The Karate Kid (1984)

The Karate Kid (1984) – Raised by VHS Review

“Wax on, wax off.” Few phrases from the 80s have lived on with the same pop-culture immortality as Mr. Miyagi’s life lessons in The Karate Kid (1984). For Episode 2 of Raised by VHS, Cam brought this one off the shelf, and rewatching it reminded us why it’s not just an underdog story — it’s pure VHS-era magic.

California Dreamin’ Gone Wrong

Daniel LaRusso’s move from New Jersey to Reseda should’ve been a fresh start, but instead it’s a crash course in being the new kid. The opening road trip sequence comes with one of the cheesiest soundtracks ever laid over a cross-country drive. By the time Daniel arrives at his new apartment (and kicks a gate into a kid wearing a “Making Bacon” T-shirt), you know this is peak 80s.

Then comes the beach sequence — Daniel and Ali’s awkward, long stares across the sand feel even weirder on rewatch. Ali intentionally boots his ball a hundred feet away just to chat him up, and before the night’s over Johnny Lawrence rides in like the coolest villain ever. That red jacket, the motorcycle, the headband — as kids, we thought he was the ultimate bad boy. Watching it again, we realized he might actually be cooler than we remembered, even if he is a complete jerk.

Enter Mr. Miyagi

Daniel’s life keeps spiraling until Halloween night. Dressed as a shower curtain (seriously, the worst costume), he sprays Johnny with a hose, and the Cobra Kai skeleton crew chases him down. This was one of our favorite villain looks ever — we even dressed up as them one Halloween. But just when it looks like Daniel is finished, Miyagi emerges from the shadows and absolutely wrecks five teenagers. A 4’9” handyman laying out the coolest bullies in school? Legendary.

And Miyagi isn’t just a fighter — he’s a quote machine. From “Now you use head for something other than target” to his classic belt check (“Canvas. JC Penney. $3.98”), he balances comic relief with genuine wisdom.

Wax On, Wax Off

Let’s be honest: Daniel basically becomes Miyagi’s unpaid intern. Waxing cars, sanding decks, painting fences — as kids, we thought, “Hell, maybe doing chores really could turn you into a karate master.” The reveal when it all comes together, and Daniel suddenly realizes those motions were training the whole time, still lands as one of the great “aha” moments in film.

The training montages also gave us childhood rituals. We both tried Miyagi’s clap-and-hand-rub healing trick whenever a friend got hurt. The ocean balance scene had us kicking waves with our brothers. And every trampoline, fence, or bunk bed became a crane kick stage.

Life Lessons and Heartbreak

The movie slows down in the middle, but for good reason. The golden-hour crane kick shot on the beach is 80s cinema at its finest. The country club scene — complete with the biggest bowl of spaghetti ever filmed — remains one of the most awkward date sequences we’ve ever watched. And then there’s drunk Miyagi. As kids, we thought it was boring. As adults, it hits hard. His backstory of losing his wife and son in an internment camp gives the character a depth that few 80s “mentors” ever had, and it’s the reason Pat Morita earned an Oscar nomination.

The All-Valley Karate Championships

No 80s sports movie is complete without a montage, and The Karate Kid has one of the best. Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best Around” might’ve been written for Rocky III, but it belongs here. We laughed at the super-intense Cobra Kai kid’s expressions, cringed at Bobby being forced to take Daniel out, and loved the moment Johnny looked at Kreese like, “What kind of sensei are you?”

And then comes the big one. Miyagi heals Daniel with his clap-and-friction technique (makes no damn sense), Johnny sweeps the leg, and Daniel goes all in on the crane kick. Freeze-frame on Miyagi’s proud smile — perfection. We both admitted we instantly rewatched the ending after rewatching the movie this week. It’s that good.

Behind the Curtain

Some of the trivia makes rewatching even sweeter. Daniel was almost played by Sean Penn, Nic Cage, or even Clint Eastwood’s son (who, when he lost the role, caused Eastwood to ban Coke products from his movies). Crispin Glover nearly played Johnny before William Zabka showed up and scared Ralph Macchio at his audition. Elisabeth Shue was cast after a Burger King commercial. And yes — Macchio still owns that yellow ’48 Ford Miyagi gave Daniel.

The VHS Verdict

At the end of the day, The Karate Kid is one of those rare movies that’s both incredibly cheesy and completely timeless. It’s an underdog story, a coming-of-age tale, and a martial arts flick rolled into one. It made us believe even the nerdiest kid could learn karate, land a girlfriend, and kick the crap out of Cobra Kai — all while rocking a headband.

Our official Raised by VHS Late Fees? Cam dropped $69, Coby came in at $71, giving this one a total of $70. Solidly on the “good list” — not quite top-tier, but definitely staying checked out forever.