Delayed Reaction: The Karate Kid: Part II

What I Guessed It Was About: I don't think they are ready to move Daniel to college yet, so I'm banking on more Myagi, like someone from his past coming to visit or something. Regardless, I could see Myagi getting the last fight this time. Title be damned.

How I Came Into It: Even with years of preparation, I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable the first movie was. I'm haunted by The Next Karate Kid and knowing what the series became. I just hoped that it wouldn't dip too severely with the second installment.

Why I Saw It: The new location was a great way to make it clear that the budget went up with this one. Continuing from the moment the other movie ended was a good way to go. It kept up the momentum to an extent. They brought back the only two characters that matter (Miyagi and Daniel) and sure trimmed a lot of dead weight. It was a thrill for me alone when I recognized B.D. Wong from SVU based on a 5 second role.

Why I Wish I Hadn't: It was almost comical how quickly they wiped the cast clean with one Daniel speech about getting dumped and his mom leaving town. It undercut the first movie in a way I didn't like. The stakes were more forced than before. I get that the premise is not a natural one (outside of tournaments, how often do real people get in karate fights?). I left this wishing they would've left the original movie alone.

Verdict (?): Weakly Don't Recommend