Review: The Karate Kid
Director Harald Zwart and screenwriter Christopher Murphey set their sights high with the newly released The Karate Kid, a remake of the memorable and inspirational 1984 original of The Karate Kid, both based on an original story by Robert Mark Kamen. Ralph Macchio starred as Daniel Larusso in the 1984 version as a New Jersey high schooler who moves to California with his mother. He is bullied by local teens until he meets Mr. Miyagi, a handyman/martial artist played by the late Noriyuki "Pat" Morita. Mr. Miyagi teaches Daniel-san that there's more to karate than violence.
In the remake, Jaden Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness) plays Dre Parker, a 12-year-old kid who moves to Beijing, China, after his mother (Taraji P. Henson from Date Night, Hustle & Flow) is transferred for her job with a car company. Bullied by local boys who are trained in the martial arts by a merciless sensei, Dre is rescued from an attack by handyman Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) who then begins teaching him the art of kung fu. Dre must face his attackers one-on-one at a tournament -- who needs qualifying competitions in Hollywood?
As difficult as it may be to live up to Macchio and Morita's performances in the original, the new version The Karate Kid boasts strong performances from its versatile cast. Henson shines as the single mother trying to raise her son in a new environment, and her exasperation and humor come across as genuine. Newcomer Wenwen Han as Meiying, Dre's closest friend, is endearing and I hope to see more of this young actress in future films. Smith's portrayal is both sincere and focused, and his chemistry with Chan engages the audience.
This film contains the least amount of Chan's martial-arts action scenes in his career, putting him in the precarious position of relying mostly on his acting skills. After his most forgettable role in The Spy Next Door, Chan has redeemed himself with the most sensitive and restrained performance in which I've ever seen him. The film's most poignant moment comes from Chan, as he reveals the tragedy that has severed him from the world -- I'm moved to tears just thinking about it. Through Dre, the teacher becomes the student, learning that you have to get back up when you get knocked down -- and not just literally.
The cinematography and set design of The Karate Kid captures daily life in Beijing, with token sweeping landscapes of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, as well as less familiar sights including the Dragon Well at Fenghuang Mountain and the bird's nest-inspired National Stadium. I loved the glimpses into the Chinese culture and traditions, done in a tasteful and respectable manner. The diverse soundtrack is well-suited, from Chopin and traditional Chinese music to Lady Gaga and AC/DC. Although the martial arts scenes aren't the primary focus, I enjoyed the training sequences as well as the climactic moment in competition -- all I'll reveal is that the Crane stance has been unseated from its throne.
The original version of The Karate Kid set the bar high for any remake. Thanks to strong character development and stellar performances, along with some liberties with the story, this version does not exceed but does hit the mark. I should warn parents that I'm a little hesitant to recommend this PG-rated film for viewing by young children; the bullying and physical violence from middle schoolers outside of the competition was mildly disturbing. Overall, I would recommend that fans of the original movie shouldn't miss this remake.