Karate Kid (2010)

[mpm74]

Just saw this at a screening...

Totally below average. Will Smith's son (forget his name) delivers his dialogue like everything is a one-liner, and it gets annoying as hell. And I'm sick of that kid showing off his dance steps. Who cares? I almost don't blame the bullies for wanting to beat him up.

Jackie Chan was good. No complaints there. Even a nice, inventive fight with a bunch of kids where he beats them up by making them hit each other.

Nice to see Yu Rong Guang! =D

Overall, eh... fight scenes were ok, but were a little over-the-top towards the end (everything in the original Karate Kid was buyable; this new one had a few "Yeah. Right. Whatever." moments...); fights are ruined with EXTREMELY shaky, closely shot cameras angles.

Bottom line: Skip it. Maybe worth a rental.

And they still don't explain - or there is no logic - to why it's called "Karate" Kid (other than sharing the title with its original). Doesn't make any sense. It's like making a remake of "Big Trouble In Little China" and having the entire movie be set in Little Tokyo.

[AbeRudder]

How many fights does Jackie get? and does Yu Rong Guang do much?

[lillippa328]

Jackie gets one fight...but it is very entertaining....Yu Rongguang didnt have many scenes but still great exposure for him...he played a good villian....

Jaden isnt a bad actor at all....you can deff. see the Will Smith in him...

The movie was good imo....not the bet thing ever, but good...Jackie plays a good Mr Han...not a Mr Miyagi...someone totally different, but loveable in his own way...

but a fun movie....some good comedy....a little cool training mixed in...

some beautiful scenes tho, deff. enjoyed the cultural part of the film

[OpiumKungFuCracker]

Be checking this one out soon... Have to figure out a way to walk pass the usher so I don't have to pay a single penny...

[kungpowmaster]

I love Jackie, but really only his classic Chinese productions, up to the 80's, though I did like New Police Story.

I really don't think I'd like this. But I may go see it, as the wife expressed an interest.

[inframan]

That's pretty much what the local paper said, Jackie's good, the rest is forgettable. Also I have to say they pointed out what I'd been thinking, it is really wierd how young Smith's kid is in the movie and he looks even younger than he actually is. I can understand the original, high school kids beating the crap out of each other. But this kid looks like he's in 5th grade and its kinda creepy.

[Guest Yi-Long]

So, everyone agrees, it's mediocre at best.... so when is the sequel out!?!?

[mtausig]

I posted this in the Miyagi thread, but it's my $0.02:

-------------

O.K....I took my 6 year old to see this today. I must say, it is entertaining. I did not go in to this with the mindset that it was even remotely related to the original - you can't remake a great movie, no matter how hard you try. I DID go in to it knowing that it would be geared toward an American (western) audience, garnering some marketing (i.e. familiarity of brand) toward the original watchers of the first movie (i.e. people like me in their late 30's).

My little boy is a brown belt in TKD, and although he is young, he is aware of style differences based on the movies he sees, and his own studies. His favorite movies range from Forbidden Kingdom (fun, family) to 36th Chamber and Legend of Drunken Master. He likes Jackie, Jet, Ti, and Gordon.

All that said, the movie is worth a watch if you're not looking for a KF flick. KF is somewhat of a bi-product of the premise in that the plot is very generic and overdone, but takes place under the guise of Kung Fu. Honestly, it follows the original Karate Kid nearly scene by scene: characters translate, scenes translate, they even present homage to the original with specific scenes and music. The primary differences are that Dre is much younger, the movie takes place in China, and the beatings he takes are much more severe. Daniel-san got beat on, but Dre is pummeled.

A few things I was pleased to see:

~ The cinematography is good. Not comparable to large-scale films (e.g. Red Cliff, 14 Blades, etc...) but from a western perspective, there are some beautiful shots of China: Great Wall, Forbidden City et al.

~ JC definitely had some influence on the script. While I would not consider the movie "Chinese Propaganda", it does show the wonder of the country, and works to promote the idea of China as country.

