The Karate Kid Movies Explore Hollywood's Complicated Martial Arts History
Early in the second season of Cobra Kai, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) finds himself accused of “cultural appropriation” after he releases an advertisement for his Miyagi-Do Karate. This is one of many examples of the self-aware humor of Cobra Kai, the spin-off of the Karate Kid movies that engages with the franchise’s long history in a playful and smart way. After all, the Karate Kid films offer a fascinating study of Hollywood’s complicated relationship with martial arts. Martial arts movies date back to Shanghai in the 1920s and Hong Kong in the 1930s. However, the genre only ...