The Karate Kid

Posted In: The Karate Kid

Kittie Drda says...

This film is not quite a remake of the original "Karate Kid" (1984.) In the effort to adjust the movie for China, and give Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) a fuller background they may have improved the story all around.



Basically Sherry Parker (Taraji P. Henson) lands a position in China and against her son's wishes takes him along.The son Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) makes friends and a quasi love interest in Meiying (Wenwen Han) and is terrorized by another student Cheng (Wang Zhenwei.) Now he must learn to defend himself and enlists the help of his apartment's handy man Mr. Han. Mr. Han may have a few problems of his own.



In the process of training we are treated to a peak at the China of today. However keep in mind this is a movie so names and places have been changed and much of the indoor scenes were make in a studio.



The film pretty much matches the formula of the original. I you missed the original film then you will want to read Joseph Campbell's writings on heroes journey or coming of age rituals.



Also you may want to watch Michel Wood's "Legacy: The Origins of Civilization" It gives a better insight as to the nature of China.



No matter what you will find that this film has a perfect balance and a little something for everyone.



My favorite scene was when Mr. Han perused a fly with chopsticks in hand. That scene is so Jackie Chan.



I only saw the Blu- ray version however it had more travelogue description in the DVD extras.

Posted on April 17, 2011

Enriqueta Rider says...

When word came out that "The Karate Kid" would receive a remake, I have to admit that I was quite skeptical.With the announcement of martial arts superstar Jackie Chan as the first star named, although I love Jackie Chan, I was even more skeptical because of the location of where the film would take place (China) and that karate is not a Chinese martial art.Also, that director Harold Zwart("Agent Cody Banks", "Pink Panther 2) would be the direct.And to even further my skepticism, the announcement of actor Will Smith's young son Jaden Smith ("The Pursuit of Happyness", "The Day the Earth Stood Still") as the main character did calm my nerves one bit.



That is until I watched the film.



And what an enjoyable film "The Karate Kid" remakecame to be and many people agreed as the film which was budgeted around $40 million had made $334 million worldwide and the majority of the reviews were positive.And as for the name "The Karate Kid", despite the film not having anything to do with karate, because the film is a remake, for the American release, the film will be known as "The Karate Kid" but in Asia, the film would go by the name "The Kung Fu Kid".





VIDEO:



"The Karate Kid" (2010) is presented in 1080p High Definition (2:40:1).If there is one thing that this remake does have an edge over the original is that this film was shot in China and the film looks absolutely beautiful in HD.There is so much detail in this film, may it be the paint peeling offfrom the walls or wood, the detail on the wood bars when Dre visits a Kung-Fu training area.The film looks absolutely magnificent on Blu-ray!



The film is absolutely breathtaking as we see how wonderful the cinematography is (courtesy of Roger Pratt, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", "Iris", "Chocolat") when we see the various mountainous regions of China, the Great Wall of China and surprisingly how much access the filmmaker was given to shoot this film.But also it helps to have the co-production with a major Chinese film company who also wanted to make the film look authentic and real.



Colors are absolute vibrant, flesh tones look fantastic, backs are nice and deep and once again, the detail of this film and the colors are just wonderful.Everything about the picture quality of this film is pristine and there is a fine layer of grain on the film.



AUDIO & SUBTITLES:



"The Karate Kid" (201o) not only looks spectacular, the lossless audio is also fantastic.The film is presented in English and French 5.1 DTS-HD MA and also presented in English - Audio Description 5.1 Dolby Digital.The dialogue is crisp and clear.The music of James Horner ("Avatar", "Troy", "Enemy at the Gates", "Titanic") is as always fantastic and you also get a good dose of popular music with Lady Gaga and Flo Rida.But as the dialogue and music comes perfectly from the center and front channels but also, there is great use of the surround channels.



Earlier on, you can hear the punching and the kicks coming from the surround channels but you can also hear the ambiance of crowds (especially during the tournament), the rain, Mr. Han working on his car (or demolishing his car), "Karate Kid" is such a film that takes advantage of the soundscape. Overall, the audio quality for "The Karate Kid" is fantastic!



