The Karate Kid, Part III 1989

Dave Kehr, Chicago Tribune: About all that enlivens The Karate Kid Part III is a screamingly over-the-top performance by Thomas Ian Griffith, who plays a toxic waste magnate and karate buff who hatches a madly complex plot to humiliate Daniel and his teacher. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: Part III, however, is not merely a disaster of the most uninspired contrivances but is actually unsuitable for youngsters, the series' natural audience. Read more

Desmond Ryan, Philadelphia Inquirer: The Karate Kid Part III is a brave but misguided attempt to restate the lesson through a narrative ploy that nearly always works, but here produces no more than recycling. Read more

Caryn James, New York Times: With its sluggish script and unaging characters, The Karate Kid Part III has the rote sense of film makers trying to crank out another moneymaker. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: The pattern has so calcified that Gene Autry westerns seem like models of moral complexity by comparison. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: This material is wearing out its welcome. Read more

Suzi Feay, Time Out: After suffering endless abuse, Daniel wins with just a few well placed whacks: those expecting standard wish-fulfilment fantasy will be disappointed that (in tune with the philosophy, of course) he didn't give the punk a pasting. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: The makers of The Karate Kid Part III -- also responsible for its successful predecessors -- have either delivered or taken a few too many kicks to the head along the way. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: Morita, who was Oscar-nominated for the original, remains a likable stick figure, but Macchio has gone from cute to typecast here, his waifish charm turned to gawky adulthood. Read more