After recapturing the zeitgeist with the successful six-season Netflix series Cobra Kai, the Karate Kid saga is returning to cinemas this weekend. Titled Karate Kid: Legends, the legacy sequel will feature original star Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso as well Jackie Chan as Mr Han.
The film, directed by Jonathan Entwistle (I Am Not Okay with This), also stars Ben Wang as the new karate kid, along with Ming-Na Wen and Joshua Jackson. Ahead of the release of the film, we look at how all the films and shows rank on IMDb, from worst to best – and what we think of them.
The Next Karate Kid (1994)
IMDb rating: 4.6/10
Starring: Pat Morita, Hilary Swank, Michael Ironside, Walton Goggins
Writers: Robert Mark Kamen, Mark Lee
While it has largely been forgotten, there was an attempted Karate Kid reboot before the 2010 reboot. Starring Hilary Swank, the film also saw the return of Pat Morita’s Mr Miyagi. The movie was a box office bomb, barely recouping its $12 million budget.
Our take: If you remember the feeling of accidentally renting the wrong film from the video store, this film encompasses that feeling. Swank shows a huge amount of promise that she later fulfilled in her successful career, but on the whole, it's an unnecessary and disposable effort that pales in comparison to the original.
The Karate Kid animated series (1989)
IMDb rating: 5.0/10
Starring: Pat Morita, Robert Ito, Janice Kawaye, Joey Dedio
Writers: Dorothy Middleton, Michael Maurer
As with many popular 1980s children's films, The Karate Kid also received a 13-episode animated series adaptation. However, unlike others from that era such as The Real Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice, it has largely been forgotten. The show was significant for having Morita narrate nearly every episode, though Mr Miyagi was played by Robert Ito. The events of the show are not considered canon, and despite not finding popularity on release, it has garnered a cult fanbase since.
Our take: Frankly, I didn’t know this existed until today. Watching an episode on YouTube, I can see why few tuned in. But it is charming and has that unmistakable late-1980s sheen.
The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
IMDb rating: 5.3/10
Starring: Pat Morita, Ralph Macchio, Robyn Lively
Writer: Robert Mark Kamen
The third film in the Daniel LaRusso trilogy follows a revenge plot by the villain from the first film, John Kreese. Despite waning interest in the series, the film still more than doubled its $12 million at the box office.
Our take: The film is a mostly satisfying conclusion to the series, but shouldn't be watched on its own. John G Avildsen, who also directed Rocky, does an admirable job in maintaining the charm through each installment.
The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
IMDb rating: 6.1/10
Starring: Pat Morita, Ralph Macchio, Danny Kamekona
Writer: Robert Mark Kamen
In a direct follow-up to the first film, LaRusso and his sensei Mr Miyagi travel to Okinawa, Japan, so Mr Miyagi can bid farewell to his dying father. While there, LaRusso falls in love and makes new enemies in the process. Riding on the coattails of the popular first film, the sequel made more than $115 million at the box office against a $12.5 million budget.
Our take: The Karate Kid sequel does not get the appreciation it deserves. Its nowhere near as good as the first, and it is a rehash for the most part, but it enriches the overall story by fleshing out Mr Miyagi's character.
The Karate Kid (2010)
IMDb rating: 6.2/10
Starring: Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Taraji P Henson
Writers: Christopher Murphey, Robert Mark Kamen
After lying dormant for years, the Karate Kid series returned with a reboot starring Will Smith’s son, Jaden, in 2010. Set in China, it also starred martial arts legend Jackie Chan in the sensei role. The film has a lot of the same beats as the original, changing some aspects to fit the cultural shift from Japan to China. But the film was a huge success, raking in more than $359 million at the global box office.
Our take: The Karate Kid reboot succeeded in introducing the series to a new generation. The star power of Chan and the surprisingly successful casting of relatively unknown Jaden Smith made for an enjoyable film experience.
The Karate Kid (1984)
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
Starring: Pat Morita, Ralph Macchio, Elisabeth Shue, William Zabka
Writers: Christopher Murphey, Robert Mark Kamen
Director Avildsen spun an inspirational yarn with the release of The Karate Kid. A young Ralph Macchio stars as Daniel LaRusso, a teenager who moves with his single mother to a new town and encounters difficulties in integrating. Morita earned an Academy Award nomination for his role as Mr Miyagi in this film.
