Movie:
Karate Kid Part III, originally released in 1986, was the second sequel to the phenomenal 1984 hit, The Karate Kid. The film was directed by John G. Avildsen, who also directed the first and the second entries in the series. Robert Mark Kamen wrote the screenplay for this film, along with Parts I & II. The film stars Ralph Macchio (Daniel) and Pat Morita (Miyagi), with Martin Kove (Kresse), Thomas Ian Griffith (Terry), Sean Kanan (Mike), and Robyn Lively (Jessica) in supporting roles.

After Daniel and Miyagi return home from Okinawa, Daniel soon finds himself faced with the choice of defending his title as All Valley Karate Champion. Daniel wants to compete again, but Miyagi refuses to train him for the competition, as he believes karate is to be used only for defending one's honor or life – not a plastic trophy. Daniel eventually agrees with Miyagi and decides not to enter, but in doing so, he enrages Cobra Kai student Mike Barnes, who is set on taking back the title. Determined to face Daniel in the competition, Barnes blackmails Daniel, and he is forced to enter. However, without Miyagi's training, Daniel seeks help from Terry Silver, an instructor who befriended him earlier. Unbeknownst to Daniel, however, Silver is allied with Kresse, and has set into motion an elaborate plan for revenge…

Karate Kid Part III is by far the weakest film in the Karate Kid saga. The biggest problem I have with Part III is that it just doesn't feel like a Karate Kid film until the very end. For the exception of two short lines about Yukie and Kumiko, Part II is basically thrown out the window. Daniel's incessant whining and complaining throughout the film, his weak love interest (Jessica), and a strong focus on bonsai trees, really don't help the film much either. There are some scenes in the movie that make it worthwhile, however. I really enjoyed the scene where Miyagi expresses just how much he cares about Daniel, and the entire end of the film, starting when Daniel learns of Silver's plan, is all great. But getting to those good parts takes a lot of patience, as the film just seems overly long.

Picture:
Karate Kid Part III is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and 1.33:1 full frame; each is on opposite sides of the disc. Throughout the film, the transfer seems slightly darker than it should be and a few scenes are also a bit too soft. The transfer also has quite a few more marks and specks than did the transfer for Part II. Film grain is also more apparent here than it was in Part II, especially in the darker scenes. Colors aren't as vibrant as I expected; they often seem bland. Flesh tones are also slightly pale. Despite all this, the film is quite watchable, and the transfer is only a step below Part II.

Sound:
Karate Kid Part III is presented in Dolby 2.0 Surround in English and Spanish and Dolby 2.0 Mono in French and Portuguese. Compared to the surround track for Part II, Part III's track is really disappointing, as it differs very little from the mono tracks. The score has very little presence in the track and ambient sounds are almost nonexistent. Dialogue throughout the film is clean and easy to understand with no distortion that I detected. Optional subtitles are available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.

Extras:
Extras include: selected filmographies for Avildsen, Macchio, and Morita, and trailers for Karate Kid Parts I & 2, Beverly Hills Ninja, Godzilla 2000, and Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles - The Pluto Campaign. I was rather disappointed that the trailer for this film didn't make the disc.

Summary:
Karate Kid Part III is given a decent presentation on DVD, though it lacks any substantial extras. The film is definitely the weakest entry in the series, and only fans or the film or those seeking to complete their Karate Kid collection should consider picking it up. For everyone else, a rental should suffice. Rent it.