Subtitles are presented in English, English SDH and French.



SPECIAL FEATURES



"The Karate Kid" comes with the following special features presented in HD, English Stereo and English subtitles:



* ON LOCATION: The Karate Kid Interactive Map of China - Director Harald Zwart talks about capturing China's culture in the film and also the challenges at shooting in the various locations in China such as the Wudang Mountains (4:24); The Great Wall which includes filming at the China Film Group Film Base at Huairou (4:45) and shooting a the Great Wall (1:36); Beijing:Beiying Film Studios (2:36), Beijing Shaolin Wushu School (1:34), Feng Tai Sports Arena (2:05), the Forbidden City (1:05), Olympic Park (:59) .

* Alternate Ending - (3:32) An ending that makes the film become more like what we would see from aJackie Chan martial arts film but it does take away the primary focus ofthe story which is about Dre.Cool action sequence but I'm glad this ending was not used.

* Play All Hosted by Jackie Chan - (29:44) Featuring the production diaries as one full documentary hosted by Jackie Chan.

* Production Diaries Hosted by Jackie Chan - A total of nine production diaries which include: Training Jaden (3:12), Jaden Smith, A Day in the Life (3:50), The Forbidden City (3:59), From Jackie with Love (3:56), The Great Wall (3:10), Olympic Village (3:06), Director Profile (2:19), Taraji P. Henson Goes to China (2:40) and Wudang Mountains (3:19).

* Chinese Lessons - Learn Chinese! - An interactive feature that teaches viewers basic Chinese words and phrases.Lessons include: Basic Greetings, Numbers, No Hot Water, I Want to Go Home, Training and General Vocabulary.

* Music Video: Justin Bieber Featuring Jaden Smith "Never Say Never" - (3:49) It's known that both Bieber and Smith are good friends and this is probably the first time I've seen Jaden Smith taking part music but definitely following in his father's hip hop footsteps.

* Just for Kicks: The Making of The Karate Kid - (20:09) The making of "The Karate Kid" remake and the challenge that the filmmakers had of remaking the original, martial arts training for Jaden Smith,what kind of presence Jackie Chan had on the set.Filming in various locations of China, the music of "The Karate Kid" and more.

* movieIQ+sync(TM)

* PS3 Wallpaper Theme



JUDGMENT CALL:



"The Karate Kid" (2010) was much more than I expected and I admit, I was a big skeptic when it came to the announcements and then watching the trailer.I watched the original film several dozen times and as mentioned in my review for the original film, it's a film that I just never get tired of.It's hard not to dislike a film about an underdog but with "Karate Kid" (2002), there are many things that impressed me.



First, the acting performance by both Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.Jaden Smith really went through a lot in the training of this film and with the original film,Ralph Macchio was pretty much a man playing a teenage role, while Jaden Smith, he is a young kid and what the director (especially his producer parents) brought out of him was pretty well-done.He has the bravado and slight cockiness like the original film's Daniel Larusso but it is quite evident, Smith went through major training much more than Ralph Macchio probably had to go through.



In fact, Jaden Smith studied martial arts for more than half a year, three months learning Wushu and weapons training from a stunt coordinator that has worked with Jackie Chan.So, to make this film look convincing, Jaden Smith really dedicated himself into practicing as well as enduring pain for this fim.



If there is one thing where the film was make it or break it, it was the chemistry between Smith and Chan.Jackie Chan was absolutely marvelous in this film.We have heard Jackie talk about wanting to play serious roles and we have seen that with his 2009 film "Shinjuku Incident" but not only does the filmmakers give him action scenes, they gave Chan the opportunity to show that he can do emotional crying scenes and there is no doubt that Chan's performance will have people tearing in one of the more emotional scenes of the film.



What also works is how beautiful this film looks and how well the pacing was for the overall film. Harald Zwart did an incredible job in the overall execution.From wanting to get the right shots, getting the right look and feel for the film and even being under the gun of shooting in locations that were difficult to shoot at or they only had less than a half hour window to shoot at.



