Cobra Kai: Season 2 Review

By David Griffin

It is a criticism (basically) without Cobra Kai Season 2 spoiler on YouTube. The 10 episodes are currently available in streaming on YouTube Premium.

Karate Kid, the legacy of three decades, continues in Cobra Kai's Season 2 on YouTube, taking his characters to places that are emotionally darker this time around, while preserving the comedic aspects of life. Who made his first season so memorable. William Zabka and Ralph Macchio resume their respective roles of Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso, resuming their fight for the supremacy of martial arts in the valley.

The narrow 10-episode structure of Cobra Kai tells a great story in a short time. The transition from Johnny, a former high school bully, to an honorable sensei is always charming, as he tries to turn his dojo into a respectable company allowing kids to learn karate. And while the comic timing of Zabka is excellent, there are times when the motive "trapped in the mid-80s" goes a bit too far. For example, in one particular scene, Johnny is trying to connect to the Internet for the first time and does not even know what's the Wi-Fi. We get it, he's offline, but go. .. it is not this old.

In addition to his online failures, Johnny Kreese is more captivating in season 2 thanks to Johnny's narrative arena. Former actor Martin Cove comes back as Johnny's former Sensei, to help Cobra Kai achieve more success and make sure Generation Y does not shut up. Cove is captivating as Kreese, who is looking for some redemption himself. The creators of the series, Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg have expanded the perverse behavior of Kreese with a much needed vulnerability. Do not get me wrong, Kreese is still a tough guy "hit hard, hit first, no mercy", but he now has a nuanced background that makes him more real than life, and no longer a caricature. old movies. Kreese's dynamic father / son with Johnny adds to the tension, as he tries to find Johnny in his old way of doing things.

Johnny, the hero of three Karate Kid movies, feels like a strange man. In season 1, he was the bully. Fortunately, Season 2 gives Daniel something more substantial to do in the form of a reopening of Mr. Miyagi's dojo. It's a fascinating story where Daniel still faces the immense shadow of his former sensei. And even if Daniel's intentions come from a good place, deep inside him, he's just trying to steal students from Johnny's Cobra Kai dojo.

Daniel's story also leaves us more time with his wife, Amanda (charming interpretation of Courtney Henggeler), who challenges him to be the best of men, not giving in to the little rivalry with Johnny. Unfortunately, Daniel's persistence persists and it is there that the plot takes its darker turn. The sins of Johnny and Daniel are expressed in the violent relationships of their students.

The students of Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do are also told richer stories, especially Hawk (Jacob Bertrand) and Demetri (Gianni Decenzo). Formerly close friends, who discussed Harry Potter and the latest comic books, they are now enemies. Hawk may become the type of bully that Johnny used to know in the 1980s, what Bertrand effectively describes in his hostile performance. Decenzo plays with ease Demetri's lively and emotional bow, giving both characters a sense of depth that was missing in Season 1.

With all the West Valley high schools seemingly at odds with each other, karate-fought battles are inevitable. Season 2 really enhances his combat choreography with impressive tracking shots and great waterfall work. You can see that there is an amazing amount of detail in each fight, as both martial arts schools have a unique style of kicking and kicking. Miyagi-Do students move more fluidly, while Kai Cobra are more aggressive. And while the fights announce well, the harsh reality is obvious: you watch a bunch of teenagers fighting for a dumb rivalry, a rivalry that could have been avoided if Daniel and Johnny found a way to work together. Oh, there's always Season 3?