What’s It About
Kung fu prodigy Li Fong is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City. When a friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition. Li’s teacher Mr. Han enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso for help.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
Karate Kid: Legends does everything the fans adore about this franchise all over again. By the time Cobra Kai finished, the world wanted more karate fights, and this movie provides exactly that. It is not a continuation of the Netflix show but features the same atmosphere and sentimentality that made Cobra Kai very successful. The movie starts in Beijing, where Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) says goodbye to his best pupil, Li Fong (Ben Wang). Li’s mother, Ming-Na Wen, feels they must move to New York City when her elder son dies. She wants Li to let go and begin anew, which, in principle, sounds good. But we are in New York, and peace and quietness are not assured. Li is having a hard time fitting in at his new school. He befriends Mia (Sadie Stanley), whose dad, Victor (Joshua Jackson), owns a pizza shop that is in trouble. Li also meets Connor (Aramis Knight), the local karate champion, who is Mia’s insecure boyfriend. You can likely guess where this is going next, but that is not an issue – great books often take the path we know. The twist in this version is that Li becomes a teacher. He not only learns martial arts, but he also starts to train Victor, who wants to box again so that he can earn quick money. This adds a new spin to the original tale and turns Li into a more complicated character. Towards the middle of the movie, Mr. Han comes to New York and understands that he needs to train Li. That’s where Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) comes in. The movie uses clever devices to connect the 2010 remake to the 1984 original, matching up Mr. Miyagi’s lessons with Mr. Han’s kung fu style. Daniel’s appearance is a little hurried – he doesn’t show up until nearly an hour into the movie. But when he does, the “two branches, one tree” idea plays out nicely. It shows how all the different styles of martial arts can exist together, as this film incorporates elements from all over the franchise. Ben Wang acts well in this film and is a great actor. He brings Li to life as a nice and relatable character, whether he is fighting off bullies or learning new moves. His chemistry with Sadie Stanley’s Mia is realistic, and the friendship blossoms nicely over the course of the film. Jackie Chan still moves like he is half the man’s age, and his fight scenes are still fun to watch. Ralph Macchio falls back into Daniel’s shoes so effortlessly, though he does not receive a great deal of screen time. Joshua Jackson brings depth to Victor, the former boxer who is trying to protect his family and livelihood. The fight scenes are intense and look realistic. Director Jonathan Entwistle keeps the fights realistic instead of over-the-top dramatic like Cobra Kai tends to be at times. The final tournament features the exciting showdown fans have been waiting to see, complete with training montages and eleventh-hour moves. The largest issue is Connor as the main bad guy. He’s never a believable threat or an interesting character. Connor is unlike Johnny Lawrence in the first and other Cobra Kai villains. He is just a straightforward bully with little depth. This does make their fight less significant than it might have been. The film speeds along at times. It has only 90 minutes to try and get a lot of story in, so it ends up racing along. Some of it feels rushed, particularly when Daniel initially appears. A few more minutes of developing the relationships would have made the emotional scenes payoff. The visuals are a bit distracting. Too many quick cuts and music cues are given during the film, so it ends up feeling like a music video rather than a movie. The Street Fighter graphics for the tournament are cool but seem out of place. In spite of its problems, Karate Kid: Legends gets what makes this series awesome. It is about gaining strength while away from home, learning from wise instructors, and fighting for what is right. Li’s evolution from doubtful pupil to confident fighter appears credible even though we’ve heard this kind of tale before. The movie succeeds because it does not try to change everything. Instead, it takes the old formula and incorporates a slight amount of new elements to feel fresh. The bridging of karate and kung fu, the mentorship of Victor and Li, and the mixing of the new and old characters create something that respects the past while embracing the future. Karate Kid: Legends will not surprise anyone who knows this franchise, but it doesn’t have to. It’s a solid, enjoyable film that delivers for fans. Quality fights, likable characters, and the classic theme that anybody can be a hero with proper training and the right attitude. The film is at its best when it emphasizes relationships – the friendship between Li and Mia, Victor’s desire to defend his family, and the student-teacher bond that is present in every Karate Kid film. These moments make up for the predictable plot and rushed pacing. If you enjoyed Cobra Kai or any previous Karate Kid movie, you’ll probably like this one too. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s fun, heartfelt and shows that this franchise still has plenty of fight left in it.
OUR RATING – A FORMULAIC 7