The Karate Kid franchise is back on the big screen with the release of Karate Kid: Legends.
The new installment will merge the worlds of the original trilogy and the 2010 remake as Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) are working together to mentor a new student played by Ben Wang.
In celebration of the release of Legends, here is our ranking of all The Karate Kid movies from worst to best.
5. The Karate Kid Part III
While the film introduced fan-favorite character Terry Silver, The Karate Kid Part III is not revered by either fans or the people involved in the making of the film.
The third installment in the original trilogy lacked the creativity as it almost recycled the plot of the first film, and there was no true character development for Daniel LaRusso. Thomas Ian Griffith's performance as Terry Silver was the only silver lining.
4. The Next Karate Kid
Before she became a two-time Oscar winner, Hilary Swank made her breakthrough in The Next Karate Kid, where she played Mr. Miyagi's new student, Julie Pierce.
The film lacked the charm and wit of the original, but it is still a somewhat watchable installment because of Swank's performance and seeing Mr. Miyagi interact with another student.
3. The Karate Kid (2010)
The 2010 remake pretty much follows the story beat-by-beat of the original, but it didn't hold back from being an effective film due to Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith's chemistry and successful update of the classic underdog tale.
What made this new version worth it for fans is Chan's performance as Mr. Han and Smith's impressive showcase as the lead. Just like the original, this wouldn't work without the performances of the two main actors.
2. The Karate Kid Part II
The Karate Kid Part II was a worthy follow-up to the original, as they made a creative choice of setting the location in Okinawa and exploring more of Mr. Miyagi's origins through the eyes of Daniel LaRusso.
The film also successfully managed to stray away from the formula of the original in its storytelling. It also introduced new characters that became fan-favorites in the franchise, such as Kumiko and Chozen.
1. The Karate Kid (1984)
As they always say, nothing beats the original. The first film from 1984 has been considered as one of the most defining movies in the 1980s and the sports drama genre. It also brought karate to the mainstream consciousness in America.
The film has everything you want in an underdog sports story, and it influenced the other films in the genre in the years after. Daniel LaRusso made a lot of the '80s kids believe in themselves and wish that they had a Mr. Miyagi in their lives.
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