A vast improvement over its immediate predecessor; The Karate Kid III; this appealingly understated 1994 drama features a compelling performance by Hilary Swank; who would later win a Best Actress Oscar^? for her work in Boys Don't Cry. Swank plays 17-year-old Julie Pierce; the recently orphaned and troubled granddaughter of an old war buddy of Miyagi Yakuga (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita; the lone holdover from the previous Karate Kid films). Harassed at school by adolescent boys under the sway of an evil coach (Michael Ironside); Julie reluctantly finds refuge in the calm teachings of Mr. Miyagi. While the film's violence is as contrived and silly as that of the other KK features; the script provides exotic compensations via a subplot set in a peaceful Buddhist monastery. Still; it's Morita's crafty professionalism and Swank's emotional authenticity that makes this film more watchable than anyone might have expected. --Tom Keogh