WATCH NOW
The Karate Kid is a cult classic encapsulating the jovial spirit of 1980 and was a great underdog story much like Rocky was for adults, minus the violence of course. Although there were three sequels, none were able to capture the spirit that the original had. The Karate Kid 2010 remake does not have a great premise, to begin with, and it is further worsened by the fact that karate was swapped out for kung fu but the title remained intact. Our new protagonist is Dre Parker (Jaden Smith), a 12-year-old boy from Detroit who moves to China with his mother. The new portrayal of Mr Miyagi (Pat Morita) is different from Mr Han who is played by Jackie Chan. I had no expectations from this new version, but my friends told me it was better than what people say so I decided to give it a chance.
What I did not expect was leaving the theater with my jaw dropped. This is how you do a remake! The film stays true to the original but manages to be completely unique and compelling at the same time. It is truly a wonder how a simple change in plot can tantalize the masses like this. Forget karate. Forget kung fu.
For me, what matters most in The Karate Kid is the acting of Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan everything else is secondary. To be fair, the martial arts scenes have not been badly executed they have. But the acting is quite superb.
Dre Parker is a small child out of his depth, lost in what seems to be an alien land. His conversation with Mei Ying (Wen Wen Han) at some nearby school playground feels like a welcome relief from his jetlagged state, but one more child Cheng decides to tackle him with Kung Fu to make the point, clear out! Dre tries to resist but he is clearly outnumbered by Cheng and his friends, ending up with a black eye and wounded pride. Things don’t get much better for Dre once he steps into school; he does manage to make one friend in his violinist class with Mei Ying but after that, it’s all downhill when kung fu student Cheng and his classmates realize he is an easy target to pick on. Life for him becomes miserable quite fast.
Mr. Han unexpectedly steps in during one of the fights throws Cheng and his friends around as if they were nothing in an impressively choreographed sequence, and dispatches everyone in an impressively choreographed sequence. Within the movie, Dre is saved from a group of bullies and is left in shock at how this mute repairman does more than fix stuff around the house, and at seeing his savior Dre cannot resist leaping out of his seat and cheering. This holds true for both the original movie and the subsequent remake. Dre getting kung fu lessons from Mr. Han after the fight is highly predictable as Dre’s attempts to stand up against his master Li’s “teachings” don’t quite go as planned, and Mr. Han is clearly going to do something to deal with the aftermath of his blatant assault on the violent teacher.
Most of the film is centered on Mr. Han’s kung fu lessons with Dre. Fortunately, the remake does not just replicate the previous film. Instead, it puts its own spin on it. In this case, wax on, wax off has been ingeniously replaced with Dre taking his jacket off, diving to the ground, and then repeating ad nauseam. By the time Mr. Han decides to teach more actively, it is easy to appreciate the amount of effort that Dre has put into it. More than anything, The Karate Kid accomplishes the impossible with a blend of imagination and realism. Together with amazing landscapes and dramatic cinematography, The Karate Kid immerses you in a compelling adventure.
As heartwarming as these moments are, it is the combination with the film’s more emotional moments that serve as the apex of this film. It is an unexpected treat to discover genre films that will actually make an effort to spellbind you. The friendship between Dre and Mei Ying was amazing and avoided all the problems that come with younger actors romancing each other. These moments also portray Jaden Smith’s charm, which as a factor, he oddly seems to have inherited from his father. Some of his expressions are practically screaming “Iwi Smith”, and I certainly hope this young star does something with his life because he’s got it. He is charming and extremely believable.
Jackie Chan has done a remarkable job with his performance, acting so deeply humble and broken, which is one trait that truly moved me. He has always been a man that I have liked but I have always considered him more of a stuntman than an actor, especially in his films in America. Now I see that this isn’t the case at all. Mr. Han is gentle and loveable and Chan’s casting strategy works because he does not attempt to mold the character of the iconic Mr. Mayagi but instead casts him with the intention of creating a wholly new character. The result is someone who can smile despite possessing immeasurable sadness and still manages to charm. One specific moment shows Dre sitting with Mr. Han in his life unused car, musing over his past which is finally put to rest. It is heartbreaking and beautiful to watch at the same time. I think it is one of my favorite film scenes from 2010. Jackie Chan does not amaze in The Karate Kid by using kung fu, rather he does it with his superb acting skills.
But, let’s be honest, it’s not all rosy. The Karate Kid does suffer cliches that can be seen in other cultures in movies (Lost In Translation). And, culture gaps are managed better in other films. Such a film creates a world around a bullied child’s dream, and one can easily dismiss all the discrepancies in the narrative. While these factors certainly do not impinge on the pace of the story, (this isn’t a deep movie at heart), they tend to leave remnants. The same disconnect, however, is also present in Dre’s mother Sherry (Taraji Penda Henson), who more often than not comes off as a stiff character who seems scripted rather than someone who’s fleshed out. It is Chan and Smith who are continuously in focus and certainly,y it is their undeniable performances that lift a feeble screenplay to an elevated one.
The most difficult point where the viewer has to suspend their disbelief in The Karate Kid is where the last scenes come together. Do you actually want us to believe that this skinny 12-year-old from Detroit was able to learn kung fu from a Chinese janitor and subsequently defeated seasoned native martial artists? If you do, then you are definitely close to attaining the most exciting climax of a mainstream film (with indie undertones) this summer. The type of this film is feel-good cinema, a movie that is crafted specifically to uplift your spirit as the lights come back on and the credits roll. Sure, it’s a slightly abrupt feeling, be you are only left wanting for more. Is it a perfect film? No, but it doesn’t claim to be either. Is it exciting and uplifting? Yes. This could well be the surprise hit of 2010.
To watch more movies like The Karate Kid (2010) visit 123movies
Also Watch for more movies like:
