The Karate Kid

Like many people, I have fond nostalgic memories of the original. However, I feel this movie is just as good and excellent family entertainment that both kids and adults will love. I'm not a big fan of cliches or being emotionally manipulated and this movie's interpretation of Mr. Han's loss of his wife was very powerful. Jackie Chan and Lil' Smith kid did a great job acting for a tough scene. Sure the end of the scene was a bot cliche, but everything leading up to it made it ok. They referenced and nodded to the original through sight gags and came up with new ways to retell this story creatively and made it very exciting. Since they took some risks, you really doubted which way the move was going - even at the end. Sadly, many of the negative reviews are calling out one of two things: 1) The "karate" kid is now black and 2) He learned Kung Fu, not Karate. I thought it was all about the story? To the first point, both the original and the new version have nothing to do with race - even though both are about different cultures finding commonality in each other (Pat Morita was Japanese, people). In fact, in many spots where a less mature director would take advantage of a black kid from Detroit to bring "street smarts" to China, the high road is taken as are some of the opportunities for Chinese stereotypes. This movie was made with great respect of Chinese culture and not over representing an "American" attitude as a fish out of water. To the second point, I doubt most negative reviews would know that it was Kung Fu if the movie hadn't said so. Karate is a Japanese art, not Chinese, so it makes sense that he didn't learn Karate in China. However, I do have to agree that they called it the "Karate Kid" just for advertising purposes. I think people would have been ok with calling it the "Kung Fu Kid" with a nod as a Karate Kid remake. Why didn't the movie take place in Japan and call it Karate? Not sure. I highly recommend this movie for family and it works just as easily for adults. It's not as kiddie as people make it out to be and the maturity of the kids as both actors and characters far exceeds that of the original movie. I know we all have nostalgia for Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita (R.I.P!), but this movie is about as good a remake as the original and doesn't skimp on the same emotional roller coaster ride and life lessons.

Karate Kid The first Karate Kid is a favorite of ours, so when we saw this new version we could not wait to see the sequel. Jaden Smith; Will Smith's son does a remarkable job as the young man who is moved out of his element only to realize that the change will transform him into a man. In his home town of Detroit, Dre Parker lived in tranquility, surrounded by friends, family and neighbors, a popular kid who says goodbye to it all as he follows his mother to China where she has been relocated by her employer. As soon as he arrives he makes a friend who invites him to play in the park. There he meets Mei Ying and falls for her. They go to the same school and while this makes Dre Parker very happy, it makes a gang of local bullies jealous and soon this young kid gets into all sorts of trouble. Cultural differences are a challenge to us all, but Dre must face his enemies on a daily basis at school. As with the first movie, he wants to go back home because he is a fish out of water, but through a friend played by Jackie Chan, Mr. Han teaches him the art of self defense, and as Dre masters Kung fu, he learns to defend himself, confronting his fears with great courage. The scenery is simply gorgeous, the awareness that kung fu is not about fighting but about learning to control the self, developing great inner strength to face challenges with great serenity leave us all desirous of learning the same lessons. Without a doubt, this is a magnificent movie, worth seeing. Don't miss it!

It's a pretty cool movie to watch , im into martial arts so I like it and no problems with the movie it's a good movie to watch and have

Good family movie that centers on a coming of age story about a kid, Daniel, who meets a mentor and learns martial arts to grow more as a person.

Good

I am a little late to the party with this review, but the dvd is a great remake of the original. Did some research and the stunts were all performed by the actors, including by Smith. Lots of action. A little slow at times, but nice, light viewing - okay for kids to watch.

Ok, the plot is basically the same as that in the previous karate kid movies. There are a few differences. An African-American boy moves to China when his mom gets a job there (US outsourcing, huh?). He likes a girl who likes him back. Chinese bully picks on him. Janitor agrees to teach him KUNG FU. They have match in the end and ... The boy becomes a role model for so many American youth, his shear determination, exerting effort and dedication day after day, growth and maturity in spirit ... He ends up at one point teaching his teacher. That was neat to see. If anybody reads many of my reviews, you'll find that I admire Buddhist practices AND I love architecture. Well, from the Great Wall to Temples to Downtown Beijing, spanning thousands of years, it provides a backdrop to the story, that always mankind is faced with troubles and must learn to first look within before one can hope to successfully take on the fight outside ourselves. Whether I'm right or not, the story is exciting! While I really enjoyed the previous KK movies, this one is my favorite. My kids gave it only 4 stars, but, I think it was well worth 5 stars. Folks who like it will want to watch it again and again. Those who don't will wonder why they bought it. So, for all movies you haven't gone to the theater to watch, borrow this from the public library. I suspect that you will very much enjoy it. If so, then I'd buy it. I think that it is a movie that appeals to martial artists, intercultural studies, eastern philosophy, architecture. It ought to belong in public libraries, some school libraries. I give everything a grade, and this movie I give an "A-". I highly recommend it.

Take notes; if you're going to do a remake, THIS is how it should be done. It kept the heart of the original movie while creating its own legacy. Both Daniel LaRusso and Dre Parker are suddenly thrust into a world that is completely foreign to them (Daniel, a new transplant to California living, comes to realize how far from paradise this place really is, as he has to contend with trying to fit in, making new friends, and avoiding the school bullies; while Dre, who really is in a foreign country--China--has these same issues to contend with). Both mothers are widowed and are trying to make the best of their situations with their only sons (which could be why they both seem oblivious to the pain and anguish their children are going through). Help comes for both of them in the form of mentors/sages Mr. Miyagi (for Daniel) and Mr. Han (for Dre), who teach them the true meaning of manhood and courage. The differences are obvious: age (Daniel is 15 going on 16 when we meet him; Dre is twelve years old), race (Daniel is Italian, Dre is African-American), and time period (Daniel lives in a simpler time of go-carts and video games, while Dre is a child of the new millennium). However, the experience of a first love/crush, the wanting to be accepted by your peers, and the need for guidance is universal and rings true in both stories, as well as the loving but sometimes frustrating relationships between parents and adolescent children. I have to admit that I was one of those skeptics who vowed it could never be done, but in this instance, I'm glad I was wrong.