Cobra Kai S5 Review: A Perfect Balance of Action and Poignant Moments!

One of my favourite Netflix shows returned bigger and better than ever with the rivalries turned all the way up. With Kreese (Martin Love) serving time for a crime he’s wrongfully convicted of and the other Dojos left feeling demoralised, Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) is left free to expand Cobra Kai to take over the valley. Elsewhere, Miguel goes on a search for his father in order to discover his roots.

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This show has been an unexpected pleasure of mine and I’m glad it’s been well received by the wider public as well. Cobra Kai balances the action well with it’s poignant moments which always contain nuggets of valuable life lessons. It’s main themes of forgiveness and redemption are at the root of every storyline and the way it’s portrayed make it easily digestible for viewers.

It’s interesting to me how they’re able manage all these various characters and personalities on screen in a way that feels organic. I also love how they continue to incorporate old faces. It lends credibility and continuity to the series. It also provides that extra kick of nostalgia. Chozen (Yuji Okumoto), Jessica (Robyn Lively) and Mike (Sean Kanan) were all great choices to add this season and I’m so glad that every single one of the original actors is able to reprise their role. However I’d have to say, as far as new characters go, Kim Da-Eun (Alicia Hannah-Kim) stole the show.

This season, Robby and Miguel appear to be mending bridges. It’s a long time coming but I can’t help but lement the loss of their rivalry, being that it was a center piece for such a long time. Just as combustible as that of Johnny and Daniel. I’m also wondering if this is the last we’ve seen of Miguel’s father. The rivalry between Sam and Tori is just as entertaining as that of Miguel and Robby. Sam’s character had really started to annoy me but this season at least, it seems like she’s regained her footing and even learned to have some empathy for her number one rival.

Speaking of rivalries and mending bridges, Kenny is a character that needs a lot of work. His advancement came too quickly in my opinion though it’s made clear he has a lot to learn. The mentor/mentee relationship between him and Robby is something that could be expanded on next season. Hawk took somewhat of a backseat this season which, as my favourite character I wasn’t too happy with but it’s understandable since there was just so much going on.

It’s interesting that he, Miguel and Demitri started this series as the biggest nerds but quickly grew into “the popular guys” while dating “the popular girls.” The power of karate I guess. Kreese’s storyline provided yet another side of this character and we’re left to wonder if he’s really capable of redemption. His relationship with Tory somehow tells me that deep down (really deep down) he is. The stunt work is better every season but there’s always room for improvement. I also can’t help feeling we were robbed in the showdowns by not getting the matchups we really wanted to see. Understandably though, it just wasn’t the right time.

I like how dedicated the cast is in their training to make everything look as realistic as possible. The camerawork aids the process, making fight scenes a lot more fluid. The soundtrack was littered with 80s hits once more and there’s really no other decade that perfectly signifies this show quite like the 80s. With the introduction of this international competition, they’ve definitely upped the ante and I can’t wait to see how our fighters perform.

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Now that everyone’s on the same side, it’ll be interesting to see how the show keeps up its momentum. Considering that rivalries have always been a huge part of the series. Personally, Cobra Kai is one of my favourites and I hope it continues for a good while. I’m even hoping we get to see the kids visit other countries where they can learn new karate techniques and take their skills to the next level.

‘Cobra Kai S5’ Rating – 4/5

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