Cobra Kai: Season 5 DVD Review

• Actors ‏ : ‎ Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ SONY
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.78:1
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Subtitled, NTSC, DVD
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 362 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ September 12, 2023

         With as many streaming services as there now are, consumers must be increasingly selective about which they decide to pay for. While some streaming services boast plenty of content, others may only have a few shows keeping their subscribers. By providing the opportunity to purchase these popular shows on physical media, consumers now have the choice between viewing them on the streaming service or owning them on DVD and Blu-ray. Given the popularity of “Cobra Kai,” which was good enough to upgrade the streaming service producing it, it should come as no surprise that this is one of the shows Netflix has chosen to make available for fans to purchase and own.

 

        Season four of “Cobra Kai” brought back the dojo’s co-founder and villain from the third film in the franchise, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith). Silver framed John Kreese (Martin Kove) to take control of the Cobra Kai dojo, and season five deals with the aftermath of this. Despite losing the All-Valley championship, Johnny and Daniel continue to work together in an effort to bring down Silver and Cobra Kai. Although both Johnny and Daniel disagree with the “No Mercy” style of fighting, they still have to navigate their different approaches to teaching as they learn how to work together. Ironically, they seem to have switched roles in the fifth season of the show.

 

        Johnny sets out to repair the damage of his past behavior, including making efforts with his son, Robbie (Tanner Buchanan) while also building a life with Carmen (Vanessa Rubio) and her son, Miguel (Xolo Maridueña). While Johnny continues to become a better man, Daniel finds himself affected by the anger he feels toward Silver, threatening his peace of mind and his family life. What makes “Cobra Kai” work is the growth and development of the characters over the seasons, building off the drama first established between them in the films. While it is probably a good thing that the next season will be the last, there is still a surprising amount of enjoyment to be found in season five. And some of this enjoyment comes from the martial arts fight scenes between rival karate dojos.

 

        The DVD release for season five of “Cobra Kai” contains all ten episodes on two discs. The special features have additional footage, including a handful of deleted scenes, extended scenes, and a blooper reel.

 

Entertainment Value: 7.5/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

Historical Significance:  6/10

Special Features: 4/10