The Karate Kid Revisited.

So yesterday we had the pleasure of hosting a screening of Transformers which by the way absolutely kicked resident ass.  It was piercing loud, extremely funny, robots blown up to bits like chicklets and hotter than asphalt.  Welcome Megan Fox to the pinnacle of my top five.  Standard Michael Bay formula… lots of slo mo, mass destruction, humor peppered throughout from beginning to end and CG brought to an obscene level. 4 out of 5 stars on a drunken day. Work outing?  3 3/4 stars.

So amidst a certain action sequence where  Optimus Prime was man handling the enemy (again), I recognized a manuever that looked pretty darn familiar.  A move that had me thinking…. “Oh no he didn’t.”  Did I just say “Oh no he didn’t?”  I’m way out of my demo.   There it was in a split second of flurry like ass kicking, The Crane made famous by Daniel Russo (Ralph Macchio) in Karate Kid.  Yes The Crane that earned Daniel Russo a ridiculous trophy after dismantling the Cobra Kai.  The same Crane that I once tried to duplicate in the gym to the result of a strained groin.  The same Crane that served as the signature move for every kid wanting to put one over on the neighborhood bully.

So Is Optimus Prime guilty of such a blatant ripoff?  Maybe my eyes were playing some jedi like mindtrick or I was still numb from the decibel level but I could have sworn I saw The Crane.

So it got me thinking?  Could that move still work today?  If push came to shove and I had to defend myself or my family at a time of crisis, could I raise both arms in the air, lift one leg midwaist, hold my victim in a trance and snap one off to the chin of a disgruntled customer?  Possibly?  Lights out?  Maybe just once?

Oh hell no.

Maybe if  I’m lucky they’ll be in such a trance from my stance, it’ll give me time to lock on a submission hold for tap out.  Of course with my luck, he’ll reverse it on me.   But The Crane as a finishing move?

No way in hell.

Just not going to happen.

But I will congratulate Daniel Russo on the many things he did accomplish.  The Crane got you the chick, a stupid trophy and a slot in the walk of fame as one of the all time best finishes to a martial arts movie (wink, wink). You even earned yourself a sequel or two with the KK franchise and I believe a Burger King promo or two .  BTW what the hell are those hand held instruments with the little string and balls at the end of Karate Kid 2?  A little annoying.

Great! Now I have “wax on, wax off” stuck in my mind.