MovieChat Forums > The Karate Kid Part II (1986) Discussion > the conflict with Sato was lame

the conflict with Sato was lame

posted 6 years ago by [deleted]
8 replies | jump to latest

He literally just goes up to Miyagi to challenge him to fight every now and then, only to be pushed aside again and again due to some script contrivance. If he was really that eager to kick Miyagi's ass, he should have just went at him regardless of circumstance. Having bullshit reason again and again as to why they won't fight just turned Sato into a bit of a joke.

And the actor doesn't sell the role very well either. He just resorts to shouting every line of his like a frigging throat cancer patient. Even his karate skills aren't well displayed, as all we see are him trying to chop a log of wood in half... and fail. Some menacing villain, huh?

All in all, the conflict with Sato was what stopped me from enjoying this movie. He's a lame, poorly acted villain with no sense of menace to him as the script keeps using contrivances to prevent him from engaging in a full-on fisticuff with Miyagi. It's a shame, really, 'cause there's a lot of stuff I like about this movie.

[–] wearsalan (5554) 6 years ago

.....and he wears a dress!

[–] Culburn (3638) 6 years ago

And the kicker? "Sato" has been grooming the youngster forever, filling his head with all manner of contrivances, steeping him for vengeance. Two hours movie time later "Sato" pulls the rug out from under the poor thing, casts him out like trash & pals up once again with "Miyagi."

It's akin to the treatment that "Wallace" gives his fellows in "Braveheart." He will not fight for money, marbles nor chalk, categorically refuses to, but, when he suffers first hand everybody has to come and fight for him. There is no cajoling, begging, et al now. Uh, uh. They just come out in droves to avenge his wife's murder. The kicker here? The guy who's wife had to spend her wedding night with a strange man is told to "Be quick about it." by "Wallace" when he finally has the man at advantage. The freakin' nerve. I'd a told "Wallace" to bugger off and I'd a taken all the time I cared to.

[–] wearsalan (5554) 6 years ago

Similar to the original where the Cobra boys are the bad guys right up until Kreese tells Bobby to take him out.
suddenly all the shit they've done to Daniel (forcing him off his bike and Johnny half beating him to death) pales in to insignificance.

[–] Culburn (3638) 6 years ago

But, the boys were painted in a brash of colors, of course some were kept close to the vest so that Kreese would not be aware. Dutch is gone, near psychotic. Johnny has some conscience left even though he's lost everything to Daniel. He even bows near imperceptibly before the final victory. He is intact.

Tommy is hysterical, but, it's more boyishness than actual heart felt believe in Kreese's cause.

Bobby is conflicted, on the beach, at the fence, during the competition. He realizes lines are being crossed.

[–] wearsalan (5554) 6 years ago

Not disagreeing with you. But in Kreeses case, he agrees to every demand Miyagi makes. Fight at the competition, leave the kid alone whilst in training. I mean remember that the gang told Kreese they'd been jumped for no reason and he had no reason not to believe them. Yet come the competition he's the bad guy and they were following orders. I don't buy it.

[–] Juschill (779) 5 years ago

I do not think Wallace told the chap to be quick about it. That line never happened.

[–] Melton (2133) 8 months ago

He did. It did.

[–] strntz (10797) 6 years ago

Sato wasn't some hillbilly who was going to kill a dude for knocking up his 15 year old sister. He wanted revenge, but wanted it on honorable terms (if there is such a thing).

What Sato wanted most was for Miyagi to *agree* to the fight.. that was the most important thing. Something to do with honor I suppose. If Sato just went at him and killed him (the plan), he would be considered to be a bully and murderer and lose his honor, which was most important to him.

Only and finally when faced with Sato's threat to bulldoze the village to the ground did Miyagi agree to fight Sato - forced to do so yes - but still Miyagi agreed to fight. Miyagi even got Sato to agree to giving the town to the town folks forever regardless of who won because it was a "small price to pay" for his honor..

So honor was the reason Sato didn't just start swinging the moment he saw Miyagi.