Silver gaslights Daniel for half the film, feigning kindness while setting traps. He hires Mike Barnes, "The Bad Boy of Karate," to physically assault Daniel in public. He bribes the tournament officials. He even threatens to foreclose on Miyagi’s bonsai nursery.

If you are writing an actual academic or analysis paper about the film, here are the essential details: Release Date: June 30, 1989. John G. Avildsen. Core Plot:

After the events of Karate Kid II , Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) return from Okinawa to their home in Los Angeles. Daniel is excited to focus on being a normal teenager: defending his All-Valley Karate Championship title, applying to college, and spending time with his new girlfriend, Jessica (Robyn Lively).

The Karate Kid Part III is the weakest entry in the original trilogy. It lacks the heart of the first film and the adventure of the second. However, it is not without merit. It is an aggressively 80s, melodramatic, and often unintentionally hilarious movie. For fans of the franchise, especially after Cobra Kai , it is – not because it is good, but because it provides the backstory for two of the best villains in the entire saga (Silver and Barnes).