More like The Kung Fu Kid…

The 2010 release for The Karate Kid dives into the delicate and emotional road to adolescence, giving us the typical but still enjoyable underdogs to root for and villains we love to hate.  With a great soundtrack and a wealth of wonderful acting, this is one movie you definitely want to check out while it's still in theaters.

Highlights

The opening scene shows us Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) saying goodbye to his Detroit friends and hopping a plane to China with his mom, Sherry (the gorgeous and underrated Taraji P. Henson).  We don't really understand much about how they got to this point aside from the fact that his mother works for the car factory, but it doesn't really seem to be pertinent to the storyline.

Within the first twenty minutes of the movie, you’re introduced to all the characters you need to be concerned with.  Dre quickly meets Mei Ying (played by newcomer Wenwen Han) at the local park and attempts to impress her with his dancing skills.  Unfortunately for him, the movie’s bully Cheng (Zhenwei Weng) also has an eye on the cute girl and clearly doesn't appreciate Dre's flirting.  Of course, this rivalry just sets up the main relationship in the movie. 

Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), an unusually observant handyman and secret kung fu rock star is this film's Mr. Miyagi, training Dre for the open martial arts tournament in order to show that martial arts should not be about fear and dominance – like the master of the kung fu classes is teaching the other boys – but rather respect and self-confidence.  We know that Chan can pull out both subtle comedy and obvious shtick, but he also artfully takes the most dramatic scene of the movie and keeps it from becoming cheesy and unbelievable.  This may just be his most complex role yet.  The teacher-student chemistry between this pair is fantastic and genuine and it's clear how much they respect each other off set.

This is not a remake – I would refer to it as a "re-imagining".  Those looking for an accurate remake will be sorely disappointed.  There are similarities in this and the 1984 classic, but it's been changed to reflect the times and to continue the appeal to both young and old.  Of course, critics will point out that he's learning kung fu and not karate (funnily enough, it's actually known as The Kung Fu Kid in China, South Korea, Japan and to the cast members) but that's a lame technicality.  I think tweens especially will appreciate the humor and the girls will almost certainly develop crushes on the adorable Jaden Smith. 

While some will claim that father Will Smith is just trying to create an empire for his kid – an understandable assumption, as both Will and Jada (Pinkett Smith) are producers of the film – I think they simply gave Jaden the chance to show off his acting chops, something we haven't seen since The Day the Earth Stood Still.  Little Smith is quite the character – at twelve years old, he handles dramatic scenes with the maturity of far more seasoned veterans and is quickly able to come back around with typical kid humor and defiance.  His talent is immense and I won't be shocked if this role opens up doors everywhere for him.

The actors do a great job, but there's something to be said for the cinematography as well.  Most of the movie takes place in bustling Beijing, but Han at one point takes Dre to the place he was born, giving the opportunity for some breathtaking mountain/Great Wall of China shots.

I, for the most part, enjoyed the movie.  The biggest problem for me was, as in a lot of movies recently, the abrupt ending.  There’s the climax of the movie and, within three minutes, the movie is over with everything wrapped up in a nice, G-rated package.  It was sloppily done, in my opinion.  Also, I found it difficult to get into the believability of the attitude of Cheng.  Dre is only twelve, so this kid can’t be more than thirteen or fourteen, yet he has all the arrogance of a self-important guy in his 20s.  His “badassery” just seemed too big for the age group.  I eagerly waited the whole movie to see Han battle it out with Master Li, the merciless leader of the martial arts bullies.  As it was, we only had the pleasure of seeing Chan’s moves once throughout the whole movie.  Sadly, it only makes you want more.

Overall

Jaden Smith really shines in his first leading role as Dre, continually bringing a sense of realism to the film.  I laughed at his jokes and my heart broke a little watching him get picked on.  The supporting actors seem equally as comfortable in their roles.  The Karate Kid carries a pretty great amount of everything – humor and heartache, losses and triumphs.  Despite the somewhat brusque ending, there's not a lot to complain about.  It's a great family film and one that I can't wait to own on DVD when it comes out.

ComicsOnline gives The Karate Kid 4 out of 5 charmed cobras

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