The Karate Kid (2010) (Review Part 2 of 2)

Jackie Chan is probably the best thing about the movie. He brings the father figure character that Pat Morita played in the original. Chan’s Mr. Han is very similar to Mr. Kesuke Miyagi. They have similar “healing” techniques, and they’re both repairmen. (By the way, the technique in this movie is called fire cupping and it is very much real.) The writers in the remake do a better job giving the character a real reason for helping out the kid and teaching him how to fight.

Like the original movie, Dre does have a touch moment where he sees Mr. Han upset and a little drunk. Dre becomes the teacher. It is probably the best scene in the movie.

Oh, yeah, there is a Crane-kick type of move here that I won’t give away.

Chan has two shining moments in the movie. One, when Chan fights off all the bullies that gang up on Dre. It is probably of the few classic Jackie Chan moments in the movie, because Chan really teaches Dre a more classic style of Kung fu than his old comedic stuff. While I think the original movie has a little bit more heart, the fight scenes and training scenes are better constructed.

Chan really is the heart of the movie and outshines everyone else. And, that’s part of the problem of the film. Jaden Smith and the rest of the cast doesn’t stand out as much. With a 2-hour plus movie, you think they could have fleshed out the other characters. That’s not to say they’re bad, just a bit incomplete.

As far as the score goes, James Horner surprisingly pulls out one of his most original scores to date. He doesn’t recycle many of his earlier scores like he did with the Avatar score; here he uses some Asian and American styles in his music. There’s a bit of Hans Zimmer thrown in there for good measure, which is very un-Horner like. Bill Conti’s original score isn’t used here, but there are cues in the spirit of Conti’s wonderful score from the 80s. Horner has surprised even me here.

Overall, the movie ended up being much better than I thought. Chan is great as the teacher/mentor, while Jaden Smith is acceptable as the lead character. This is also straight remake of the original movie. While it isn’t as good as the original, it is certainly prettier and slightly more brutal. I’d say go out and see it.

Grade: B+

Jackie Chan: “Right there is the local movie theater. It only shows The Spy Next Door, Rush Hour 3 and The Tuxedo. On second thought, never go to that theater.”

_______________________________________________________________

This isn't in the film. I think this is an alt-take. Because Chan gives him his gift standing up.

_____________________________________________________

This shot is not in the movie either. I think many of his mother's scenes ended up cutting room floor.