~ I appreciated the fact that there is a true and definable moment when the differentiation between Karate and KF takes place. There is an actual scene where someone mentions "karate" as a generic term for martial arts, and that person is corrected, being told the differences that KF has.

~ There are some nice action scenes for both JC and Jaden. I was pleasantly surprised to see the skill that Jaden has. My understanding is that his training time with Wu Gang was quite severe, even to the point of bringing tears to the kid. I also read an interview that has Jackie stating over and over that Jaden is one of the most talented kids he has ever met. I take this with a grain of salt, but overall, I was surprised.

~ I appreciated the multiple "homages" to the original movie - chopsticks and flies, JC drunk (serves a double meaning IMO), music, and a a new "wax on wax off".

~ I appreciated the reality that Mr. Han (JC) is not as "invincible" as Mr. Miyagi.

~ This will undoubtedly spurn a new "Kung Fu" element for young kids. I suspect my son will want to discontinue TKD and start KF.

~ Yu Rong-Guang is a cool addition to the film, especially after his success is many of the most recent films (LBS, Pandora's, Mulan etc.)

~ Zhenwei Wang is pretty ridiculous, and if he continues his studies could be a major action star, a la Jet.

~ If you have kids, you MUST take them.

Cons:

~ The run time. Damn. It was over 2 hours. The beauty of the original (damn...I wasn't going to compare) is the pace. It starts with Daniel as a smart ass wimp, and ends in 100 minutes with Daniel as a smart ass wimp with a fine woman, crane kick and trophy.

~ It is truly a family movie. Do NOT go to this looking for wuxia or the next KK. It is just another flick with KF as its base.

~ Hokie at times.

~ Did I mention it is not for KF afficianados?

If you're in the US, this is certainly a great alternative to Shrek 4. I was glad to take my 6 year old, as it continues to give him an appreciation of martial arts cinema, no matter how simple. Not everything can be Chang Cheh...though I wish it could be.

For fun, check out this link if you haven't seen it

Wax On, F&$K Off

[Bronx Rican]

Will Smith's son (forget his name) delivers his dialogue like everything is a one-liner, and it gets annoying as hell...

I heard about that; Jaden's quite a chip off the old block, huh?

And they really did have a lame method of keeping the franchise going: Mother confuses "kung fu" with "karate." Am. Cry.

Really, would so much of the audience for Tiny-Bit-of-Karate Kid be lost if the project didn't shamelessly court fans of Jackie, F-Prince and actual Karate Kid for maximum box office? I honestly can't think of a worse example of Hollywood pandering. I may actually enjoy the flick, one day, when I'm able to see it without being suckered into spending a dime on it. I'm thisclose to recommending a street bootleg. Pardon if this looks like ranting (it did on another board ); it's not intentional, but I'm sensitive to the annoying tricks they pull out there.

[Chinatown Kid]

The new generation can have this Karate Kid, I'll stick with my generation's version(1984) anyday.

[Tosh]

What doesn't work for me for this movie is an American kid comes into China as some kind of underdog, I think the movie would of worked much better the other way around, the title is irrevelant most westerners don't know the difference between China and Japan let alone their MAs.

2 hours 20 minutes? Sounds like a lot of fluff, glad to see Yu Rong Guguang get work though.

[OpiumKungFuCracker]

Saw an early screening of this and although it doesn't even come close to being as iconic and inspirational as the original, I did manage to have fun watching it.. Especially at the screening I went to where it was a bunch of little kids and the way they were getting into the movie and applauding during the tournament scene made the experience even more enjoyable... Jackie can act but nowhere near as lovable or memorable as Pat Morita.. Jaden Smith was kind of annoying and whiny at times but the little tiger can be convincing when showing his skills.. So if you are a fan of the original no need to see it but should wait for the rental...

[DAJIZZARIZZA]

Damn you guys ,.. you are too hard on this kid ,.. i think you may be a little pissed at him because he's making money so young and his parents are already rich.

once you can stop hating the lil kid,.. maybe ask yourself ,..could you at his age have pulled off a better movie with all that pressure. i'm sure you would had sucked he did well for his age .

this is entertainment for family ,.. not the fathers who grew up on hardcore kung-fu flix, it was meant for the children.

