Karate Kid 2

Karate kid 2 continues the story straight where the first part left. Karate learner Daniel LaRusso have still struggles in his life and once he is trying to wonder how to spend his summer, his sensei Miyagi receives letter from his home, Okinawa. His father is very sick and he have to travel back to Japan. Ofcourse, Daniel-san comes with him too.

But once they arrive to Japan, it will be seen that Miyagi have unfinished argues with his old friend Sato, who's hate towards Miyagi seem to be endless. He and Daniel-san get into a very difficult position and whole village's future is threatened. But at the last minute, nature get involved like in the old tale of kamikaze, wind of gods..

Though I don't usually like American budo-movies from the 80's (!), I think that this movie deserves to be reviewed here in my humble movie article, since it shows how Japan was seen by the American movie industry during eighties. The beauty of old Japanese customs is portrayed beautifully and landscapes from coast of Okinawa are brilliant. Most of the screenplay is nice, not breathtaking.

The movie tries to create beautiful and mythical impression about Japanese people, and I believe it's successfull in that kind of view. Though it doesn't handle Japanese culture deeply, I still think that it's good that someone does these kind of movies. Most of all, the information given about Japan in the movie is okay.

Like many other western movies which are set in Japan, Japanese lifestyle is seen from outside, like view of a tourist. That ensures that everyone can get into the atmosphere of the film, even the people who doesn't know much about Japan earlier. Why Japanese people don't speak Japanese? Only two words what they use seem to be "Konnichiwa" and "Doozo". But well, let's forget this little inaccuracy..

The movie contains alot of esthetically magnificent footages, including the obon festival in the end of the film, and the sunset over Sea of Japan when Miyagi is grieving for hisdad. Also the footage when the storm hits Okinawa coast, is very well made. I must say that I don't know much about the director of the movie and I don't know what was his motives. But it looks like Okinawa have some deeper meaning than just to be a scene.

I must say that actors and actresses are pretty good. Especially credits goes again to Miyagi (Pat Morita) who is very good as a old Japanese philosopher. Also Tamlyn Tomita is magnificent as a very typical character of Japanese youngster, Kumiko. She was also showing her skills in Wayne Wang film, "The Joyluck club".

My Japanese friends were a bit amused about one thing in the film. It's about how the director sees the meaning of tea ceremony. In the movie, tea ceremony is seen as a gesture of love, what is it not actually, according to Japanese culture. The same thing was seen in Sydney Pollack's "Yakuza".

In fact, tea ceremony is very very difficult to do properly, and it takes alots of training. If someone is willing to do that, get all the goods and practise hard, what could be better and more beautiful way to show how much love another?

But I must confess that I liked the movie, expect the clothes and design from 80's(!). This is a nice little movie to watch for everybody and gives a nice and somewhat truthful image about Okinawan culture.

Daniel : You could have killed him, couldn't you?
Mr. Miyagi : Hai.
Daniel : Well, Why didn't you?
Mr. Miyagi : Because Daniel, for man with no forgiveness in heart, life worse punishment than death.

See also: Tamlyn Tomita
News: Discuss about Japanese Movies

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