The Karate Kid

I’ve spent a great deal of my life living in Hong Kong and as a result I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for Jackie Chan. You may not know it, but he’s something of a legend out there (I’ve even seen a huge photo of him on the side of a skyscraper!) And honestly, no matter how poor the film (The Medallion), I really have always enjoyed what he brings to the table. With it being so good, I can’t deny that I was uncertain as to why anyone would want to remake The Karate Kid, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the new film is actually a very enjoyable watch.

I’m sure you know the story of the 1984 original (and if you don’t - go watch it now) and this remake does make use of the basics of that framework. However, it isn’t a complete reiteration - the characters, locations and circumstances are all slightly altered, allowing the new film to clearly differentiate itself. The plot follows 12 year-old Dre (Jaden Smith) who has moved from Detroit to Beijing (with his mother, played by Taraji P. Henson). During an attempt to make friends, Dre ends up in a kung-fu fight with some bullies in which he subsequently loses (and loses badly). The events that ensue leave him requiring training from maintenance man Mr. Han (played by Chan) so that he can compete at the kung-fu tournament and prove himself worthy.

Child actors can be quite unconvincing and usually end up being more irritating than anything else. While there are quite a few painful-to-watch performances (especially Wen Wen Han as Mei Ying) from the child actors in this film, Jaden Smith’s thankfully isn’t one of them. He does a really rather decent job and his character is quite a pleasure to watch. It’s always easy to root for the underdog too, and even though proceedings are predictable, you’ll find yourself loving the moments when young Dre pulls off his skillful karate moves.

The real star is of course Jackie Chan, who gives a truly exceptional performance as Mr. Han. In the past, he’s been criticised for being too silly and childlike or relying too much on his stunts (Rush Hour 2, Shanghai Knights), but there’s very little of that here and Chan really proves his acting ability. No attempts are made at replicating the iconic Mr. Miyagi from the first film – Mr. Han is a separate character altogether that also succeeds on both a comedic and emotional level. There’s no doubt about it, he’s easily the best thing about the remake of The Karate Kid.

There are disappointments in some areas - the majority of the child actors really aren’t that great and occasionally it paints an unnecessarily idealised view of life in China (the school they go to looks like some sort of a temple!) Also, it is a little overlong and at times you’ll wonder if this remake is a bit pointless. Overall, though, I found The Karate Kid to be an entertaining film that doesn’t try too hard to be the original, and it’s worth watching even if just for the brilliance of Jackie Chan.

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