Our take: Most millennials remember the first time they watched the original Karate Kid film. Alongside films such as Back to the Future and ET, The Karate Kid is a seminal experience, one that should be shared with each subsequent generation.
Cobra Kai (2018-2025)
IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Starring: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Xolo Mariduena, Courtney Henggeler, Lewis Tan
Writers: Christopher Murphey, Robert Mark Kamen
When Cobra Kai arrived on Netflix in 2018, not many people would have expected it to reach six seasons and 65 episodes, and create a legion of new fans. The show revived the story of the original karate kid LaRusso and his rivalry with Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence.
The show is different from the original films, though, in that we are looking at the situation from Lawrence’s point of view. For years after the original’s release, many theorised that LaRusso was the actual bully for his actions against Lawrence. Cobra Kai indulges in this theory and gives Lawrence the space to showcase his experience.
Our take: Cobra Kai uses the nostalgia for the 1980s film to present a different understanding of people’s experiences, and how circumstance can dictate one’s moral position.
More coverage from the Future Forum
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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More on animal trafficking
The years Ramadan fell in May
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
THE DEALS
Hamilton $60m x 2 = $120m
Vettel $45m x 2 = $90m
Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m
Verstappen $55m x 3 = $165m
Leclerc $20m x 2 = $40m
TOTAL $485m
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
More on Quran memorisation:
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Gender equality in the workplace still 200 years away
It will take centuries to achieve gender parity in workplaces around the globe, according to a December report from the World Economic Forum.
The WEF study said there had been some improvements in wage equality in 2018 compared to 2017, when the global gender gap widened for the first time in a decade.
But it warned that these were offset by declining representation of women in politics, coupled with greater inequality in their access to health and education.
At current rates, the global gender gap across a range of areas will not close for another 108 years, while it is expected to take 202 years to close the workplace gap, WEF found.
The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracked disparities between the sexes in 149 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
After years of advances in education, health and political representation, women registered setbacks in all three areas this year, WEF said.
Only in the area of economic opportunity did the gender gap narrow somewhat, although there is not much to celebrate, with the global wage gap narrowing to nearly 51 per cent.
And the number of women in leadership roles has risen to 34 per cent globally, WEF said.
At the same time, the report showed there are now proportionately fewer women than men participating in the workforce, suggesting that automation is having a disproportionate impact on jobs traditionally performed by women.
And women are significantly under-represented in growing areas of employment that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, WEF said.
* Agence France Presse
In Praise of Zayed
A thousand grains of Sand whirl in the sky
To mark the journey of one passer-by
If then a Cavalcade disturbs the scene,
Shall such grains sing before they start to fly?
What man of Honour, and to Honour bred
Will fear to go wherever Truth has led?
For though a Thousand urge him to retreat
He'll laugh, until such counsellors have fled.
Stands always One, defiant and alone
Against the Many, when all Hope has flown.
Then comes the Test; and only then the time
Of reckoning what each can call his own.
History will not forget: that one small Seed
Sufficed to tip the Scales in time of need.
More than a debt, the Emirates owe to Zayed
Their very Souls, from outside influence freed.
No praise from Roderic can increase his Fame.
Steadfastness was the Essence of his name.
The changing years grow Gardens in the Sand
And build new Roads to Sand which stays the same.
But Hearts are not rebuilt, nor Seed resown.
What was, remains, essentially Alone.
Until the Golden Messenger, all-wise,
Calls out: "Come now, my Friend!" - and All is known
- Roderic Fenwick Owen
Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
- Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
- Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
- If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
- The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
- Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
- Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
The five pillars of Islam
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)
Saturday
Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)
Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)
Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)
Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)
Sunday
Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
Favourite animals: All of them
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The%20Emperor%20and%20the%20Elephant
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Cagliari v AC Milan (6pm)
Lazio v Napoli (9pm)
Inter Milan v Atalanta (11.45pm)
Sunday
Udinese v Sassuolo (3.30pm)
Sampdoria v Brescia (6pm)
Fiorentina v SPAL (6pm)
Torino v Bologna (6pm)
Verona v Genoa (9pm)
Roma V Juventus (11.45pm)
Parma v Lecce (11.45pm)
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
