The legacy of underdog story of Daniel LaRusso. While The Karate Kid itself could be viewed as a kind of teen Rocky knockoff, it had enough of a unique identity to endure and be mimicked for decades to come.
There were plenty of great sequels to The Karate Kid, but those craving more will find a treasure trove of B-movie knockoffs, cheap imitations, and unknown cult favorites. Some Karate Kid rip-offs were certainly better than others, and the bottom of the barrel featured some movies that viewers would be wise to avoid entirely. Mentors like Mr. Miyagi and villains-turned-anti-heroes like Johnny Lawrence have become icons in their own right, and it’s no surprise subsequent movies have tried, with limited success, to recapture the magic of The Karate Kid.
10 The Martial Arts Kid (2015)
Directed by Michael Baumgarten
The Martial Arts Kid
- Release Date
- April 11, 2015
- Runtime
- 101 minutes
- Director
- Michael Baumgarten
- Writers
- Michael Baumgarten, Adam W. Marsh
- Producers
- Cheryl Wheeler Duncan, James E. Wilson
Cast
Don WilsonGlen-
Cynthia RothrockCindy
The Martial Arts Kid follows a troubled teen from Cleveland who moves to Cocoa Beach and learns martial arts to build confidence and defend himself against bullies. Released in 2015, the film emphasizes the transformative power of martial arts training within a coming-of-age narrative.
- Main Genre
- Action
It’s clear from the title alone that The Martial Arts Kid owed its existence to the undeniable legacy of The Karate Kid. While this film was totally derivative, it still featured impressive names as martial arts stars like Don "The Dragon" Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock were among its cast. With a story that’s pretty much identical to the 1980s classic, The Martial Arts Kid even made references to the movie it was pinching, as at one point Wilson even told his teenage protégé, “you can wash on, wash off all you like” in reference to Mr. Miyagi’s classic training method.
Jansen Panettiere played Robbie Oakes, a troubled kid gaining confidence through self-defense as he faces off against bullies in his new Florida town. However, despite boasting some impressive cast , The Martial Arts Kid failed to live up to its potential as it added absolutely nothing new to The Karate Kid formula. While rip-off movies can sometimes be enjoyable viewing experiences, they should at least attempt to find their own identity by introducing some new ideas.
9 3 Ninjas (1992)
Directed by Jon Turteltaub
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3 Ninjas follows the adventures of brothers Samuel, Jeffrey, and Michael Douglas as they spend their summer with their grandfather, a skilled martial artist. Trained in martial arts and ninjutsu, the brothers forces to combat an organized crime ring, using their skills to thwart determined kidnappers.
- Writers
- Edward Emanuel, Kenny Kim
- Main Genre
- Action
3 Ninjas mixed Home Alone-style antics with the martial arts appeal of The Karate Kid to tell a lighthearted story of three young brothers learning the art of ninjutsu from their Japanese grandfather. As a fun-filled PG movie with plenty of campy humor, 3 Ninjas' reputation has only grown in the years since its release as it quietly built up a cult following. As the beginning of a franchise that included three less successful sequels, the concept of a group of highly skilled kids taking out would-be kidnappers had plenty of potential.
As a film produced on a small budget of just $2.5 million, the fact that 3 Ninjas took in over $29 million domestically (via Deseret) meant it was incredibly profitable. In fact, 3 Ninjas was the most successful movie of 1992 in of cost-to-gross ratio. With plenty of action, adventure, and humor, 3 Ninjas managed to pull off the challenging feat of making a rip-off of The Karate Kid that had enough of a unique identity that viewers did not begrudge it, and it made for fun viewing for the young audience it was aimed at.
8 Best Of The Best (1989)
Directed by Robert Radler
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Best of the Best
- Release Date
- November 10, 1989
- Runtime
- 97 minutes
- Director
- Robert Radler
Cast
Eric RobertsAlex Grady-
Phillip RheeTommy Lee
WHERE TO WATCH
Best of the Best is a 1989 martial arts film focusing on a United States Tae Kwon Do team competing against Korea. Directed by Robert Radler, the narrative centers on diverse fighters overcoming personal rivalries to unite as a cohesive team and challenge their skilled international opponents.
