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reborn-kaijuverse · 4 months

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Baragon

Portrayed by Israel Juarbe

Of all the places on Earth, Skull Island seems to be the worst possible place for humanity to end up. This land of chaos and utter carnage is ruled by the most terrifying creatures Earth has ever wrought and would therefore wipe out any trace of humanity's existence on its surface within days of settlement. But the Skull Islands have been colonized by humanity at least twice, first with the ancient Paleolithic civilization known as Tagu and a second millennium later with the ancestors of the Atu, whose descendants are the Iwi and Kawa; all these tribes continue to this day. While the Tagu are fairly advanced societies that could probably defend their empire well enough from the horrors that lurked on the island, the Atu live a simple hunter-gatherer life, with hardly any weapons in their possession capable of warding off even predators. low level. The only reason why the Atus did not have to be wiped out from the island's surface is due to the intervention of some Kaiju who were worshiped as gods. The most prominent of these is Kong, whose mountain looms over Atu's village like the central outpost of a guardian deity, watching the Island for any sign of a threat to his home and his reign. But the titanic primate is not the only defender of the Atu, and in fact is considered one of the four monsters the Atu consider benevolent. Kong himself is considered "The Overseer", watching the lands and skies for threats to his home. The other three overlords are in charge of some other environmental region of the Skull Isles. There is "The Flooder", a beast of the waterways that protects the island against all aquatic threats. However, more relevant to this part of the story are the other two Titans, known as "The Guardians". It is their duty to rule over the underworld of the Island where they drive back the hordes of terrifying subterranean fauna, especially the voracious Skull Crawlers. His handiwork could be seen all over the Island in the form of winding tunnels below the surface and the great chasms and craters left in various geological features as if an extremely hot and powerful force cut through solid stone like paper. These two armored borrowers, along with the beast of the waterways and Kong, are considered the guardians of Atu (although Kong seems to have a larger presence in Atu culture) and have established territories over which they rule, just like everyone else. Alpha Titans that dwell in the depths of the Skull Islands. But while most of these forces of nature are content to live out their lives on this unique landmass, it seems one of the Guardians isn't comfortable doing the same. He has made forays far beyond the island limits before and has been seen on rare occasions on other human-inhabited landmasses. Outsiders know him by many epithets, but the Atu knows his true name. The youngest of the Guardians, the Prince of the Underworld: Baragon...

A prehistoric dinocephalian species, BARAGON belonged to a diverse group of clad, capable of many things, like one can form a protective frill around its neck to shield its head, and another can gather electricity and can turn invisible to the naked eye, but they are all known for what's best, digging. Like Rodan, the Baragon have a bio-volcanic physiology. They live underground, where they feed off of geothermal energy. They uses their large paws and red hot horn to burrow through the earth. Due to their high internal body temperature, they can breathe fire. Baragon are mostly docile, only attacking if provoked. Along with their gentle nature, many people find Baragon appealing due to their cute features. The species that he belongs are ambush predators, lurking below under the Earth, waiting to pounce at any unsuspecting prey, but they are also good parents and will defend their turf with any means necessary. Baragon is one of the earliest monsters that burst from the grounds of the earth.

In old legends, there were the Yamato Guardians, three benevolent Kaiju who protected Japan in ancient times. With special affinity for the terrestrial crust we walk upon, Baragon is physically one of the smallest Kaiju on record, but his connection to the rocks and magma beneath us empower him to achieve greatness on a par with his larger allies. His small size makes him a tremendous leaper, with graceful aerial combat maneuvers and techniques. When not in the air, Baragon constantly replenishes his energy so long as contact is maintained with the earth. Baragon emits streams of fire from his mouth, and can cause eruptions and earthquakes beneath his feet. When firmly planted with all four legs upon the ground, Baragon is almost impossible to push, despite his small stature.

1971: After being questioned by Monarch agents, American soldier Frank Wilson was being escorted to a different room when suddenly, rumble vibrations started to occur. Turns out to be caused by yet another monster, Baragon, wrecking havoc around the facility. Fortunetly, Monarch managed to subdue him and contained him along with Kamacuras, but for how long?

Baragon is a biolithic kaiju superbly adapted for a fossorial existence. His hide incorporates various strands of metamorphic and volcanic elements, making him extremely durable and heat-resistant. He is coated in a series of interlocking scales which may be derived from hair-like structures, similar to a pangolin, which allow for a greater degree of flexibility. They are also easily shed and replaced by new growths.

Baragon makes his way through solid stone and bedrock with the aid of his immensely powerful foreclaws and horn-like protrusion on his head. These are also wielded as effective weapons during fights with other kaiju, especially while charging. One of his only softer parts, his ears, seem to play a role in thermoregulation, and are normally folded tightly upon his face beneath his horn for protection. This does not impair his senses, as his eyesight is poor. Instead, he relies on heat-sensing pits along his snout as well as a form of echolocation generated from the horn, which may be akin to a cetacean’s melon. By sending infrasonic pulses through the ground, as well as passively detecting vibrations, Baragon is able to pinpoint targets and locations from many kilometers away.

