The Karate Kid *** (2010, Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Taraji P Henson) – Classic Movie Review 3841

Detroit single mom Sherry Parker (Taraji P Henson) relocates to China with her 12-year-old son Dre Parker (Jaden Smith, son of you know who). There is a bit of a culture shock as the kid finds people speak Chinese (!) and another when he has to enter a rather strict school. And then there is a real nasty shock when he is tormented by big guys like class bully Cheng (Zhenwei Wang).

Luckily, however, martial arts master Mr Han (Jackie Chan) is on hand to teach the boy kung fu. Also, there is a cute Chinese girl violin prodigy called Meiying (Wenwen Han) to romance, a big kung fu tournament to train for and the bully’s ass to kick.

Director Harald Zwart’s predictable 2010 remake of the 1984 favourite The Karate Kid is way over long (it is two hours and 20 minutes! and slow moving. But it is also decent, good natured and well meaning. And it is an astonishingly good-looking film, thanks to three months filming in Beijing.

Despite being essentially too young for the part – it would work much better if the kid was around 15 – Smith proves a hard worker and an effective screen presence. But it is Jackie Chan who makes the show, bringing a lot of dignity and weight to his role.

The writers are Christopher Murphey (screenplay) and Robert Mark Kamen (story).

It was a huge hit. Costing $40,000,000, it took back $176,500,000 in the US.

Jaden Smith is known for The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), The Karate Kid (2010) and After Earth (2013).

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3841

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