MOVIE REVIEW - The Karate Kid

The new Karate Kid was a big hit at the box office last week.

But this week it will certainly be kicked out of the top spot by Toy Story 3. Jaden Smith (Will's son) stars as Dre, in this remake of the 1984 tale of a bullied young kid, who decides to learn the martial arts to give him self-respect and avenge his tormentors at the movies end. Jackie Chan stars as his teacher and mentor, who in this movie teaches him "real Kung-Fu." You know the basic story. Jaden Smith is livable here, and better things are to come for him as heis a talented kid.

TKK has been re-worked a bit to bring it up to 2010. This time it takes place in China, as Dre's single mom has no choice but to move there as the Detroit auto companies transferred her. Chan is Mr. Han, the lonely janitor who crosses paths with Dre, and befriends him. After witnessing Dre's troubles, he takes him in and this time teaches King-Fu and not karate. It all comes to a head at a Kung-Fu tournament where Dre will make or break.

TKK is TOO LONG! Gracious, this movie would have been so much better checking out after about 100 minutes or so, but drags us along, (and I do mean drag) for two hours -ten. I'm not sure this movie needed to be remade except for Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, who produced it, and seem bound and determined to make Jaden a star by the age of 12 or so. To me it all seems to self-serving, hard to get past. Especially since Jaden's parents couldn't keep themselves off the screen altogether, as they pop up in picture after picture during the closing credits for some reason. Note - make and watch your home videos at home.

Jackie Chan is perfectly cast though as Mr. Han. Too bad the character isn't slightly better developed. There's a certain charm Chan has, that makes him fun to watch. They attempt to make Mr. Han whole here, but it never really happens all the way. Although he does a lot with a little, and there is a fun scene where we get to see Chan use his incredible stunt skills in a marital arts scene. They are always fun, well designed and mandatory if you cast Chan in any movie at all. He is a joy. But they should have leaned on him harder, and given him more of a heart in the script.

Story average, tired and predictable. There are some fun moments here, and some of the side characters are well cast as well. Plus there are some wonderful shots and scenes filmed in some of the most beautiful areas of China. But over all, this is a miss. But this movie will be very popular with the middle school aged kids as that's the age of Dre in this movie and that's rare in movie making today.

The Karate Kid. A kick and a miss!