Thirty-five after the movie "Karate Kid", Johnny Lawrence is back and intends to be the hero of "Cobra Kai" -
YouTube Red
Since the revival of
La Fête à la maison
on Netflix, we are no longer immune to seeing any cult work, any past glory, return from the dead.
Time for an advertisement, a film, a series.
This is the case of the
Karate Kid
, who after three films in the 1980s (five with
Miss Karate Kid
in 1994 and the 2010 remake), was back in 2018 with a series on YouTube,
Cobra Kai
.
Thirty years later, the actors Ralph Macchio and William Zabka resumed their roles, respectively of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, but with a twist, since this revival espoused the point of view of the loser Johnny, now in his fifties and who is trying to reopen a karate dojo.
From YouTube to Netflix, follow the path of "Cobra Kai"
With nearly 100 million views, the pilot is therefore a huge success, and yet who has watched or even heard of the series?
Cobrai Kai
is actually original YouTube Premium content, with the first episode free and the others paid, and unfortunately the network very quickly disengaged from this kind of Hollywood productions, and from the SVOD race against Amazon, Disney, Apple and Netflix.
It was Netflix that got the rights to
Cobra Kai
, and guess what?
The series has become a hit, with season 3 released on January 1 and season 4 already ordered.
The creators also intend to continue well beyond.
WOUATAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!
Cobra Kai season 3, in January.
pic.twitter.com/j6vmWF4gxq
- Netflix France (@NetflixFR) December 9, 2020
A dialogue between generations, between the series and the films
But
hadn't the
Karate Kid
already said it all in a film, a tournament, a victory… and a few brushstrokes in Mr. Miyagi's garden?
This is what the sequels and nostalgia for a cult but kitsch film might suggest.
However,
Cobra
Kai
achieves the feat of fascinating beyond the simple cuddly toy.
By turning the table over and adopting Johnny's point of view, the trio of writer-directors, until then known to a few fans for the comedy
Harold & Kumar
, deepens a character usually caricatured or even sacrificed in this kind of story. .
They'll actually do it with all the characters, adults and teens alike.
Because
Cobra
Kai
introduces new ones: son and daughter of, comrades of, as if to better establish a dialogue between the generations, and at the same time, between the series and the films.
This is perhaps his tour de force, between images from the films, unused rushes and unexpected guest stars,
Cobra Kai
revisits the original trilogy, even rewrites the off-screen and finally enriches its mythology.
This is only possible thanks to an unwavering belief and constant humility in a yet very simple story, starting with those of Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, clumsy, touching and perfect.
KO of the heart.
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