Baragon is also able to generate large amounts of heat when agitated, and can transfer this heat across his body. This can manifest as a full-body aura of intense heat, which can be used to shake off and immolate smaller opponents and can be maintained for several minutes. A more precise variant of this ability channels the heat specifically into his claws and horn to inflict more damage to larger enemies. He also generates lava-like bile within his body, which burns with napalm-like intensity when vomited forth.

#the karate kid #israel juarbe #freddy fernandez #baragon #millennium era #gmk godzilla #reborn kaijuverse #showa era #frankenstein conquers the world #destroy all monsters #columbia pictures

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popentertainment-moviereviews · 2 years

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THE KARATE KID 3-MOVIE COLLECTION

THE KARATE KID (1984)

Starring Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, Elisabeth Shue, William Zabka, Martin Kove, Randee Heller, Chad McQueen, Ron Thomas, Rob Garrison, Tony O'Dell, Israel Juarbe, William Bassett, Larry B. Scott, Juli Fields, Dana Andersen, Frank Burt Avalon, Jeff Fishman, Ken Daly, Tom Fridley, Pat E. Johnson, Bruce Malmuth and Andrew Shue.

Screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen.

Directed by John G. Avildsen.

Distributed by Columbia Pictures. 127 minutes. Rated PG.

THE KARATE KID PART II (1986)

Starring Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, Tamlyn Tomita, Nobu McCarthy, Yuji Okumoto, Danny Kamekona, Joey Miyashima, Marc Hayashi, Traci Toguchi, Bradd “BD” Wong, Clarence Gilyard, William Zabka, Martin Kove, Chad McQueen, Ron Thomas, Rob Garrison and Tony O'Dell.

Screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen.

Directed by John G. Avildsen.

Distributed by Columbia Pictures. 113 minutes. Rated PG.

THE KARATE KID PART III (1989)

Starring Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, Thomas Ian Griffith, Robyn Lively, Sean Kanan, William Christopher Ford, Jonathan Avildsen, Martin Kove, Randee Heller, Pat E. Johnson, Rick Hurst, Frances Bay, Joseph V. Perry, Jan Tříska, Gabriel Jarret and Glenn Medieros.

Screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen.

Directed by John G. Avildsen.

Distributed by Columbia Pictures. 112 minutes. Rated PG.

With the popularity in recent years of the TV reboot series Cobra Kai, it’s always good to go back to revisit the original series of films – if for no other reason than to brush up on some of the characters who appear in Cobra Kai. Therefore, this first release on 4KUltra HD and Blu-ray of the first three Karate Kid films – The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid Part II and The Karate Kid Part III – is a nice way of catching up. And – at least in the case of the first film – it has much more to offer than that.

Technically this is not the complete Karate Kid lineup. There is a 5-movie collection released several years ago which is still available on DVD. That grouping also includes The Next Karate Kid (1994) in which Mr. Miyagi takes on a new student, a young girl played a then-unknown Hilary Swank. It also includes the awful 2010 reboot of the series with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan – and the less said about that film, the better. Neither of those films are really missed in this collection. In fact, an argument could be made about whether anyone will rewatch Part II and Part III more than once or twice.

However, I think it makes sense to limit this collection to the three films which feature Ralph Macchio as Danny LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi, all of which were written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John D. Avildsen. (Only Morita was involved in the fourth film, and none of the original cast or crew took part in the reboot.)

Of course, the only truly good film of the trilogy (and the franchise) was the first one. The second film had its moments, but eventually tried so hard to up the stakes that it completely spun off the rails. The films are supposed to take place in about a year-long period, although the films took five years between the first and last one.

Even though it is rather predictable and not exactly Oscar-worthy, The Karate Kid deserves its status as a fan favorite feel-good film. It is the story about a scrawny Newark, NJ teen who moves cross country with his mother and quickly falls on the wrong side of the local bullies at his new high school – particularly their leader Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Unfortunately, the bullies are star karate students, and they are beating Daniel up daily. When he finds out that his new apartment’s handyman, Mr. Miyagi knows karate and is willing to teach him, Daniel joins the local martial arts tournament to prove himself to the bullies.

And yes, despite the somewhat popular revisionist history which likes to paint Johnny as a misunderstood victim – as espoused in popular culture on Cobra Kai and How I Met Your Mother – Johnny is indeed a bully. You can make the argument that he was led astray by his sensei Kreese (Martin Kove). You can make the argument that his heart was broken by losing his ex-girlfriend Ali (Elisabeth Shue) and he took out his anger on her new boyfriend Daniel. Neither of those arguments would be completely wrong, but it is letting him off the hook way too easily. That does not change what he did and how he acted. Just because he had some regrets does not excuse it. In fact, that is part of what makes Cobra Kai so fascinating, it shows the way that Johnny has grown and changed – and the ways that he hasn’t.

