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‘The Karate Kid Part II’ Showed Every Sequel Doesn’t Need To Be a Remake
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One of the issues that many sequels to films that were surprise successes face is trying to infuse enough new elements without completely disregarding what viewers enjoyed about the first film. It can be very easy for sequels to go down the same route as Rocky II, in which the story and character arcs are virtually identical to that of its predecessor. The Karate Kidwas a smash sensation in 1984, as John G. Avildsen managed to combine all the hallmarks of a coming-of-age story into an exciting sports adventure about overcoming the odds and taking down bullies. While it would have been easy for a sequel to simply rehash that same story, The Karate Kid Part II made a major location change and raised the stakes, creating a compelling new installment that was far more ambitious than the original film.
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