The Karate Kid

Critic's Rating: 3.0
Cast: Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Taraji P Henson, Wenwen Han
Direction: Harold Zwart
Genre: Action
Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes


Movie Review: The film is a re-boot of the 1980's classic which had become a cult film for the '80s teens. It essentially tries to posit Jaden Smith as a chip off the old block (Will Smith) and showcase the talents of the young boy who had already won hearts in his touching performance as Will Smith's son in The Pursuit of Happyness.


Does Jaden deliver? Indeed, he does, with his dread locks and loads of attitude which makes Dre Parker one of the smartest imports from America in this bustling Beijing neighbourhood. Not only does he manage to catch the attention of all the bullies in school, he also manages to charm his way into pretty Ms Mei Ying's life, that usually revolves around the high arts, leaving little room for tween fun and games. And if that's not enough attention already, our young hero also succeeds in convincing the unfriendly handyman, Mr Han (Jackie Chan) to create a karate champion out of him: one who can not only learn to conquer all his weaknesses but can also out-chop all the bullies in a martial arts marathon match. All this, with just a few hiccups and a whole lot of tutor-taught bonding between Jackie and Jaden.

The film does have a lot to offer to young adults, but fails to rise to cult status. And that's only because the martial arts display (the stuff our boisterous teens holler for) is somewhat marginalised by the drama and relationship building which takes up a lot of screen time. The semi romance between Mei Ying and Dre and the prolonged training sequences involving Mr Han and Dre do seem to test the patience of our adrenalin-driven young viewers. Give us the Chopsucky, and give it fast: you can almost hear them screaming!

Jackie Chan sheds his comic sheen for a more serious visage; Jaden is fluid motion and poetry and the locales (the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China) are stunning. Celebrate the dragon....