For example, filming at the Forbidden City (which was the first time since "The Last Emperor") is constantly visited by visitors throughout the day and so they only had 20 minutes to shoot during the early morning before the visitors arrived.Zwart managed the time and schedule very well.



So,Zwart was able to accomplish a lot during the filming of "The Karate Kid" and it helps that he was paired with a wonderful cinematographer, Roger Pratt and musician/composer James Horner.Zwart's cinematography is fantastic and if anything, what he was able to capture on film looks absolutely gorgeous in HD and the same goes with James Horner who knows how to create movie soundtracks.Horner has done a tremendous job for films like "Titanic" and "Avatar" and he did a great job for "The Karate Kid" and it helps that the film does have music that will appeal to younger fans who love Lady GaGa, Justin Bieber and Flo Rida.



And also deserving recognition is screenwriter Christopher Murphy and writer Robert Mark Kamen ("Taken", "The Fifth Element" and "Transporter" films) in making sure the story for this remake was good and doing a lot of the research needed to make this film seem authentic.



As for the Blu-ray, you really can't go wrong as not only do you get a film that looks absolutely fantastic and sounds wonderful on Blu-ray, you also get a good number of special features included in this release that makes "The Karate Kid" worth owning.



Overall, I know there are quite a number of my friends who refuse to watch this film because of its title (since the martial art focused in the film is Kung Fu) and those who still appreciate and love the original film that they can't support a remake. Some have issues with filmmaker Harald Zwart and even Jaden Smith playing the lead role.But I don't blame them because I know how that feels because I felt the same way.



I was very skeptical towards this film and the truth is, there are many remakes that are terrible but this is not one of them.The film is not only faithful to the original film but it gives us even more than the original to love and enjoy, and as I will always love the original film, I have to say that I really enjoyed this remake of "The Karate Kid" as well andI really enjoyed this Blu-ray release!It's an awesome release!



If you loved the filmor looking for an action-based, underdog against his rivals type of martial arts film that is inspirational, heartfelt and entertaining,"The Karate Kid" (2010) is highly recommended.

Posted on April 17, 2011

Nada Londner says...

"The Karate Kid" is very much a worthy counterpart to the 1984 film on which it's based, not only in terms of story, but also in terms of quality; the excitement, humor, warmth, and themes of friendship, maturity, and overcoming adversity have been left intact, and better still, there's no sense that any of it has been cheapened or simplified to the sake of appealing to a mass audience. The only exception, and I'm really just nitpicking here, is a glorious but contrived aerial shot of martial arts training directly on the Great Wall of China, the helicopter camera zooming around Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith as they pose dramatically. If there was ever an image that belonged in a Chinese tourism commercial, this would be it.



A more substantial criticism is that, because this is such a faithful remake, there isn't much it can do to surprise us. Anyone familiar with the 1984 film will know exactly how this new version will play out, from the main character's awkward arrival at the start to the climactic tournament at the end. There is a bit of an inconsistency; because it takes place in China, the featured martial art is kung fu, not karate, so the title is technically inaccurate. There's also the convenience of all the important characters being able to speak English, if not fluently, then just enough to get their point across. But it's all done so well that we may find ourselves suppressing the desire to look for flaws and make comparisons. What would be the point? Remake or not, this movie stands entirely on its own as a great entertainment, not just as a sports drama and a spectacle but also as a coming-of-age story, which is just as charming and insightful as it was twenty-six years ago.



Smith plays twelve-year-old Dre Parker, who's forced to move from Detroit to Beijing with his mother (Taraji P. Henson). He doesn't much care for it, although he does immediately develop a crush on a good-natured girl named Mei Ying (Han Wenwen), a violin prodigy. Unfortunately, this introduces him to the sadistic school bully, Cheng (Wang Zhenwei), who quickly and brutally takes him down in full view of the other kids. How did he become so aggressive? A visit to a local kung fu class explains everything: Cheng's teacher, Master Li (Rongguang Yu), has taught him to be merciless when fighting his enemies. Mercy, he says, is for the weak. Dre, both small-statured and a foreigner, is considered a weakling. The idea that the underdog is separated by culture as well as by status is something the original film never had the chance to explore. It's a welcome addition.



