The Karate Kid
Jun. 20th, 2010 10:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
klwilliamsThe original Karate Kid is one of my favorite movies, and one of the best movies about martial arts ever made. I saw the remake tonight and liked it quite a bit, but even though it followed the original fairly closely, with some nice touches of its own, it didn't move me the same way. Perhaps it's because I'm older (probably) or because the young actors are several years younger than the originals, but the power wasn't there for me. However, for my younger godson, who is ten years old and an almost-black belt in karate, I hope this version moves him the way the original moved me, and inspires him in the same way.
Jackie Chan did the best job acting that I've seen him do to date, in a different kind of role than I've seen. Jaden Smith was excellent. One bit in this movie that I liked is that Jaden Smith's character cried when he was hurt or unhappy instead of acting tough. He had a ton of heart, which really is what matters.
Go see this movie, and take one of your favorite (bigger) kids along.
Jackie Chan did the best job acting that I've seen him do to date, in a different kind of role than I've seen. Jaden Smith was excellent. One bit in this movie that I liked is that Jaden Smith's character cried when he was hurt or unhappy instead of acting tough. He had a ton of heart, which really is what matters.
Go see this movie, and take one of your favorite (bigger) kids along.
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no subject
Date: 2010-06-21 05:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-21 05:38 am (UTC)Jackie Chan did an incredible job of acting as did the kid. Great film!
The producers didn't have the cojones to rename it The Kung-Fu Kid, though. That would have been nice.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-21 09:54 am (UTC)It's not released over here yet, but we'll be going to see it. It's all down to Mr Chan that we are so into Hong Kong films, after all.
He can act, but he also has a very powerful everyman screen persona, which tends to be his default. He was very good and very different in New Police Story 4 or 5 years ago. (Though the household wisdom here is that the best actor amongst the former 7 Little Fortunes is Yuen Biao. But he doesn't have that huge charisma that Jackie has.)
no subject
Date: 2010-06-21 01:51 pm (UTC)Except for the whole "become an expert in a forty-five second montage" thing, I am behind this. (: Luckily, when I was fifteen, I didn't notice this.
I don't think I have any kids, but this review does shift my plans slightly.