Karate Kid, Part 4
is better known by its release title,
The Next Karate Kid
. The sole holdover from the first three
KK
flicks is Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, once more cast as janitor/martial arts maven Miyagi Yakuga. This time, his pupil is orphaned 17-year-old Hilary Swank, the granddaughter of Miyagi's war buddy. Relentlessly bullied by her male classmates and feeling responsible for her parents' fatal accident, Swank is taught self-worth through the tough-but-gentle guidance of Miyagi. While
may come off as too "PC" for the tastes of some fans, it is heaps better than the appalling
Karate Kid, Part 3
.