'Karate Kid: Legends' is now available on digital - and coming soon to physical discs
Category: Blu-ray's, DVD's and Digital
Back in 1984, The Karate Kid took audiences by storm. The story of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi was beloved by all ages. Now, Karate Kid: Legends passes the torch of this iconic franchise to a new martial arts talent – Li Fong (Ben Wang).
This is an interesting story combining Karate and Kung Fu, with a look at how the Okinawa Miyagi way of teaching was borne with the combination of the Chinese way of Kung Fu.
Li Fong and his mother (Ming-Na Wen) just moved from Beijing to New York City. Leaving his Kung Fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who happens to be his mother’s uncle, is hard for Li, however he decides to try his best to fit into his new surroundings. His first contact is Mia (Sadie Stanley) who, along with her father Victor (Joshua Jackson) run a local pizzeria. Mia becomes his confidante.
His mother forbids him from fighting, however the rough and tumble streets of NYC make this an impossibility. And Connor (Aramis Knight), Mia’s ex, targets Li from the start. As in the original film, the dojo Connor attends is run by a ruthless man who happens to also be the loan shark to whom Victor owes a lot of money.
When Mr. Han arrives in NYC to check on his niece and star student, he knows Li must continue with his Kung Fu. And when he learns about the Five Burroughs Karate Championship, Mr. Han also knows Li must enter. The large prize money will help Victor pay back his loan and winning will help Li’s confidence. That is IF he wins.
To help with this challenge, Mr. Han visits California and the house where his old friend Mr. Miyagi lived. There he meets Daniel and their friendship is born. But can he talk Daniel into coming to New York to help train Li? By combining the Miyagi way of teaching with the Han way, the union of their styles will be the best preparation for the marital arts showdown and the only chance Li has to win.
There is no “wax on, wax off” in this film, but there is a “coat on, coat off” which is just as instructive to Li as the first was to Daniel. It’s a fun nod to the original movie.
The story is entertaining and the best sequel to the 1984 film, even though there were several others in this franchise as well as a TV series. The combination of Kung Fu and Karate makes this unique and the characters are enjoyable to watch as they all work toward the goal of the final showdown, which is as frenetic and epic as the finale in the original film.
Bonus Features
“Becoming the Karate Kid” looks at how Ben Wang was selected for the role. The filmmakers wanted an actor who could speak both Mandarin and English and could combine both cultures. Wang’s dedication to the role was impressive, not only to the filmmakers but also the entire cast. As Macchio says, he is “This generation’s Karate Kid.”
“Two Masters, One Student” is an interesting featurette focusing on the two martial arts icons – Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio. Their union created a hybrid version of martial arts. Together they passed on the legacy in an entertaining and enjoyable way.
“Honoring the Miyagi Legacy” looks at how the wisdom of Mr. Miyagi has endured and meant so much to generations of fans. Mr. Miyagi is “a global cultural icon” and this film has the dramatic quality of the original combined with the fun. The featurette also looks at how they recreated the Miyagi house to pay homage to that character.
In “Strength and Character: The Cast” the ensemble discusses the combination of the actors and how they worked together.
“Karate King Fu and the Art of Action” shows viewers the amazing stunts and how they blended the different styles. The fast moves were intricately designed, and surprisingly, the actors did a lot of their own stunts.
A “Gag Reel” and “Deleted Scenes” round out the bonus features.
Karate Kid: Legends is rated PG-13 for martial arts violence and some language. It is available now on digital and will be available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD beginning August 26, 2025 with varying bonus features.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, and is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.
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