“THE KID RINGS THE BELL”
Starring: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan. Taraji P. Henson, and Han Wen Wen
Directed By: Harald Zwart
MPAA Rating: Rated PG for bullying, martial arts action violence and some mild language.
Genre: Action/Adventure, Remake and Sports
Run Time: 2hrs +
Release date: June 11th, 2010
Studio: Columbia
By John Delia
Driving a kick to the heart of the teen and pre-teen market, The Karate Kid packs a big punch. Slick choreography, excellent cinematography and good acting are at the forefront of this remake featuring Jaden Smith in the lead accompanied by an excellent performance by Jackie Chan. The message the film makes is powerful and targets all ages.
The story sways from the original a lot changing character names, location, approach to the reason for confrontation and the training techniques used to make the central character a fighter.
The film centers on 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) who gets dragged by his mother (Taraji P. Henson) to China when her job causes her to relocate. New to the country he befriends his classmate Mei Ying (Han Wen Wen) but the culture differences cause the two teens problems. But that is just a minor glitch in his fitting in as the class bullies want to put the hurt on Dre after an encounter on a basketball court. When Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) the maintence man for his building witnesses Dre’s encounter with the bullies, he teaches Dre some ‘new’ kung fu.
The acting in the film makes the ordinary storyline worth the watch. Jaden Smith gives a solid performance as the determined young man who just won’t give in even when the odds are totally against him. And that’s the message the film sends: When you are knocked down, it’s your decision on whether to get back up and try again. Although the movie bases this on fighting, it still rings through on everyday life with every member of the family.
In support, Jackie Chan puts on a great show of his fighting skills. But, his most passionate performance comes with the deep secret he keeps within himself. It is Dre who ends up being the catalyst that makes both characters whole again.
The film has some breathtaking scenes of China including the great wall and a trip up a mountain to a special monastery. This coupled with some slick martial arts choreography make the film exciting and enjoyable to watch. The only downside is it’s 2 hours plus length that may make the youngsters a bit antsy.
The film is rated PG for bullying, martial arts action violence and some mild language.
FINAL ANALYSIS: The film is a kick, even if you’ve seen it before. (3.5 of 5 Palm Trees)