Cobra Kai is undoubtedly the big television surprise of the last few years, a series that started completely quietly on YouTube, an independent project that seemed to have no hope of success.
And how could he have any? How could bring back to life a cinematographic myth of the 80s that has nothing to do with today’s panorama, at least in theory, could have received the consent of the public.
Yes, because the reality is that the adventures ofJohnny Lawrence, Daniel LaRusso , that iconic rivalry, talking about today’s young people, yesterday’s world, the problematic nature of adolescence, is certainly something incredible for the quality of writing, freshness and genuineness.
Usually he is considered the firstKarate Kid the best film of the saga, but above all the only one, since the two sequels were for years considered two missteps, something that could have been avoided, two rather poor works. What if it’s not true?
The birth of the myth
The first Karate Kid , as known, was an unexpected worldwide success, he made Ralph Macchio become an international star, but above all I consign him, Pat Morita , to eternal glory, making him a symbol of wisdom, compression and knowledge. The rivalry between Daniel LaRussso and the young local karate champion, Johnny Lawrence , soon became a way to discover the profound meaning of martial arts, the universe of ethnic minorities, but above all the toxicity of the ideal of machismo, of success and of model of testosteronic male that reigned in those eighties, to the greater glory of Reaganism.
Daniel thanks to the master Miyagi, would finally have regained a paternal presence, restarted to have faith in himself, faced his fears, learned to defend himself, but above all he would have shown himself and others that the true strength was not in the muscles, but it is within us.
Karate Kid was a little gem especially in the genre of training films, for how it described the world of youth, its rules, its rituals and the problems inherent in a very difficult and complex age.
The final karate tournament, in full “Rocky Balboa” style, is still today one of the most cult cinematic moments of all time. In the end, we understood how Johnny and his peers were actually just kids, plagiarized by Kreese (Martin Kove), a disturbed, sadistic man, devoid of empathy and a sense of proportion. There are no bad students, only bad teachers, just as there is no single way of looking at reality, everyone has their own vision. A principle of the complete reversal of one’s point of view, taken up by Cobra Kai , from Johnny’s belief that in reality the real bully was Daniel LaRusso.
Visiting another world
In 1986 the sequel, Karate Kid II , was released, with which this time we move to Japan, following the master Miyagi in a blast from the past, struggling with old grudges, personal feuds and the complicated code of honor of Japanese society. Daniel would be involved in all this, he would find in Chozen(Yuji Okumoto), a rival animated by profound immaturity, fragility but also incredibly dangerous as he is clearly stronger, more athletic and more aggressive. Usually this film is treated sufficiently, as it is inferior to its predecessor, but also because it is forced into several elements compared to the first, too over the top. Yet, it must be admitted, she knew how to guide us into Japanese society, afflicted by the cult of strength and revenge, by a vision of women as submissive and fragile. It was also a clash between two completely different worlds. Sato, the former friend and then enemy of Miyagi, in that Okinawa which was the scene of one of the most terrifying battles on the Pacific front of the Second World War, represented the spirit of ancient Japan, one made of aggression, mania for control, lack of of pity and above all arrogance.
Miyagi , on the contrary, rejected the fundamentalist dogmas that had been buried by bombs on that island, and represented dialogue, altruism, the ability to accept one’s own mistakes and those of others, to move forward. Daniel LaRusso completed this theme with his ability to integrate himself towards that distant people, to go beyond the differences in language, customs, to apply the teachings of his master outside the mat, showing courage and self-denial, but above all a great curiosity for others. The final duel, as in the first film, however exaggeratedly violent in reality mocked that cinematic decade made up of invincible muscular heroes, bloodthirsty machos and often involuntarily comedians.
Nothing is what it seems
Finally we come to the third film, from 1989, to the Final Challenge which for a long time was opposed by the fans of the Saga and today completely re-evaluated by this last season of Cobra Kai , for a whole series of long underestimated themes. Kreese was in ruins after the first film, but he found help and support from former fellow soldier Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), a rich, deranged, narcissistic, sadistic and manipulative individual. Karate Kid IIIhe spoke of virile friendship, even if between two bad guys, but above all he brought back to the center the theme of fatherhood, of the figure of the mentor, in this case of the bad mentor. Daniel above all, was going through a difficult period, becoming more and more like his first rival, Johnny Lawrence : aggressive, full of anger and unhappy.
Terry Silver , with a clever ruse, was able to win his and Miyagi’s trust and push him towards a path of self-destruction, and against Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan), a violent and deranged young karateka.
Of course, the film certainly had some internal coherence problems, yet it was perfect in talking to us about individualism, reach, the lack of morality in American society. He did it with Terry Silver , armed with all the yuppie arsenal and aggressive of the alpha male who at the time was the ideal model, the one to aspire to. His karate was the mirror of his personality, just as Miyagi’s was the perfect antithesis, which reminded us of a very important principle: it is not the martial art that makes you better, it is how you apply it, how you live it. and practice spiritually.
But, of course, to understand it you need to meet the right people, you need to know how to listen, but above all to recognize those who want to help us from those who are only interested in using us. All elements that have reappeared in Cobra Kai , and which have contributed to the success of a series in which the characters, their actions, more than dividing the world between good and bad.
