‘The Karate Kid’ 6-Film 4K UHD Blu-Ray Collection Review – Iconic Coming-Of-Age Films Still Pack A Punch

THE KARATE KID- From Academy Award®-winning director John G. Avildsen (1976, ROCKY) comes the highly entertaining, coming-of-age classic that will have you cheering! Starring Ralph Macchio and Noriyuki “Pat” Morita in his Academy Award®-nominated performance (Best Supporting Actor, 1984) as Mr. Miyagi.

THE KARATE KID PART II – Returning with Daniel (Ralph Macchio) to his Okinawa home for the first time in 45 years, Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita) encounters Yukie (Nobu McCarthy), the woman he left behind when he immigrated to America.

THE KARATE KID PART III – Cobra Kai karate instructor John Kreese (Martin Kove) is still brooding over the defeat handed to him by Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita). With his slimy partner, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), Kreese plans an intricate payback that involves hiring a mean-spirited ringer (Sean Kanan) to rob Daniel of his championship title. When Mr. Miyagi refuses to train Daniel, even under threat, the boy makes the mistake of turning to Terry for guidance.

THE NEXT KARATE KID – Karate master Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita) goes to Boston to attend a military reunion. There, he visits with Louisa (Constance Towers), the widow of his former commander, and meets her granddaughter, Julie (Hilary Swank). Julie’s parents were recently killed in a car accident, and she is still reeling from the loss. When Julie surprises Miyagi with her knowledge of karate, he takes her to a Buddhist monastery for training and to help her come to terms with her angst.

THE KARATE KID (2010) – When his mother’s career results in a move to China, 12-year-old Dre Parker finds that he is a stranger in a strange land. Though he knows a little karate, his fighting skills are no match for Cheng, the school bully. Dre finds a friend in Mr. Han, a maintenance man who is also a martial-arts master. Mr. Han teaches Dre all about kung fu in the hope that Dre will be able to face down Cheng and perhaps win the heart of a pretty classmate named Mei Ying.

KARATE KID: LEGENDS – Karate Kid: Legends unites the iconic martial arts masters of one of the most beloved film franchises of all time to tell a completely new story full of action and heart. When kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) relocates to New York City with his mother to attend a prestigious new school, he finds solace in a new friendship with a classmate and her father. But his newfound peace is short-lived after he attracts unwanted attention from a formidable local karate champion. Driven by a desire to defend himself, Li embarks on a journey to enter the ultimate karate competition. Guided by the wisdom of his kung fu teacher, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), and the legendary Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), Li merges their unique styles to prepare for an epic martial arts showdown.

For thoughts on The Karate Kid 3-Movie Collection, please see my previous article here. 

For thoughts on The Karate Kid 6-Movie Ultimate Collection, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

All the films in The Karate Kid Ultimate 6-Movie Collection are given a 2160p/Dolby Vision presentation that serves as a significant step up from their Blu-Ray counterparts. I previously reviewed The Karate Kid 3-Movie Collection in 2021, but that release is now out of print. I am reposting my thoughts on the first three films below, as the transfers remain unchanged. My thoughts on the three additional films will follow below. 

2021 Assessment – The Karate Kid was available on 4K UHD Blu-Ray previously in 2019, but even this new set offers that disc an upgrade in the form of Dolby Vision color grading for more nimble and natural colors. The set also includes Blu-Ray versions of each film which mirror the previous versions that were available separately. The previous top-tier 4K UHD release of The Karate Kid only gets the slightest of upgrades here, but Sony completely obliterates any previous releases of the two sequels with these new 4K UHD Blu-Ray discs. We are talking night and day, can never enjoy the old discs in the same way type of difference. In an effort to not duplicate descriptions, I will group most of these films together while pointing out noticeable differences. The main takeaway for this collection is that all transfers allow these films to look the best they ever have on home entertainment, and they should be considered the best way to enjoy these films. A magnificent effort all around. All three films have been mastered in 4K from the original camera negatives.  

These new 4K scans have a lovely amount of natural film grain that allows these movies to shine and gives a lot of pleasing texture and detail to the transfers. For the first time on home entertainment, you can clearly see specific text on some of the items in the convenience store. Grain is organic and mostly holds to a tight grain structure outside of a few fleeting moments where it gets extra dense in low light in Part III. The image presents with a miraculous amount of depth that makes the California landscape feel more three-dimensional than ever. The improvements in contrast and overall clarity are outstanding, especially when you look at the interior of the dojo and various settings in Okinawa. 

The UHD disc contains very deep colors throughout with bright primaries showing off the wondrous and warm locales. The most impressive moments of HDR implementation are in the film’s environmental elements including the green of the foliage, the blue of the skies, and other pops of color in clothes.  And trust us, there is plenty of eye candy to go around. White levels are brighter and offer a greater stability without veering into blooming. Black levels are extremely deep and allow the picture to maintain an excellent amount of depth and detail in darker environments. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a great amount of facial detail including the cuts and sweat from being in these fights. These transfers are a knockout effort for fans of the series. The folks at Sony are masters when it comes to their 4K output. 

