Movie Review: The Karate Kid

The first question everyone will ask: “Is the remake of The Karate Kid as good as the original?” The answer is definitely “no” but it is entertaining and will hold the interest of most kids. The second question: “How could they have made this movie as good as the first?” The answer is easy; cut the running time down by 20 minutes to tighten it up- the original is 20 minutes shorter, get rid of the 2 or 3 unnecessary scenes and reshoot the one weak scene (I won’t tell you which scene it is). Then the movie will come close to reaching the ranks of the first; still a favorite, replayed, rented and re-rented 26 years after its release. That’s not going to happen with this one.

Jaden Smith (son of Will and Jada) is very impressive as Dre Parker, a 12 year old boy, transplanted from Detroit to Beijing because of his mom’s (Taraji Henson) job. Jaden commands the screen better than you might imagine and there’s no doubt, he really mastered some serious martial art skills (if you stick around the theater to watch the credits you’ll see some photos of his training). But the real star (other than the breathtaking shots of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China – I’m sure the Chinese Department of Tourism is thrilled!) is Dre’s nemesis, Cheng, played to perfection by newcomer, Zhenwei Wan; a young Chinese actor with no real acting experience. Amazing. The blonde haired, Johnny Lawrence, played the part in the original. Wang is so believable that you will question the photo you see during the credits of the 2 laughing and having fun on the set. Acting is very tough business and there is nothing tougher then playing a villain. All the Chinese actors are fabulous. Dre’s love interest and concert violinist, Meiying (Wenwen Han) is beautiful and talented and you will love watching her dance to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”. Another nice touch is the demonstration of a unique and seldom seen type of Traditional Chinese Medicine called Fire Cupping – interesting.

Jackie Chan is Mr. Han, the new Mr. Miyagi and is much better than I expected as the Kung Fu master and spiritual advisor to Dre. He’s good because he’s content to play into his diminished (though still remarkable) physical capabilities rather than attempt to disguise them. Though predictable, on a modest but legitimate level, the movie works. I’m a big fan of kids movies that promote the notion of facing your fears. How to Train Your Dragon is a better movie conveying this important message but The Karate Kid is good fun for kids and in true Rocky style, will get everybody on their feet cheering for the underdog.

Warning: Parents, be prepared for your kids to come out of the movie theater and immediately start practicing their Kung Fu moves. Move out of the way because there will be no stopping them!