- Writers
- Paul Levine
While the martial arts franchise starter Best of the Best shifted its focus toward team dynamics rather than focusing on a single protagonist, the film wouldn’t exist without the influence of The Karate Kid. From its underdog story, training montages, and use of music, the film conjures the same energy and appeal as the story of Daniel LaRusso. However, Best of the Best also addresses darker themes as the team overcomes personal issues, such as Tommy Lee (Phillip Rhee) struggling to accept the death of his brother.
While the characters in Best of the Best have many coaches and mentors throughout the film, there’s no central Mr. Miyagi-like figure tying them all together. Best of the Best also has a direct link to The Karate Kid franchise, as Devon Lee spoke about the movie in season four of Cobra Kai. Johnny Lawrence also brought up the film during season six, showcasing that those in the Miyagi-verse understand how comparable the film is to their lives and experiences.
7 Showdown (1993)
Directed by Robert Radler
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Showdown, released in 1993, features Ken, a new student who learns karate from a school janitor with a secret past. After being targeted by a possessive bully with a skilled instructor, Ken must face intense confrontations between students and martial arts experts, highlighting themes of rivalry and personal growth.
- Writers
- Stuart Gibbs
- Main Genre
- Action
One recurring aspect of many rip-offs of The Karate Kid is a sinister dojo similar to Cobra Kai, which was certainly the case for Showdown. This underdog story was essentially a retelling of The Karate Kid's premise as a kid named Ken Marks (Kenn Scott) deals with martial arts bullies at his high school. As an ex-policeman and school janitor (Billy Blanks) takes Ken under his wing, the young boy learns the skills and gains the confidence he needs to overcome adversity.
The villains seen in Showdown are essentially Johnny Lawrence, John Kreese, and Terry Silver, all wrapped into one. With antagonists who value winning above all else and are not afraid to fight dirty in the pursuit of victory, these characters would not exist without the groundwork laid by The Karate Kid. While Showdown was full of clichés, was very cartoonish, and swiped all of its content from a better movie, it still has a certain 1990 cheesiness that makes it a watchable guilty pleasure.
6 A Dangerous Place (1994)
Directed by Jerry P. Jacobs
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A Dangerous Place
- Release Date
- November 14, 1994
- Runtime
- 97 minutes
- Director
- Jerry P. Jacobs
- Writers
- Sean Dash
Cast
Corey FeldmanTaylor-
Ted Jan RobertsEthan
A Dangerous Place follows Ethan, who investigates his brother Greg's death, initially ruled a suicide. Suspecting foul play linked to Greg's martial arts team, the Scorpions, Ethan leverages his own martial arts skills to infiltrate the group and uncover the truth. Released in 1994, the film intertwines mystery and martial arts.
- Main Genre
- Action
When The Karate Kid was released in the mid-1980s, Corey Feldman was at the height of his fame and starring in classic movies like Gremlins, The Goonies, and Stand by Me. However, fast forward to the following decade, and he was floundering as a villain in underwhelming rip-offs like A Dangerous Place, a movie about a teenage martial artist named Ethan (Ted Jan Roberts) investigating the death of his brother. With a Cobra Kai-esque competing dojo, Feldman essentially played Johnny Lawrence in this forgotten release.
The problem with A Dangerous Place was it did very little to differentiate itself from The Karate Kid and was happy to just get by on its coattails, hoping that young viewers saw this film first and wouldn’t realize its similarities. Movies like this can feel disingenuous as it squanders any opportunity to carve out its own identity. While the performances aren’t bad and there are some enjoyable cheesy fight scenes, viewers would be better off just rewatching The Karate Kid instead of seeking out A Dangerous Place.