So is Jackie Chan, who takes the reins from the late Pat Morita and transforms Mr. Miyagi into Mr. Han, a reclusive janitor who agrees to train Dre for an upcoming kung fu tournament. After his disastrous starring role in "The Spy Next Door," I had my doubts that Chan would be able to pull this off. I was happily proven wrong; this is his most mature and compelling performance to date, having been given the opportunity to genuinely act and not merely be a goofy action star. We see range. We see depth. We can conceivably feel something for his character. And for once, the kung fu moves he built his reputation on are actually in service of the story. He's not a stuntman showing off - he's a wise elder trying to make a point, and just like with Pat Morita's character, it involves a menial task that must be done repeatedly, almost to the point of a compulsion.



Some may object to the puppy love between Dre and Mei Ying, paling in comparison to the original film's teenage love between Ralph Macchio and Elisabeth Shue. While I agree that there's no such thing as romance before puberty, I am aware that those tween years see the emergence of hormones, and I can certainly believe that Dre and Mei Ying would have their first kiss by the light of a rear-screen projector. There's no sense believing that they're falling in love, because they're not. If anything, they form a sweet and innocent friendship, one made stronger by the fact that both are being tested by their own life circumstances. And much like the divide between Dre and Cheng, both are threatened by cultural differences, Mei Ying's parents fearful that a musically uninspired American boy will be a bad influence on her. Like all good boys, he just wants make a fine first impression.



A stretch in the middle of the film reveals views of mist-shrouded mountains and tours of ancient temples, where kung fu students practice rigorously. This is perhaps a bit conventional, but it's also undeniably breathtaking. I'm addressing that last observation to those who can't bring themselves to see this movie for its story or its characters - maybe the visuals will win them over. Still, don't be so quick to dismiss everything else it has to offer. Yes, "The Karate Kid" is yet another Hollywood remake, but that doesn't change the fact that it tells an engaging story with interesting characters and features good performances. I greatly enjoyed this movie, and if you go into it with an open mind, I think you will too.

Posted on April 18, 2011

Gracia Zatko says...

First the bad:this remake was totally unnecessary.In terms of story, it adds nothing to the original.It's not as faithful as, say, the shot by shot remake of Psycho, but this movie is much more than an homage.Furthermore, even adding Jackie Chan to the mix does nothing to add to the martial arts mentor genre, since he has already done Drunken Master, in which he is the student, and Forbidden Kingdom, in which he and Jet Li are the teachers.The fight choreography is better in both of those movies, even though the latter makes extensive use of wire fighting, and the cinematography for the fight scenes is much more precise.



I deducted one star, because the movie is too long by as much as half an hour.I saw it in the theater, and people were needing to take their kids for breaks right before the tournament scenes.And the "two minutes" the characters had, at one point, to get back to the ring lasted about ten minutes and was all talk talk talk.But those really are the only criticisms I have.



On the good side, the movie is beautifully shot.The scenery is amazing.The details are exquisite.The script is good, and the actors range from great to spectacular.The girl who plays Dre's crush/puppy love interest is adorable.And the boy who plays the nemesis is thoroughly menacing when confronting Dre but transitions seamlessly to innocent in front of the school principal.A courtyard fight in which Mister Han (Jackie Chan) takes on all of the bullies is breathtaking, as is the final fight scene, but many of the other fights are shot from too close in, making it difficult to see what is going on.Perhaps that is for the best, since the update has the protagonist and the other kids at a much younger age than the original.It might be too disturbing to watch kids this young really pounding each other.A scene in the nemesis's karate school, with children who appear to be older, is shot from farther away, and the brutality is depicted almost clinically, so the more confusing shots may have been a conscious choice by the director.



I enjoyed seeing the film.My nine-year-old son, who is a junior black belt in shotokan karate and is a huge fan of the original film, LOVED it as did his seven-year-old cousin, for whom this was his first Karate Kid experience.I am reviewing this from the theatrical release, but I intend to buy the film when it becomes available, because I am very certain we will watch it often.

