The Karate Kid Part III

Name: The Karate Kid Part III
Genre: Action, Drama, Sport, Family
Released: June 30, 1989
Duration: 112 min
Rating: 36
Cast: Jonathan Avildsen, Martin Kove, Pat E. Johnson, Pat Morita, Ralph Macchio

1989

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Ratings

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5.4

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5.4	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Ratings

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The Karate Kid, Part 3: Time To Go

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Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: June 30, 1989 | PG

Starring: Jonathan Avildsen, Martin Kove, Pat E. Johnson, Pat Morita, Ralph Macchio, Randee Heller, Robyn Lively, Sean Kanan, Thomas Ian Griffith, William Christopher Ford

Summary: Ostracised villain John Kreese attempts to gain revenge on Daniel and Miyagi, with the help of a Vietnam War comrade, the wealthy owner of a toxic waste disposal business.

Director: John G. Avildsen

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Sport, Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 112 min

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Critic Reviews

Empire Rob Beattie

Morita still charms, Macchio still tightropes between petulence and raw optimism, whilst the fight scenes are competent enough to offset the woeful romantic sub-plotting. Read full review

Dave Kehr

Perhaps the series is simply getting cynical and tired. Read full review

Caryn James

With its sluggish script and unaging characters, The Karate Kid Part III has the rote sense of film makers trying to crank out another moneymaker. Read full review

Juan Carlos Coto

There are more fight scenes in this movie than the first two installments, but the plot is silly and the come-from-behind climax isn't believable. The movie's only asset is Griffith's hammy performance. [30 June 1989, p.H12]

Roger Ebert

This material is wearing out its welcome. I have mastered all of the lessons The Karate Kid movies have to teach and all of the surprises they have to spring. I am also intimately familiar with the plot formula, so that nothing in this third film comes as the faintest surprise. Perhaps it is time, as Mr. Miyagi might say, to study something else. Read full review

Rita Kempley

Although III claims seven times as much action as ever before, the movie is still so boring that even the love interest (Robyn Lively) leaves early. She's no Kung Fool. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

More a sequel to the original than an extension of the action in Part II, The Karate Kid Part III is half-hearted and very dull. Read full review

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User Reviews

CenereMist

Sep 9, 2019

this is the best sequel of the first movie. there is a good plot, a good villain and Miyagi is fantastic.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Hua

Sep 5, 2020

Overall, loved this trilogy. The first was perfection, I loved the second and liked this one. The only reason I saw these movies is because I saw the pilot of Cobra Kai (which I loved!) and afterwards found out it was based off of these films. There are so many great lessons andOverall, loved this trilogy. The first was perfection, I loved the second and liked this one. The only reason I saw these movies is because I saw the pilot of Cobra Kai (which I loved!) and afterwards found out it was based off of these films. There are so many great lessons and inspirational, moving moments in these films. I just can't believe I waited this long to get into this world. And RIP Pat Morita - you were an absolute legend. ♥… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

MrPajamas

Dec 30, 2021

For me, again, the bomb. After a minor disappointment in the form of the second one, the third one surprised me more than pleasantly. Okinawa is gone now and so at the same time boredom disappeared for me. I liked the story very much. This time it shows the dark side of Cobra Kai even more.For me, again, the bomb. After a minor disappointment in the form of the second one, the third one surprised me more than pleasantly. Okinawa is gone now and so at the same time boredom disappeared for me. I liked the story very much. This time it shows the dark side of Cobra Kai even more. Compared to the second one, where I thought it was really unnecessary, here I devoured almost every moment and especially the finale was again grandiose and for me a nice ending to the trilogy. The only thing that bothered me in places was the cinematography. Some scenes seemed a bit overexposed to me. Maybe it was just my imagination. I don't know. To sum it up. It's still not quite up to number one, but it beats number two for me. This is purely my opinion. I really liked number three. I thought it was a little darker, and I like that. I think it's a good film, and I recommend it to fans of the series.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

robertoiglesias

May 21, 2020

Too derivative of the original film, even down to the climax. It's not an awful film, but it isn't as good as the first two movies imo.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

popdod

Jul 19, 2020

The worst of the original 3 in my opinion. The villains are way too over the top, Daniel as well with his frustrated, angry, and dark side Daniel persona, sequence of events is too much like the first, and the soundtrack is full of the worst of generic 80s pop rock, no classics. Like all theThe worst of the original 3 in my opinion. The villains are way too over the top, Daniel as well with his frustrated, angry, and dark side Daniel persona, sequence of events is too much like the first, and the soundtrack is full of the worst of generic 80s pop rock, no classics. Like all the films, the main villains seem way out of his league yet he miraculously comes from bordering on being sent to the ER to win with some fancy move. As for positives, some of the scenes are great visually like in the first 2 films. It's hard not to feel bad for Daniel by the beginning of this film as the kid did nothing to deserve all the extremely negative attention and violence he keeps getting. He wants nothing to do with any of this from the beginning yet in each film, is pressured to fight. His love interests always end up getting attacked by the villains. Whatever is important to him and those he's close with gets destroyed over and over. His mom is barely present in his life. Only in the first film was she really a part of his life but then after that, she basically left him to be raised by Mr. Miyagi, the former super of the dive motel turned apartment complex they lived in.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

YoungBirdyRingo

Apr 19, 2022

Unnecessary. It's not bad, but we've seen the same formula twice already in more interesting versions.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

NolanLundgaard

Jun 8, 2019

What were they thinking? Besides the epic fight scene between Miyagi and 3 villains, there wasn’t much excitement in this movie. It was a challenge to get through

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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