Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P Henson
Director: Harald Zwart
For those who’ve grown up with the original The Karate Kid, which released in 1984, it’s hard to see the logic in a remake, however faithful and inoffensive it may be. That film packed a formulaic but thoroughly enjoyable underdog story with a killer soundtrack; and although the new remake does tweak some details, it’s an enjoyable watch, especially for those unfamiliar with the earlier film.
Jaden Smith, son of Will Smith, stars as fatherless 12-year-old Dre who moves with his mum from Detroit to Beijing, where he becomes the target of the school bully. Dre must persuade sullen building maintenance man Mr Han (played by Jackie Chan) to teach him some killer kung fu so he can protect himself against his tormentors.
Despite a flabby second act – particularly Mr Han’s sentimental back-story – the film is consistently watchable for the performances of its two leads. Jaden Smith taps into hidden reserves of vulnerability, and it’s refreshing to see Jackie Chan drop the goofball act and slip into a quieter, mature role. The scenes between the two of them are easily the film’s most enjoyable, particularly the early training sequences in which Mr Han puts Dre through a seemingly never-ending round of jacket wearing and removing, a sort-of tribute to the car-waxing exercise in the original film.
The climatic kung fu tournament between Dre and the bully is predictable but nicely done, and you find yourself rooting for the young hero even though you know he’s not going to lose.
Transporting this remake to China allows for some visually stunning locations, including an ancient mountain temple, The Forbidden City and The Great Wall of China. What sticks out however, is a forced romantic subplot between Dre and a musically-inclined schoolmate who he is smitten by from the moment he spots her.
A tad lengthy at 2 hours and 11 minutes, the movie is nevertheless uncomplicated, old-fashioned fun. I’m going with 3 out of 5 for The Karate Kid. Watch it, then go back and rent the original on DVD. You’ll understand why old is usually gold.
Rating: 3 / 5
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