2025 Assessment – Sony returns to The Karate Kid franchise with three more films premiering on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. Perhaps the most valuable upgrade among the three is the remaster of The Next Karate Kid, a film previously available on Blu-Ray as a MOD Blu-Ray from Sony in 2016 and as a single-disc double feature with The Karate Kid Part III on Blu-Ray from Mill Creek Entertainment in 2019. Neither of these releases was up to the quality one would hope from the format, so seeing a jump to 4K UHD is vindicating. The new 4K scan retains the natural film grain to coax out a world of texture and detail. There are background elements that you will notice for the first time due to the enhanced clarity. Grain is consistent and gives way to a striking amount of depth that makes the locales feel especially three-dimensional. 

Another glorious benefit of this release is the utilization of Dolby Vision. The UHD disc contains very dynamic colors throughout with vibrant shades showing up in the outfits and production design. As is typical with the series, it is somewhat of a visual feast to take in as we explore the different spaces. Black levels are deep and allow the picture to deliver an excellent amount of depth and detail in darker environments. Highlights are brighter and offer a greater stability without succumbing to blooming. The improvements in contrast and overall clarity are clear from beginning to end. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a notable amount of facial detail. This transfer is everything we wanted from this entry. 

The Karate Kid (2010) and The Karate Kid: Legends debut on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a similar level of quality despite being 15 years apart. The Karate Kid (2010) had a solid Blu-Ray release in 2010, and The Karate Kid: Legends is a movie fresh from theaters, and there is nothing to complain about with its Blu-Ray. Despite this, the 4K UHD Blu-Ray releases outpace them by a good bit. Each movie was finished to a 4K Digital Intermediate, and the native 4K presentation on these discs is exceptional. The HDR/Dolby Vision expands the range of the color spectrum favorably when it comes to vibrancy. Hues have never been more bold or precise in terms of color reproduction. 

This 4K presentation is in rare form when it comes to the balance in contrast. Dolby Vision allows for a much tighter command of these differences within the frame with greater depth and finer delineation. Black levels stay deep and inky with fantastic detail even in shadowy spaces. The highlights in the film are likewise more refined with whites pure and balanced and no instances of blooming at play. This is a key benefit when it comes to this format. Skin tones appear a touch more natural with plenty of crisp detail apparent on face such as age lines. Fine detail is also in rare form with the texture of clothing and the landscapes deftly rendered with subtle flourishes. From the first film to the last, Sony has treated this franchise with the utmost respect. 

Audio Quality

The six films in the 4K UHD Blu-Ray set come with a lively Dolby Atmos presentation, plus lossless 5.1 and theatrical stereo tracks (for the first three films), which all handle the reserved action of the story incredibly well. These tracks offer expert-level immersion into the environment so that even the subtlest elements are represented. The Atmos presentation takes full advantage of the expanded channel allotment, especially Karate Kid: Legends. During the scenes at school or attending matches, the din of chatter and announcements from overhead put you right into the setting. Similarly, there are certain moments when it is raining that sound unreal with the height channels. 

All of the sounds are balanced well during the more kinetic sequences. There are no explosions or all-out brawls, but many punches and kicks in the fight scenes provide a fantastic amount of activity in the low end. Directionality of sound is never an issue with this track, and dialogue is reproduced with supreme clarity. Speakers remain remarkably engaged throughout the film, even during the few quieter moments. These films are classics with a well-rounded sonic presentation. The audio presentation is a wonderful experience from start to finish. Optional English, English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

The Karate Kid

4K UHD

• Audio Commentary: Creators of Cobra Kai Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg

• Remembering The Karate Kid: A new-ish ten-minute piece in which Ralph Macchio, William Zabka and Martin Kove take a break from filming Cobra Kai to discuss coming to this material back in the day, the themes of the film, memories of Pat Morita, creating the rivalry between Daniel and Johnny, favorite scenes and more

• Deleted Scenes: Four deleted scenes totaling three minutes are provided here featuring Johnny threatening Daniel after handing him a safety waiver, Johnny pranking Daniel, a Cobra Kai member getting disqualified and more. There is some unfinished audio here but the material is mostly in good shape. 

• Deleted Scenes Dailies: Five scenes are provided totaling nearly 31 minutes that show moments being performed repeatedly in rough, unfinished quality. 

• Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here. 

Blu-Ray

• Blu-Pop: An option to watch the film with pop-up trivia, interviews with Macchio and Zabka, and more. 

• Audio Commentary: Director John G. Avildsen, Writer Robert Mark Kamen, and Actors Pat Marita and Ralph Macchio deliver a very fun and pretty informative commentary track in which they excitedly reflect back upon the movie while trying to convey as much info as possible while having a good time just being around one another. 

• The Way Of Karate Kid – Part 1: A 24-minute piece in which the cast and crew discuss the origins of the film, the casting process and finding the chemistry between the leads, elements of the plot and character dynamics, the themes of the story and more. 

