Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio star in the latest film in the 'Karate Kid' franchise... well, sort of. The most exciting and intriguing thing about the new movie, Karate Kid: Legends, is its unification of a 40-year-old franchise.

In the past three years, I’ve endured sequels to “Top Gun,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” These sequels are all descendants of 1980s movies, and they’ve all been mediocre to bad.

The latest installment features a new hero, familiar characters, and a fresh storyline that keeps the franchise alive.