Amazon.com video review:
John G. Avildsen not only directed Rocky, he tried
remaking it over the years in a dozen different ways. One of them was
this popular 1984 drama about a new kid (Ralph Macchio) in town
targeted by karate-wielding bullies until he gets a new mentor: the
handyman (Pat Morita) from his apartment building, who teaches him
self-confidence and fighting skills. The screen partnership of
Macchio's motor-mouth character and Morita's reserved father figure
works well, and the script allows for the younger man to develop
sympathy for the painful memories of his teacher. But the film's real
engine, as with Rocky, is the fighting, and there's plenty of
that. Elisabeth Shue is on board as the girl the klutzy Macchio dreams
of winning. The DVD release features a theatrical trailer, Dolby
sound, full-screen (pan and scan) presentation, and optional subtitles
in French, Spanish, and English. --Tom Keogh
