in a Zen garden that’s occasionally interrupted by a car alarm. It smells like incense, old gym mats, and New England autumn leaves. It makes you want to feed a hawk, learn to dance from an old master, and realize that some lessons are worth repeating, no matter who the student is.

Videos

The+Next+Karate+Kid

Cast

Michael Ironside

Constance Towers

Arsenio Trinidad

Michael Cavalieri

Rodney Kageyama

Related Movies To

The Next Karate Kid

Heads of State

Heads of State

The UK Prime Minister and US President have a public rivalry that risks their countries' alliance. But when they become targets of a powerful enemy, they're forced to rely on each other as they go on a wild, multinational run. Allied with Noel, a brilliant MI6 agent, they must find a way to thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world.

Run time: 117m Tagline: Two heads are better than one. Release: 2025-06-24

Director: Ilya Naishuller

Stars: Aleksandr Kuznetsov Carla Gugino Idris Elba Jack Quaid John Cena Paddy Considine Priyanka Chopra Jonas Richard Coyle Sarah Niles Stephen Root

Beasts of No Nation

Beasts of No Nation

Based on the experiences of Agu, a child fighting in the civil war of a West African country. Follows Agu's journey as he's forced to join a group of soldiers. While he fears his commander and many of the men around him, his fledgling childhood has been brutally shattered by the war raging through his country, and he is at first torn between conflicting revulsion and fascination.

Run time: 137m Tagline: Child. Captive. Killer. Release: 2015-09-11

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Stars: Abraham Attah Ama K. Abebrese Emmanuel Affadzi Emmanuel Nii Adom Quaye Idris Elba John Arthur Kobina Amissah-Sam Kurt Egyiawan Opeyemi Fagbohungbe Richard Pepple

Legends of the Fall

Legends of the Fall

8 / 10

1 Review

In early 20th-century Montana, Col. William Ludlow lives on a ranch in the wilderness with his sons, Alfred, Tristan, and Samuel. Eventually, the unconventional but close-knit family are bound by loyalty, tested by war, and torn apart by love, as told over the course of several decades in this epic saga.

Run time: 133m Tagline: After the Fall from Innocence the Legend begins. Release: 1994-12-23

Director: Edward Zwick

Stars: Aidan Quinn Anthony Hopkins Brad Pitt Gordon Tootoosis Henry Thomas John Novak Julia Ormond Karina Lombard Robert Wisden Tantoo Cardinal

Moscow on the Hudson

Moscow on the Hudson

7 / 10

1 Review

A Russian circus visits the US. A clown wants to defect, but doesn't have the nerve. His saxophone playing friend however comes to the decision to defect in the middle of Bloomingdales. He is befriended by the black security guard and falls in love with the Italian immigrant from behind the perfume counter. We follow his life as he works his way through the American dream and tries to find work as a musician.

Run time: 115m Tagline: Vladimir Ivanoff walks into a department store to buy blue jeans, walks out with a girl friend, an immigration lawyer and a buddy. His life and theirs will never be the same again. Release: 1984-04-06

Director: Paul Mazursky

Stars: Alejandro Rey Aleksandr Beniaminov Cleavant Derricks Elya Baskin Ivo Vrzal-Wiegand Lyudmila Kramarevskaya María Conchita Alonso Oleg Rudnik Robin Williams Savely Kramarov

The Butler

The Butler

7 / 10

1 Review

Cecil Gaines was a sharecropper's son who grew up in the 1920s as a domestic servant for the white family who casually destroyed his. Eventually striking out on his own, Cecil becomes a hotel valet of such efficiency and discreteness in the 1950s that he becomes a butler in the White House itself. There, Cecil would serve numerous US Presidents over the decades as a passive witness of history with the American Civil Rights Movement gaining momentum even as his family has troubles of its own. As his wife, Gloria, struggles with alcoholism and his defiant eldest son, Louis, strives for a just world, Cecil must decide whether he should take action in his own way.

Run time: 132m Tagline: One quiet voice can ignite a revolution. Release: 2013-08-16

Director: Lee Daniels

Stars: Aml Ameen Cuba Gooding Jr. David Oyelowo Forest Whitaker Jane Fonda John Cusack Lenny Kravitz Mariah Carey Oprah Winfrey Terrence Howard

Collections

The Karate Kid Collection

Reviews for

The Next Karate Kid

Comment (1)

Insomniacs Reviews
- 27 April 2026 at 11:51 PM

⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 6/10
THE SUMMARY
Mr. Miyagi travels to Boston for a commendation ceremony for Japanese-American soldiers, where he meets the widow of his former commanding officer. He soon realizes her granddaughter, Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank), is a troubled teen struggling with the loss of her parents and a massive chip on her shoulder. To help her find balance, Miyagi takes her to a Buddhist monastery to learn the “gentle” way of karate. Meanwhile, Julie has to deal with the “Alpha Elite,” a bunch of school-sanctioned bullies led by a drill sergeant who clearly missed the “chill out” memo. It’s a passing-of-the-torch story that trades the All-Valley Tournament for high school prom drama and monk-led training sessions.
THE PROS
The film is a win for giving us Hilary Swank in her breakout role; she is a total belter and brings a sincere, raw energy to Julie that makes her feel different from Daniel LaRusso. Pat Morita remains the heart of the franchise, and seeing Miyagi mentor a girl brings a fresh, paternal dynamic that is a sincere pleasure to watch. The scenes at the monastery with the monks—particularly the bowling sequence—are a celebratory explosion of Miyagi’s signature humor. It’s a sincere attempt to broaden the scope of the series, showing that Miyagi-Do isn’t just about winning trophies in Reseda, but about finding peace wherever you are.
THE CONS
It earns a 6/10 because it’s a bit of a head-scratcher why the villains are so cartoonish; the “Alpha Elite” feel like they wandered in from a completely different, much stupider movie. The pacing is a tad sluggish, and the lack of a proper tournament climax makes the ending feel a sincere bit anticlimactic compared to the original trilogy. It misses the 7/10 mark because the plot is a bit of a “greatest hits” remix that doesn’t offer much in the way of new stakes. It’s a decent enough watch for the chemistry between Swank and Morita, but it lacks the “it” factor that made the first film a legend.
THE VERDICT
A 6/10. Decent and worth a look if you’re a franchise loyalist or a fan of Hilary Swank’s early work. It is a vault essential only for those who want to see every chapter of Miyagi’s journey. Go and watch it for the “monk bowling” and Miyagi’s timeless wisdom—it’s the business for a quiet night in, even if it’s not exactly a black-belt achievement.
INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
• Swank’s Training: Hilary Swank had no martial arts experience before the film but was a natural athlete. She trained for five hours a day to learn the choreography, which paved the way for her future physical roles like ‘Million Dollar Baby’.
• Hawk Cameo: The hawk that Julie cares for, Angel, was a real bird of prey. During filming, Pat Morita was reportedly terrified of the bird, which made the scenes where he had to be near it a sincere challenge for the veteran actor.
• Casting Luck: Hilary Swank beat out hundreds of other actresses for the role, including a young LeAnn Rimes. Director Christopher Cain felt Swank had the perfect “tough but vulnerable” quality that mirrored Ralph Macchio’s performance in the original.
THE VIBE
Like a quiet afternoon in a Zen garden that’s occasionally interrupted by a car alarm. It smells like incense, old gym mats, and New England autumn leaves. It makes you want to feed a hawk, learn to dance from an old master, and realize that some lessons are worth repeating, no matter who the student is.

Leave a Review Cancel reply