Posted on April 21, 2011

Joannie Wais says...

Having not seen the original Karate Kid for many years, the content, story and overall feel of the original is simply lost in the annals of time as a result of my terrible memory. So with that, I'll say that my review will be written as if the original Karate Kid movie had never been made and this was an entirely original piece. For me to try and make a comparison would create a review based on false ideas and comparisons, which is not what I want my reviews to be.



The film came as a surprise as Jackie Chan took on a role which I am totally unfamiliar with him playing, and that is the serious role of a man who is deeply traumatised by his past, and looking for something to make his life better. Jaden Smith, son of the fantastic Will Smith, is a young actor I wasn't entirely impressed by with his role in the remake of "The Day The Earth Stood Still", but also surprised me in his role as Dre Parker.



The film focuses around 12 year old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) and his Mom who move to China to start life anew. Struggling to settle in, Dre encounters maintenance man, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan, and also an entirely unintentional rhyme) who saves Dre from a beating by a gang of Kung Fu bullies. There's nothing more dangerous than a Kung Fu bully I'll have you know. After saving Dre, Mr. Han agrees to help train Dre in the art of Kung Fu to prepare him for a tournament which will get rid of the bullies once and for all.



The false advertisement of calling it "The Karate Kid" aside, this is actually a really good film. They acknowledge that it is not Karate but Kung Fu that Dre is learning, but whatever the martial art, it is still done really well. The setting of China couldn't have been more perfect for a number of different reasons. The fish-out-of-water plot, the cultural and scenic perspective the film is told from works perfectly and allows the plot and its characters to truly flourish.



Jaden Smith, from a family of acting royalty couldn't have been more perfect for the role. He's clearly a kid who feels comfortable in front of a camera and has a bright future ahead of him; some of the beatings he received from the bullies in the film were a bit too harsh to be comfortable viewing considering he's a 12 year old, but he's a very good actor all the same. Chan performed well as the quiet, tormented and mysterious Mr. Han and this is without a doubt a great stepping stone to a more serious career for Jackie Chan.



Overall, the film was great. It dragged at times and I didn't really feel the chemistry between Smith & Chan, although they performed well individually. The Chinese setting presented some breathtaking shots and managed to portray Dre's awkwardness starting a fresh life really well. The supporting cast, including Dre's love interest, were a simple tag on to the main plot and help you become more emotionally invested in the young life of Dre Parker.

Posted on April 21, 2011

Denny Thain says...

I'm a huge Jackie Chan fan. I've been buying his movies for decades and have read his autobiography "I Am Jackie Chan" multiple times. As he ages it is only inevitable that he slow down and establish himself as an actor instead of merely a martial arts wonder. In China, this is not a problem for him, but in American films he has relied on his sense of humor to carry him as he struggles with mastering the nuances of English.



In "The Karate Kid," it is evident that his efforts have paid off. His performance is far more textured than in any of his previous American work and he steps up as a worthy successor to Pat Morita. Young Jaden Smith is also growing into his acting chops and although his performance is somewhat uneven, he handles his role well enough that it's easy to believe he is headed for a solid acting career even without the presence of his superstar father and talented mother.



What follows may contain spoilers, so do not proceed unless you have either already seen the film or don't mind knowing plot devices in advance.



The two leads are not the problem with this film. Where things come somewhat off the rails is in the script and directing. Most of the audience for this movie is already very familiar with the plot. As a result, the script is sloppy. Instead of building the relationships between the "events" of the story, the script settles for throwing people together in an entirely predictable manner. Also, everything is just too convenient and implausible. When the youngster arrives in China there is an instant American friend just waiting for him. Within moments this stranger is helping carry luggage and showing Jaden the ropes. The character development of the entire movie is glossed over in this sort of "convenient" manner.



In the final tournament, there are multiple moments that would simply not be allowed in an actual martial arts tourney. Fighters get knocked out of the circle and simply walk back in and resume fighting without warning. The sole exception of course, is Jaden's character. He gets warned in the very first match, which makes the repeatedly ignored infractions that occur as the tournament continues all the more obvious. In addition, illegal wrestling and mixed martial arts moves are not only allowed, but are awarded points instead of warnings. Anyone that has participated in, or attended one of these events at a local dojo will quickly see the liberties the director takes to make the action sequences all the more exciting. In essence, the film repeatedly sacrifices accuracy for visual flair.



