Synopsis for
The Karate Kid (1984) More at IMDbPro »

In this eighties flick, Daniel, a teenage boy, moves from the east coast to the palm-fringed roads and blue skies of Los Angeles when his mother gets a new job. Arriving in their station wagon at the block of flats they're to stay at, it doesn't seem like "home", but the family will try hard to make a new start. Daniel soon meets the local handyman, Mr. Miyagi, who is a patient and kind man, teaching Daniel how to trim bonsai trees.

School life isn't so easy for Daniel, especially when he begins to like Ali, the nice and attractive popular girl of the school. Soon her jealous boyfriend and his gang, The Cobras, all of whom train at the local karate studio, are out to get Daniel, who is eager to prove himself courageous and not be scared off by the bullies, but also isn't keen to blindly be punched up by the gang.

When The Cobras go too far and attack Daniel, knocking him unconscious, Mr. Miyagi fights them off and then helps Daniel recover from his injuries. Mr. Miyagi agrees to teach Daniel the true form of Karate, not the "win at all costs" approach that the coach of The Cobras teaches. Through a series of seemingly unrelated chores that Miyagi sets out for Daniel, polishing his cars, cleaning the wooden deck, and painting the fence, the teenager learns discipline and earns Miyagi's trust and affection. It isn't long before Mr. Miyagi demonstrates how these simple tasks are powerful karate moves, and Daniel becomes exceptionally good at learning about balance, both in life and in karate. On Daniel's 16th birthday, Miyagi rewards him with one of the cars Daniel has been waxing. He shows Ali, and they go for ride unaware of Ali's jealous ex-boyfriend.

Seeking revenge for his students' previous loss, the coach of The Cobras wants to destroy Daniel and Miyagi anyway he can, no matter what it takes, fighting clean or dirty. The annual karate tournament, which Daniel has entered, is the perfect venue for this retribution. Daniel succeeds through all the levels of competition, demonstrating skill and grace, and exercising all the control that Miyagi has taught him. In the final round, Daniel is matched up against the annual champions, his foes The Cobras. He injures one of the fighters, causing The Cobra to tell his student to cheat. The boy reluctantly does this and sprains Daniel's leg badly. Daniel wants to prove that it is possible to win fairly and fights on through the pain. Mr. Miyagi performs a mystical act on Daniel's sprained leg, causing the pain to disappear. Still hobbling, Daniel performs a skillful move to beat his opponent, winning both the championship, the everlasting friendship of Mr. Miyagi, and the love of Ali.