Im as much of a The Karate Kid fan as the next guy, i.e., geek, of my generation. Despite its cheesy ’80s feel, I still think its one of the finer, sports/underdog films of our time. And before you think Im completely off my rocker, keep in mind, Pat Morita was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance.

For those of you who dont recall the original storyline, it goes as follows. Skinny, awkwardly-dressed kid from New Jersey moves to an unfamiliar environment, befriends large-breasted, ex-girlfriend of town bully who coincidentally happens to be a black belt in karate and is trained by a deranged, Vietnam veteran. After suffering numerous beatings, kid encounters Japanese mentor with Happy Days ties who teaches him the tenets of old school karate by catching flies with chop sticks and doing random household chores. Kid ultimately beats bully in local, karate tournament, making mom, girlfriend and mentor proud. You can have your Rudy, Ill take my Karate Kid any day of the week.

In this day and age of rehashing old ’80s themes, it seems only natural to bring The Karate Kid into the 21st century. I say so begrudgingly as an unapologetic fan of the Ralph Macchio version.

This article appears in Jun 10-16, 2010.