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The Next Karate Kid

The Next Karate Kid is a 1994 film starring Hilary Swank and Pat Morita. It is the fourth movie in The Karate Kid series. It was directed by Christopher Cain, written by Mark Lee with music by Bill Conti. The film's two taglines are: "An ancient tradition is about to collide with a new generation...and get a kick in the pants" and "Who says the good guy has to be a guy?"

Plot
Cast
Production notes
Reception
See also
References
External links

Plot

Keisuke Miyagi (Pat Morita) travels the beautiful city of Boston to attend a commendation for Japanese American soldiers who had fought in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II. There, he meets Louisa Pierce (Constance Towers), the widow of his commanding officer, Lieutenant Jack Pierce. At Pierce's home, they catch up on old times and talk about Chinese food. Miyagi is then introduced to Pierce's granddaughter, Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank) an angry teenage girl who has become full of pain, sorrow, and consequent resentment because of the death of her parents in a car accident. Her rage and violent behavior have led to friction between her, her grandmother, and fellow students. She is also in disgrace for sneaking into the school at night to care for an injured hawk, named Angel, whom she keeps in a pigeon coop on the roof. Hoping to mend matters, Miyagi sends Louisa to his own house in California to become his gardener while he leaves California for Boston and appoints himself as Julie's caretaker. At the Boston school, Julie meets and befriends Eric McGowen (Chris Conrad), a kindhearted train-security guard and a pledge for a fraternity known as the Alpha Elite. The members of this organization are taught to strictly enforce the school rules, using physical force if necessary, by a stern and relentless mentor; Colonel Dugan (Michael Ironside). In this group is Colonel Dugan's strongest and most aggressive student Ned (Michael Cavalieri), who makes repeated, indiscreet and unsuccessful attempts to flirt with Julie. Eric learns of Julie's injured hawk Angel and promises to feed and water Angel while Julie is with Miyagi.

When Julie survives almost being hit by a car by jumping into a tiger position, she reveals to Miyagi that she was taught karate by her father, who, as it turns out, was taught by Miyagi. The next time she sneaks into the school to feed her bird, she is detected by the Alpha Elite, apprehended by the police and suspended from school for two weeks. Miyagi takes this time to take Julie to a Buddhist monastery in order to teach her the true ways of karate. At the monastery, Julie learns, through direct lessons, respect for all life; balance; co-ordination; awareness; and some limitability. She befriends several monks including the Grand Abbot. Eventually, the monks hold a birthday party for her, giving her a cake and an arrow that Miyagi had caught while it was in flight in a demonstration of Zen archery. Upon Julie's return to school, she finds that Angel is now able to fly, and is assisted by Miyagi in releasing her back to the wild. In preparation for the upcoming school prom, Miyagi then teaches Julie how to dance and also buys her a white dress. While Julie goes to the dance with Eric, Miyagi and his Buddhist monk minions go bowling. A boastful and undisciplined local player challenges them, loses the match, and accepts their tutelage. During the dance party, Ned and his fellow Alpha Elite members disrupt the dance for no particular reason by bungee-jumping from the ceiling of the gymnasium. When Eric confronts Ned about the disruption Ned berates Eric for not being brave enough to attempt the extremely random bungee-jump into the prom maneuver.

Eric drives Julie home and kisses her as they prepare to part ways. Ned follows them and damages Eric's car with a baseball bat. Ned then challenges Eric to a fight at the docks, a favored Elite hangout. At the fight, Ned is joined by Colonel Dugan and the rest of the Alpha Elite. They set fire to his car, as well as to several other objects in the area, and severely beat Eric. Eric is saved by Julie and Miyagi. As they prepare to leave, Ned challenges Julie to fight. Julie fights, using the karate she has learned, until Ned cheats by throwing sand into Julie's face. Julie eventually defeats Ned and turns her back on him. This prompts Colonel Dugan to desperately bully the rest of his group, urging them to continue the fight. Miyagi then challenges Colonel Dugan to fight. Miyagi wins the fight, and then departs accompanied by Julie and Eric. He then reveals to Julie a tenet of his practice, at which he had hinted en route to the monastery: "Fighting not good. But if must fight, win". The film concludes with a scene of Angel flying freely above sunlit waters.

Cast

Pat Morita as Staff Sergeant Keisuke Miyagi
Hilary Swank as Julie Pierce
Michael Ironside as Colonel Dugan
Constance Towers as Louisa Pierce
Chris Conrad as Eric McGowen
Michael Cavalieri as Ned
Walton Goggins as Charlie

Hilary Swank was set to star in the movie to replace Ralph Macchio, who was 33 years old. Swank was 20 years old at the time.

U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) appeared as himself in this film. Like Miyagi, he had fought in the 442nd and had also received the Medal of Honor.

Production notes

All the interior and exterior high school scenes were filmed on the Brookline High School campus, except for the scene in the gymnasium. The exterior shot is the Brookline High School gym, but the interior was Cousens Gymnasium at Tufts University. Other scenes from the movie were shot in the Boston area. For example, the scenes at Julie's house were filmed in nearby Newton.

The first three movies in the series, which featured Ralph Macchio as Daniel, were set in Los Angeles. In this movie, the setting is changed to Boston.

Because Hilary Swank could learn the advanced "flashy" moves and had trouble with the beginner moves, Pat E. Johnson, the martial arts choreographer, awarded her with a "Pink" belt, a mix of the white (beginner) and red (the one just under black in that particular style).

In all the four movies, the reunion scene is the only time Miyagi actually wears his Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is worn on a silk ribbon around the neck, not pinned through a jacket. The only other neck order issued by the United States is the Legion of Merit.

Conforming to the title changes of the first, second and third Karate Kid films for their releases in Japan, The Next Karate Kid was renamed Best Kid 4 (???????4/Besuto kiddo 4); the major and obvious change is that this movie's translated title now explicitly identifies it as the fourth in the series.

John G. Avildsen, the director of the first three films in the series, dropped out of this one in favor for 8 Seconds. As a result, Christopher Cain took over in the director's chair.

Reception

The Next Karate Kid received mixed reviews from fans and even more negative reviews from critics than the third Karate Kid film. It was also the least successful movie of the series at the domestic box office, grossing only $8.9 million, compared to $90.8 million for the original, $115.1 million for Part II, and $39 million for Part III.^[1]