The supporting cast does a very nice job although the mother in the film is given little to do but whine, cheer, and overact. In fact, when her son places the trophy in front of her at the end of the film, she is too busy ogling the thing to show a hint of concern for her child, who can't put weight on his leg and can barely stand because of the agony of his injuries. No mother on earth would behave in this manner and it's just the last of a long list of cases where the script and direction let this movie down.



I'm giving this movie 3 stars on the Amazon scale because of the performances of the two male leads. Also, although they pay some homage to the parlor trick method of teaching kung fu (wax on - wax off... jacket on, jacket off, etc) there are lengthy montages showcasing just how hard the character has to work to learn the art itself.



Overall this is a decent movie to watch if you're looking to kill a rainy evening. As long as you don't set the bar too high, there is a lot of fun to be had.



Special features on the DVD are also a bit of a disappointment. I Think this is the first Jackie Chan movie I've ever watched that did not feature a "don't try this at home" reel for example. There are no outtakes or bloopers either. There are some previews (including a gratuitous trailer for Hancock so daddy can try to move some of the unsold inventory) and a short "making of" featurette. Other than a music video, you're pretty much out of luck.



It's sad to watch Jackie Chan slowing down. But it's a joy to see him becoming just as competent a leading man in an English speaking role as he is speaking in his native tongue. This is a decent movie that should have been a whole lot better.

Posted on April 22, 2011

Selene Mccovery says...

I had my reservations about seeing this remake.Most remakes are not worth the time it took to make them, let alone spend $10-15 watching them.This one was a pleasant surprise.The premise speaks to our times in that you have a single woman moving up the ladder at her job, but she is also the mother of a preteen.It is clear that times have not been kind to either of them, and the move to a different country is a daunting adventure, but she makes every effort to prepare her son for the journey.What she does not foresee is the rejection her child will receive.The scenes of bullying Dre receives are brutal, but no less so than what countless children face daily in this country.The arrival of Jackie Chan's character brings the story to a whole new level as one is not sure if he is going to turn his back on the boy as well since he does not seem to be very sociable in the first place.The seriousness of Chan's character lends more credibility to the role of master than the somewhat comical teacher of the older movie.It is clear that the goal is not to just teach his student survival skills, but to guide him to the deeper, truer nature of the martial art of Kung Fu.Rarely does one see a movie treat this art with the respect and appreciation that it deserves than it does in this movie.Smith held his own in scenes with the elder Chan, and, in fact, held the movie together.He is a a very gifted actor for his age and I suspect we will see much more from him in the future.

Buy this movie.It is a great family movie, and a vehicle to begin dialogue between adults and children about the challenges they face when they leave the protection of their homes.It is also a movie that will teach all that Kung Fu is not all about swift kicks and throws.It is a philosophy as well as an art that should be approached with respect and practiced with care.

Posted on April 22, 2011

Guy Mccreedy says...

I GOT THIS FOR MY GRANDSON (10YRS OLD) WHO ALSO HAS EARNED HIS BELTS .. MY SON AND GRANDSON VIEW THIS MOVIE 5TIMES WEEKLY TOGETHER .. CAN'T GET ENOUGH .. SO MANY MESSAGES AND THOUGHTS ONE CAN HOLD ON TO THROUGH LIFE .. I TOLD MY GRANDSON THAT WHENEVER MATTERS ARE NOT RIGHT IN HIS LIFE WITH HIMSELF AND OTHERS, WATCH THIS MOVIE .....

Posted on April 23, 2011

Samuel Holtkamp says...