5 Kickboxing Academy (1997)
Directed by Richard Gabai
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Kickboxing Academy
- Release Date
- May 5, 1999
- Runtime
- 84 minutes
- Director
- Richard Gabai
- Writers
- Richard Gabai, L.A. Maddox
- Producers
- Sam Lupowitz
Cast
Cindy-
David EverettBrian
Kickboxing Academy follows a young former kickboxer who, haunted by past experiences, is called upon to help his school in a crucial tournament against a rival institution. As he grapples with his fears, the competition's outcome will determine the future of his school and ultimately test his resolve.
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Kickboxing Academy was also released under the title Teen Boxer and borrowed heavily from The Karate Kid. With Donna Barnes as June, fulfilling a Mr. Miyagi-type role, the boy Brian learns martial arts at the Kickboxing Academy. However, across the street is the ruthless dojo Fatal Combat, which is run by a psychotic instructor named Tarbeck, who essentially represents all the evil Cobra Kai leaders in The Karate Kid franchise wrapped up into one.
Kickboxing Academy tells a familiar story seen countless times before as its hero must overcome the bullies, gain confidence through fighting, and emerge superior against an ethical dojo. There are unengaging romantic subplots, and the biggest crime this film committed was being totally forgettable. Kickboxing Academy never tried to be anything other than a disposable rip-off, and it has received overwhelmingly negative reviews across the board from audiences and critics alike.
4 Karate Warrior (1987)
Directed by Fabrizio De Angelis
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Karate Warrior
- Release Date
- September 3, 1987
- Runtime
- 94 minutes
- Director
- Fabrizio De Angelis
- Writers
- Fabrizio De Angelis, Dardano Sacchetti
Cast
-
Kim Rossi StuartAnthony
-
Jannelle BarrettoMaria
-
Enrico TorralbaQuino
-
Ken WatanabeMaestro Kimura
Karate Warrior is a 1987 martial arts film featuring Anthony, a young man visiting the Philippines, who clashes with a local gangster and champion karate fighter, Quino.
While the Italian producer Fabrizio De Angelis had some cult success through his work on The Night of the Living Dead rip-off Zombi 2, the same cannot be said for The Karate Kid knockoff Karate Warrior. Also known under the titles Fist of Power and The Boy in the Golden Kimono, Karate Warrior borrowed heavily from the story of Daniel LaRusso, featured Cobra Kai-style villains, and even a wise old mentor named Master Kimura, who was essentially Mr. Miyagi in all but name. Taking all this together, it’s impossible not to notice the similarities between the two properties.
Karate Warrior actually acted as the inception point for a franchise with several forgotten sequels, but it had nothing close to the same kind of enduring success as The Karate Kid. As Anthony Scott (Kim Rossi Stuart) encounters local gangsters in the Philippines, the story told in Karate Warrior echoes many aspects of The Karate Kid Part II, when Daniel LaRusso visited Okinawa with Mr. Miyagi. When all is said and done, Karate Warrior just couldn’t live up to the legacy of the moves it swiped its story from.
3 Never Back Down (2008)
Directed by Jeff Wadlow
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Never Back Down
- Release Date
- March 4, 2008
- Runtime
- 115 minutes
- Director
- Jeff Wadlow
Cast
Sean FarisJake Tyler
Baja Miller
WHERE TO WATCH
Never Back Down follows Jake, a troubled teenager who encounters an underground MMA fight club at his new high school in Orlando. After a defeat by club leader Ryan, Jake seeks mentorship from a seasoned MMA trainer to transform his anger and skills, setting the stage for an inevitable rematch.
- Writers
- Chris Hauty
It’s a testament to the enduring appeal of The Karate Kid that it’s a movie that’s still being ripped off well into the 21st century. Never Back Down was a 2008 martial arts movie that essentially copied the core tenets of that film to tell a new story about an underground fight club in Orlando, Florida. Much like Daniel LaRusso before him, Sean Faris as Jake "The Gridiron" Tyler was a frustrated teenager moving to a new town who found meaning and purpose through martial arts.