Critics are always looking at a film from their prospective,.. i understand when your angry at a movie ,.. mainly because it let you down,.. you guys mean to tell me you went to see this movie alone ? and wanted to watch a film about a lil boy ? ,.. ok you guys are creeping me out.

this was simply a family film , a film for the kids,.. and guess what ,.. kids enjoyed it.

it was about people ignorance of other people culture and skin color,. back ground ,.. it was about bullies ,.. and the triump over bullies,.. kids can appreciate that ,..

so as i read some negetive speeches bashing this kids acting ,.. please remember ,.. he made a million bucks while your still trying to pay the bills in your home.

bootleg film and getting in free ?,.. you guys are just showing how cheap ass you are and that your envious of a kid.

i applaud Jackie Chan , the trainer for the kid,.. Will Smith for trying to train his son to not be a spoild rich kid ,.. and learn to earn,.. and young Dre for sticking with it and not giving up though it must had been hard work.

[Guest HongKongMaster]

i always find ridiculous the first movie, not credible for a second (Morita, Macchio lololol) but this one is far better thanks to Jackie Chan and Smith 8/10

[kungfusamurai]

Didn't they already remake Karate Kid? And it even had Jackie in the similar Miyagi role? They called it Forbidden Kingdom.

I'm not sure I will bother with this. I've been boycotting remakes and movie adaptations of 80s TV shows.

It's silly. This movie is supposed to be for a new generation of movie watchers, and yet they give it a title that is more appropriate for people who grew up on the original. That strategy doesn't make sense.

They really should have just given the darn thing a new name. I bet it was some dumbass in a suit who thought calling it the same name was a good marketing strategy. Why not just call it 'Kick Some Chinese Butt'? Isn't that what it's about anyway?

KFS

[kungfusamurai]

Damn you guys ,.. you are too hard on this kid ,.. i think you may be a little pissed at him because he's making money so young and his parents are already rich. (snip)

I would imagine some Hollywood actors are also pissed, because daddy put his son in the movie. Sure, it's not the first time nepotism at work in Hollywood, look at Clint Eastwood and Sandra Locke. Or Penny Marshall in her brother Frank's shows. But people are entitled to be a little annoyed when someone else could have gotten the role, and the son could have maybe gotten a supporting role.

I don't know if the kid felt the pressure the way an adult actor feels pressure. He's probably been groomed for the big screen since he was a baby. Anyway, he (I mean his dad) still gets paid at the end of the day whether the movie does well or not.

KFS

[mpm74]

I just posted a KARATE KID review in the review section.

If you actually liked Karate Kid, or are offended easily, please don't read my review.

=D

[mpm74]

Damn you guys ,.. you are too hard on this kid ,.. i think you may be a little pissed at him because he's making money so young and his parents are already rich.

once you can stop hating the lil kid,.. maybe ask yourself ,..could you at his age have pulled off a better movie with all that pressure. i'm sure you would had sucked he did well for his age .

Nope to both questions.

I have no problem with rich people (I like and respect most of them, just as I do poor people). Ralph Machio couldn't pull off what Will Smith's son did (gynnastics, dances, training), but the original Karate Kid, and Ralph, was still a BILLION times better.

Are we watching the same movie?

bootleg film and getting in free ?,.. you guys are just showing how cheap ass you are and that your envious of a kid.

So you mean to tell me, if you have a SCREENING PASS, that requires no payment, you would still PAY for the movie?

I guess we are watching the same movie. =D

And let me guess, the Jonas Brothers are the new Beatles, right?

[Neil Koch]

Just got back from this. It's wasn't great, but it was surprisingly good. Definitely much better than The Spy Next Door.

My main complaint that it was WAY too long. 2 hours and 20 minutes was just too much. They really could have cut out the whole romantic subplot. Not necessary to any sort of character development, and who gives a shit about seeing pre-teens going out on a date? I would have liked to see more time devoted to the (hinted) relationship between Jackie and Yu Rong Guang.