I've seen the originals..but this def scored up there with the rest. I saw it grudgingly @ the cinema..but fell in love w/ the main characters, even the bully---that kid CAN ACT. Anyways, this movie not only got a standing ovation from the ENTIRE theatre, but every scene had a clapping moment. The acting was superb and I think Will Smith and Jada did a great job with this production...so what if its their own kid?? HE CAN ACT! Get over it people... this movie is a winner in my book. The story had a touching side, with Dre and (jackie chans) character with how their frienship developed and grew into a male role model figure that Dre didn't have. Overall thismovie was GREAT.

Posted on April 24, 2011

Roxana Hermance says...

When I read that there was going to be a remake of the 1984 film The Karate Kid, I smiled in fond recollection of the original (which was a great family favorite in our house) and was interested in seeing the new version because it was being shot in China - a country (and a culture) about which I feel I have a LOT to learn.I was looking forward to seeing it.



The results? A mixed bag. Since I generally prefer to judge a remake on its own merits and try to avoid making too many comparisons to the original, I was somewhat surprised that, after seeing Karate Kid 2010, ALL I was doing was making comparisons in my head - comparisons in which the new version kept coming up short. Annoyed with myself, I decided to watch the 1984 version again to make certain it wasn't just nostalgia that was coloring my opinion. So I re-watched. It wasn't just nostalgia - the original IS better.



The Karate Kid 1984 wasn't the best written or best acted film ever - or even of 1984. But it was very popular. Kids liked it. Their parents liked it. People saw it multiple times. They quoted from it ("wax on, wax off"). Some, including my own kids, still do. :-) Enrollment at karate schools across the country rose dramatically. What really came home to me during my back-to-back viewing of the two films is that the new version simply lacks much of the heart and most of the humor that formed the basis for that initial popularity. And both of those - the heart and the humor - came, IMO, from the wonderful relationship between Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). While the plot of the remake closely follows the original, the new film never comes close to capturing the essence of that relationship and so failed to engage me in the same manner the original did.



But while I didn't find the heart and humor in The Karate Kid 2010 that would have given me that "absolutely love it" feeling, the film has its own charms and I was able to enjoy it on its own merits, particularly in a couple of areas where it clearly outclasses the original, such as:



* The athleticism of its stars (Jaden Smith as Dre Parker, Jackie Chan as Mr. Han & Zhenwie Wang as the bully, Cheng). Jaden Smith, even at age 11, has more muscle definition than Ralph Macchio had at twice his age (or possibly ever) and is physically much more convincing as a student who could master difficult martial arts moves in a short space of time. Chan and Wang (Wang particularly) are also more convincing athletically than their counterparts.

* The vastly superior fight scenes. Each and every fight scene is better "choreographed" and much more interesting to watch. (They are also more violent - parents might want to see the film before taking children under the age of 10 or so.)

* Dre's friendship with the violin prodigy Meiying (Wenwen Han). Even as a dedicated fan of Elisabeth Shue (the love interest in the original film), I found the Dre/Meiying relationship more appealing. I probably would have enjoyed their storyline more if the writers had simply left it platonic and concentrated on the cultural differences between them to create some tension, but their relationship made possible one of my favorite moments in the film: the scene where Dre goes to Meiying's home and addresses a formal apology to her father in Chinese. I also loved the violin piece she played.

* The gorgeous scenery. Views of China including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and a mountaintop temple were simply stunning. (Those interested in seeing more of China might want to check out Wild China: Natural Wonders of the World's Most Enigmatic Land).

* And, lastly, the ancient healing method? MUCH cooler in the new film.



Both films have a collection of underlying messages that they effectively deliver - that violence is not the answer, that there is honor is being a peacemaker, that bullies often learn their ways from others and, most meaningful to me personally, that children (or anyone for that matter) should never have to live in fear. I will say this: if a remake, even if it doesn't quite live up to the original, renews these messages and makes them more accessible to another generation, I'm in.



I give this new version of The Karate Kid 3.5 stars - for me it hovers somewhere between "it's ok" and "I liked it". I'm rounding down because, with some serious editing (dang, it was too long - just like this review!), and with a little more care to inject more heart into it, I would have been happy to give it a firm 4 stars. While I believe the original is better, I think this one is worth a look and that its messages are ones that every generation deserves to hear.



Recommended.

Posted on April 28, 2011