SPOILERS are forward for Karate Child: Legends, now streaming with a Netflix subscription.
There’s plenty of memorable scenes within the authentic Karate Child that makes it top-of-the-line ‘80s motion pictures. Nevertheless, I am unsure followers will ever overlook the ultimate struggle between Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence on the All Valley Karate Match, the place Daniel beats his bully (and Cobra Kai) by executing the crane kick. Karate Child: Legends pays homage to the OG movie in numerous methods, but it surely has an much more spectacular large combating transfer within the type of the “dragon kick”.
When CinemaBlend spoke to Karate Child: Legends director Jonathan Entwistle in regards to the movie (which is among the large 2025 film releases), I requested him about how the dragon kick was completed in digicam. I used to be shocked that there’s a human on this planet who can do the transfer with none film magic. In Entwistle’s phrases:
The dragon kick is not any wire work. It is absolutely actual. It’s absolutely shot and absolutely in digicam. And, we had one notably excellent stunt performer, AJ, who was in a position to try this transfer solely with none wires. And that is one of many causes we had him with us. So we constructed round ensuring that we had an enormous, large factor. ‘trigger so many issues have been accomplished inside Karate Child and Cobra Kai, and we did not wanna lose the essence of a crane kick kind method.
Upon additional analysis, I discovered the dragon kick (due to Vertigo Tricking) is definitely known as the “shuriken cutter” outdoors of Karate Child: Legends. The transfer implements a flip, kick and a twist in a single single fluid movement. You possibly can take a look at Ben Wang’s stunt double Anthony Correa Baniaga Jr. do some wild tricking in actual life (outdoors the films) beneath:
Whereas Legends‘ use of this method is totally different from what the unique film did, it provides audiences additional publicity to the world of martial arts. Extra particularly, the legacy sequel highlights what one’s physique can do outdoors of the strikes the general public has already realized, due to earlier iterations of the beloved franchise.
Personally, once I requested Entwistle in regards to the transfer, I used to be positive he’d inform me he and his group used wires to perform the transfer. Now, although, I’m extra conscious of a whole coaching self-discipline that implements each martial arts and gymnastics to realize these beautiful and mesmerizing strikes. Total, I discover it wonderful how these martial artists and stunt coordinators can do to push the boundaries of what the human physique can do.
As Jonathan Entwistle additionally identified throughout our interview, he wished to have a transfer in Legends that had the “essence” of the crane kick, however provided one thing totally different to viewers of the franchise. I would say he succeeded in that regard.
Now that you simply’ve realized all in regards to the dragon kick, take a look at what the director informed us in regards to the Karate Child: Legends post-credits scene (which has a Cobra Kai connection). Followers also can learn up on what Jackie Chan shared with us about doing his personal stunts for the film although he’s in his 70s.