However, this was far from where the comparison ended, as Jake faced off against Cam Gigandet as Ryan "The Terror" McCarthy, a bully who has plenty in common with Johnny Lawrence from The Karate Kid. While Never Back Down was dismissed by critics for being filled with fighting movie clichés, it also more than delivered on entertainment value and recaptured some of the magic that made The Karate Kid so iconic in the first place. While it paled in comparison to the original, as far as rip-offs go, Never Back Down was an enjoyable watch.
2 No Retreat, No Surrender (1985)
Directed by Corey Yuen
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No Retreat, No Surrender
- Release Date
- May 2, 1986
- Runtime
- 85 minutes
- Director
- Corey Yuen
Cast
Ivan Kraschinsky "The Russian"-
Kurt McKinneyJason Stillwell
WHERE TO WATCH
No Retreat, No Surrender is a martial arts film centered on young Jason Stillwell, who relocates to Seattle and faces bullying. Seeking resilience, Jason trains in martial arts, ultimately challenging Ivan, a formidable Russian champion, in an international match.
- Writers
- Keith W. Strandberg
No Retreat, No Surrender was an amalgamation of The Karate Kid, The Last Dragon, and Rocky IV that was slated by critics for being a complete rip-off. With Kurt McKinney as the teenage karate student Jason Stillwell, his dreams of becoming a hero inch closer to reality when the ghost of Bruce Lee is awakened to become his trainer. Add to this Jean-Claude Van Damme as a Russian working for an organized crime syndicate intent on taking over every dojo in the country, and the result is a wild copycat film that borrows heavily from much better movies.
While there’s a certain so-bad-it’s-good charm to No Retreat, No Surrender, it never managed to stick the landing, as, despite some great fight sequences, the bizarre nature of the entire film overtakes everything. But with Van Damme in prime fighting shape and some over-the-top fight choreography, this cult film stands as a guilty pleasure for many martial arts movie lovers. Both magnificent and awful at the same time, viewers should check out No Retreat, No Surrender and decide for themselves how they feel.
1 Sidekicks (1993)
Directed by Aaron Norris
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Sidekicks
- Release Date
- April 30, 1993
- Runtime
- 101 Minutes
- Director
- Aaron Norris
Cast
Himself
Beau BridgesBarry Gabrewski
WHERE TO WATCH
Sidekicks is a 1992 action-comedy directed by Aaron Norris, starring Chuck Norris and Jonathan Brandis. The film follows a bullied teenager who escapes his troubles through a vivid fantasy life where he is the sidekick of martial arts hero Chuck Norris. With the help of his martial arts teacher, he strives to turn his fantasies into reality, building self-confidence and physical strength along the way.
- Writers
- Lou Illar, Galen Thompson
- Main Genre
- Action
Sidekicks blended the coming-of-age poignancy of The Karate Kid with the action hero bravado as a teenager consistently escapes to a fantasy world where he’s Chuck Norris’s sidekick. With Norris playing a fictionalized version of himself, this wild adventure comedy was even directed by the Missing in Action star’s younger brother Aaron. While it’s easy to dismiss Sidekicks as a total rip-off, and the film was negatively received upon release, the truth is it’s got some interesting ideas and played themes of legacy, fantasy, and heroism in interesting ways.
Sidekicks featured a great performance from the late Jonathan Brandis as the asthmatic teenager Barry Gabrewski, who pursues martial arts as he attempts to become as brave as in his fantasies. The restaurant owner, Mr. Lee (Mako), even fulfills a Mr. Miyagi-like role as he takes Barry under his wing and provides him with martial arts lessons to take on bullies. While pretty much every aspect of Sidekicks was taken straight out of The Karate Kid’s playbook, it’s still a fun-filled, action-packed movie with some great performances.
Source: Deseret
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