What Cobra Kai fans may not remember was that Johnny was essentially only in the first Karate Kid movie. He had a bit part in the opening sequence of the second one which supposedly happened right after the tournament, but never appears again after that – except in flashbacks during the opening credits of Part III. This is the story of Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.

Their story is partially expanded, partially repeated, and partially ramped up in The Karate Kid Part II. And frankly, like so many sequels, especially of this time period, The Karate Kid Part II is so desperate to redo the story but make it bigger and more explosive that it forgets a big part of why the first film was such a hit in the first place. It was a small film about everyday people put into ordinary situations.

Essentially, Part II reframes the original story in Mr. Miyagi’s home village in Okinawa, where he must return because his father is dying. Daniel goes along with him, and quickly he is falling in love with a sweet local girl (Tamlyn Tomita) and falling on the bad side of a local bully (Yuji Okumoto).

Then they double up on the story. Mr. Miyagi also has a potential love interest named Yukie (Nobu McCarthy) as well as a nemesis named Sato (Danny Kamekona). The history between the three goes back 45 years – Mr. Miyagi had fallen in love with Yukie even though she was promised in an arranged marriage to Sato, Miyagi’s best friend. Miyagi ended up leaving for the US to save face, but Sato has never forgiven him for the slight to his honor and never married Yukie. All these years later, Yukie has never been married and Sato is a rich, cruel dojo owner who still wants revenge on his old friend.

It is never completely explained how Mr. Miyagi and Sato – who grew up as best friends and learned about karate from the same teacher – ended up with such diametrically-opposed philosophies about the meanings behind karate. (Miyagi believes karate is for defense only, and Sato’s ideals come down much closer to Kreese’s “No Mercy” stance.) Oh sure, of course there is that 45-year-old rift about a girl, but even that does not explain the hard ideological shift that the two men made.

In fact, the bullies in Part II – Sato included – are much more heinous than the ones encountered in the first film. These guys are obviously willing do anything – bully, lie, cheat, steal, threaten rape and/or murder, destroy a small village – all to defend their own deluded sense of “honor.” Eventually, the storyline of Part II has a lot more going on than the first, and yet it feels like it is trying too hard.

Honestly, I had never seen The Karate Kid Part III before receiving this collection. Even though it returns Daniel and Mr. Miyagi home to Reseda and returns to earlier plot points like the All-Valley Karate Tournament and Cobra Kai as the villains (although with different fighters and a new sensei aiding Kreese (the original sensei character returns but is offscreen and out of the country for much of the story), still the storyline is totally out of whack.

To give just a quick example of how hackneyed the new film was, early on Kreese is taken to the airport by his rich former student Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), where they discuss getting revenge on Daniel and Miyagi. Seconds after Kreese goes in and Silver drives off, Daniel and Miyagi exit the very same door, returning home from the Okinawa trip explored in Part II. That’s one hell of a coincidence of timing.

The new bad guy Terry Silver is cartoonishly, over-the-top evil, with his insincere smile, his nuevo riche lifestyle and his Steven Seagal man ponytail. He even boasts – twice! – that he made his fortune by dumping hazardous waste. And he takes business meetings while soaking naked in a bubble bath – I guess as a power trip, but who really knows why.

The devious plot between Kreese and Silver is simple. Since the last tournament – and a fight in the parking lot which happened in the opening of Part II – the Cobra Kai dojo has lost all of its students. Silver, a Vietnam War buddy of Kreese’s with extremely deep pockets, has been financing the place. They decide that they must not only beat but humiliate LaRusso in the next tournament. So, they are going to get between Daniel and Miyagi and force Daniel to go on his own. And then pain.

For the plan, they hire “the bad boy of karate” to be their main fighter, as well as a couple of other young toughs. Together they will destroy Daniel’s life and relationships and a new Bansai tree business Daniel and Mr. Miyagi have started. (Yes, you read that right.)

Daniel has met yet another new girl in Part III, although refreshingly in this film it is more of a friendship than yet another love of Daniel’s life. (She drops the “boyfriend at home” bomb on him early on.)

Like in Part II, the new bad kids suggest not so subtly that they are not above murder, thievery, extortion or rape to get their way. They are also very blatantly racist.

Part III is by far the worst chapter of the trilogy, but it helps to tell the whole story. It is nice to have all three Karate Kid adventures together in one big package, although as I noted above, I can’t imagine watching any of the ones other than the original very often.

Jay S. Jacobs

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#The Karate Kid #2021 #Video Review #Ralph Macchio #Jay S. Jacobs

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