Cobra Kai Seasons 4 and 5 may be two of the best within the entire series, and a large part of that is due to how they re-introduced one of The Karate Kid's most iconic villains, Terry Silver. The big bad reignited his iconic rivalry with Daniel LaRusso, which started in Karate Kid Part III, a movie that Ralph Macchio has openly criticized for its quality. But did the awesomeness of these past two seasons offset Macchio’s feelings on the final film of his trilogy? Not so much, according to the actor.
I had the honor of speaking to Ralph Macchio about his new book, Waxing On: The Karate Kid And Me and, during the chat, the actor spoke a lot about The Karate Kid Part III and Cobra Kai. As such, I wanted to know if the latest seasons of the Netflix show shifted his view of the movie in any way. Though things didn't change much for him, he did learn that he at least has an appreciation for a few other things:
It’s certainly given me an appreciation for what Jon [Hurwitz], Josh [Heald], and Hayden [Schlossberg] were able to pull from that and add layers and nuances to these characters. And, it’s given me an amazing appreciation for the actors who have done a brilliant job. Thomas [Ian Griffith is] certainly at the top of the list there, and Robyn Lively coming in? I thought those scenes really worked well, and she’s just a joy. And Sean Kanan–having Chozen, Johnny Lawrence, and Mike Barnes all in the same drunk limo with LaRusso? I mean that is well-written fan service, you know what I mean?
Ralph Macchio was quick to point out the cameos and classic Karate Kid callbacks, and it's hard to argue with his sentiments. The Netflix dramedy excels at utilizing veteran actors from the beloved film franchise and will likely continue to do so. Granted, the only major person fans still haven’t seen on the show is The Next Karate Kid star Hilary Swank. While Swank still hasn’t gotten a call to appear, Macchio mentioned to us he expects the team will make it happen if they can.
His praise for Seasons 4 and 5 aside though, it doesn't seem as though Ralph Macchio is going to change his mind about Karate Kid III anytime soon. The star continued to discuss how he views the movie while also talking about how it fits into the framework of his new book:
If I took the old VHS and plugged it in and watched The Karate Kid III would I now say it’s a brilliant piece of cinema? No. I still feel the same about the movie, but it has given birth to such greatness and I write to that in the book. Be careful what you think you know, and maybe a young reader will see that and learn a little something through my eyes and the shoes I’ve walked.
Ralph Macchio didn’t exactly inspire anyone to give The Karate Kid III a re-watch, but anyone with a Netflix subscription may feel more inclined to check out Seasons 4 and 5 because of what they achieved. That may also be a good move for fans who are still waiting on Cobra Kai's official renewal for Season 6, in case they want to remind any decision-makers just how much they appreciate it. With that said, one would think that a green light for more episodes is just a formality, given that it’s one of the best shows on Netflix.
Hopefully, news on a new season comes soon, because we still have a lot of questions after Cobra Kai Season 5 regarding where things are headed for many of the characters. Personally, I’m eager to see how Johnny does with a baby, and how that might complicate his commitment to his students.