• The Way Of Karate Kid – Part 2: A nearly 22-minute continuation of the previous piece which delves into the work of Director John G. Avildsen, the process of shooting some iconic scenes, the fight choreography, the film’s legacy and more. 

• Beyond The Form: A 13-minute which takes a look at the training the cast had to do for the film,  the importance of physical and spiritual balance to the art of karate, how the movie impacted the popularity of karate and more. 

• East Meets West – A Composer’s Notebook: An eight-minute interview in which Composer Bill Conti discusses how he came to the right music for each scene in the film. 

• Life of Bonsai: A ten-minute featurette in which Bonsai Master Ben Oki discusses the iconic tree featured in the film. 

The Karate Kid Part II

4K UHD

• Audio Commentary: Actors Ralph Macchio and Tamlyn Tomita deliver a recently-recorded commentary track that is so wonderful as they break down the film, recall their experiences during production, experiences with Director John G. Avildsen, the film’s legacy and more. There are some audio drop outs thanks to presumably recording over Zoom, but it is a very entertaining listen. 

• Assembled Dailies: Three scenes are provided totaling nearly five minutes that show alternate takes in rough, unfinished quality. 

• Deleted Scene: A quick 30-second unused scene of Daniel fixing up the garden. 

• Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer is provided here. 

Blu-Ray

• Blu-Pop: An option to watch the film with pop-up trivia. 

• The Sequel: A six-minute archival piece in which the cast and crew discuss the film and continuing storyline with some behind-the-scenes video and clips from the film interspersed. 

The Karate Kid Part III

4K UHD

• Karate Kid: The Animated Series (5:02:22): All 13 episodes of the animated series are provided here in upscaled standard definition. This is one of the most exciting supplements in the entire box set. 

• Deleted Scene: A minute-and-a-half-long unused scene of Daniel saying goodbye to Jessica is provided in rough form. 

• Assembled Dailies: Nine scenes are provided totaling 19 minutes that show alternate takes in rough, unfinished quality. 

• Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer is provided here. 

Blu-Ray

There are no special features provided on this disc.

The Next Karate Kid

4K UHD

• Hilary Swank Screen Test: A two-minute look at the star’s audition for the film.

• Assembled Dailies: Three scenes are provided totaling nearly three minutes that show alternate takes in rough, unfinished quality. 

• Deleted Scenes: Six unused scenes totaling ten minutes are provided in somewhat rough quality. 

Blu-Ray

There are no special features provided on this disc.

The Karate Kid (2010)

4K UHD

• Blooper Reel (1:36)

• Deleted Scene: There are 20 unused scenes totaling 23 minutes that are provided in decent, occasionally unfinished quality. 

• Theatrical Trailer (1:59)

Blu-Ray

• On Location – The Karate Kid Interactive Map of China: Click through to learn more about some of the filming locations. 

• Alternate Ending: A nearly four-minute alternate ending is provided.

• Production Diaries: A 30-minute multi-part look at the creation of the film from various different perspectives. 

• Chinese Lessons: An interactive piece that allows you to learn some basic phrases. 

• Music Video – Justin Bieber feat. Jaden Smith “Never Say Never” (3:49) 

• Just for Kicks – The Making of The Karate Kid: A 20-minute featurette that dives into the development of the film, the casting process, the location shooting, and more. 

• Previews 

Karate Kid: Legends 

Blu-Ray

• Becoming The Karate Kid: A four-minute look at the new young star at the center of our tale. 

• Two Masters, One Student: A six-minute piece on the union of Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio for this new story. 

• Honoring the Miyagi Legacy: A four-minute reflection on the universal nature of the original film and how it continues to be beloved. 

• Strength & Character – The Cast: A five-minute exploration of the new and familiar faces in this new journey. 

• Karate, Kung Fu, and the Art of Action: A five-minute featurette on the ways the creatives tried to make the action feel fresh within the franchise. 

• Gag Reel (2:26)

• Deleted Scene: There are seven unused scenes totaling 12 minutes that were cut for pacing but are worth a watch. 
• Previews

Final Thoughts

The Karate Kid legacy of films, following Daniel’s journey and beyond, offers some of the best coming-of-age moments that audiences could want. Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita bring a flawless chemistry to their heartwarming relationship. The sequels do not quite hit the highest highs of the classic original film, but they mostly offer a worthy continuation of the story that stands proudly in the franchise. We love the addition of Hilary Swank in The Next Karate Kid, and Jackie Chan is a worthy successor of Pat Morita in the more recent installments. This is a series that has endured for a reason, and each entry offers something to enjoy for fans new and old. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray collection featuring a magnificent A/V presentation and an exceptional assortment of new and archival special features. If you are a fan of these films, this is not to be missed. Highly Recommended 

The Karate Kid 6-Movie Collection is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray exclusively at Amazon. Titles are available individually on Digital. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.