I’d call it a self-aware B-movie. Don Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock are/were actual martial artists who moved into acting, they’ve each been in many low-budget action films. The thinking was obviously “let’s do our own take on The Karate Kid” but I think the intent is sincere rather than satirical.
The thing about high-budget first-run films is that a lot of work goes into every part of it. Even the title of the movie. But on a low-budget B-movie, not so much.
“So, what’s the title?”
“Dunno, it’s a take on the Karate Kid. But it’s got MMA versus traditional martial arts and is in Florida. The MMA kid? The Traditional Kid? The Florida Kid?”
“Nah those are terrible. What’s the core of it? The heart of it?”
“Well it’s anti-bullying. And it’s about the importance of martial arts. The Bullied Kid? The Martial Arts Kid?”
“The Martial Arts Kid is the best so far. Pencil that in for now. Moving on…”
Based on the name and the trailer, surely that’s a deliberately stupid satire, no?
I’d call it a self-aware B-movie. Don Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock are/were actual martial artists who moved into acting, they’ve each been in many low-budget action films. The thinking was obviously “let’s do our own take on The Karate Kid” but I think the intent is sincere rather than satirical.
Interesting. Strange, but interesting. I cannot understand why one would name their sincere take on The Karate Kid “the Martial Arts Kid”.
The thing about high-budget first-run films is that a lot of work goes into every part of it. Even the title of the movie. But on a low-budget B-movie, not so much.