Jaden was actually pretty likeable, even though he is just really copying his dad's acting style. He has good chemistry with Jackie, who does a good job in the acting department.

The action was a mixed bag. Jackie really only has one sequence, but it's done well. The stuff with Jaden overuses the Hollywood close camerawork/choppy editing. There's also an awful looking CGI bit during the final fight.

I wouldn't run out to see this, but if you have older kids (might be a little too violent for the wee ones) or want to see a matinee, it's worth a few bucks.

My full review is up here

http://hkfilm.net/movrevs4/karatekid.htm

[DAJIZZARIZZA]

Nope to both questions.

I have no problem with rich people (I like and respect most of them, just as I do poor people). Ralph Machio couldn't pull off what Will Smith's son did (gynnastics, dances, training), but the original Karate Kid, and Ralph, was still a BILLION times better.

Are we watching the same movie?

So you mean to tell me, if you have a SCREENING PASS, that requires no payment, you would still PAY for the movie?

I guess we are watching the same movie. =D

And let me guess, the Jonas Brothers are the new Beatles, right?

i'm quoting your quote of my quote ,..lol

i was referring to the two mean hearted fellows who said he would sugest bootleging the film. and the sneaking in instead of paying ,.. both implying , will smith son should not get money for them watching it . vip passes are different my friend ,.. they are invited guess.

yes i do think there is some jelous feelings involved in these hard comments we are making of a kid actor. i understand if it was about a seasoned vet actor , they owe us thier best.

no body here knocked spy kids ,.. their acting was below jadens quality,.. even the 1st karate kid was a lamo in his speach acting ,.. yet you guys make him out to be the greatest kid actor out there.

that's all,.. be this tough on regular actors ,..if you met this kid in person ,.. you guys would kiss his baby ass ,.. " Oh , i liked you in that film" <>> yeah right ...

search your heart ,.. you know i'm right ,..hahaaaa

[kungfusamurai]

that's all,.. be this tough on regular actors ,..if you met this kid in person ,.. you guys would kiss his baby ass ,.. " Oh , i liked you in that film" <>> yeah right ...

search your heart ,.. you know i'm right ,..hahaaaa

I don't kiss any actors' ass. I would just be polite and say 'nice kid, Will', because I assume he'd be latched onto Will.

KFS

[saltysam]

Seems to have hammered A-Team at the box-office

http://www.imdb.com/chart/

[mpm74]

DAJIZZARIZZA... I just hate below average movies that everyone seems like they're programmed to watch. Doesn't matter who is in them. =D

Not surprising about it beating A-Team, another film I have a gripe for. I think I would have wanted to see it if it wasn't "A-Team"...

[Bronx Rican]

I said "thisclose." Almost doesn't count.

I also said I may actually enjoy the film, when it becomes available to be legally viewed without paying for it. They still legally show movies on network TV, don't they? And it also could legally show up on the internet with a ton of ads for some other "in-name-only" remake. Or for Glee. I may even bite a small bullet and use my Netflix account. My point was, no matter how good the movie may turn out to be, its quality was very low on their priority list: get tickets sold and asses in the seats first, then worry about getting a decent movie made. I love Jackie to death, but was that enough to go see The Tuxedo? I refuse to be suckered. Jaden is obviously paying his dues, but AFTER hitting the big time; it's the least he could do. But that's as old as Hollywood anyway. Nothing against the kid: it's not who they got, it's why they got him. Once again: dropping the stupid pretense of giving us a "remake" would have probably solved everything. The word "remake" on a film nowadays is about as fictional as "based on a true story".

[dionbrother]

Liked it far more than the overrated original. You can complain about the length, but its nice to see a kiddie movie that's leisurely paced (no MTV/ADD/choppy pacing) and is 40% subtitled. This is the first major American film that utilizes gung fu the right way (as a life metaphor, like a Liang movie), and not just as a gimmick. It's more authentic than anything Van Damme has ever done.

I find it funny that some reviewers praise Jackie's acting as if they are surprised by it. Kreeist, he's been acting in films as long as Pacino!