Karate Kid: Legends
Karate Kid: Legends is playing in theaters at the time of writing. Rated PG-13. Common Sense says 10+.
STORY: D
A story scared to step off the familiar path.
The original Karate Kid lore is so magical that it’s easy to see why the writers would borrow heavily from it. But this movie’s best moments are the rare ones when the plot chooses to throw away the map and explore new territory.
The relationship between Li and Victor (the surly pizza parlor owner played by Joshua Jackson) feels fresh and is one of the most affecting parts of the movie.
PEOPLE: B-
Ben Wang doesn’t throw away his shot.
Wang’s charm is going to make him a star. It’s an enviable charm, a charm that’s self confident and fully self aware, yet also one you know will always save you a seat right next to it no matter how late you’re running.
For the most part, the rest of the cast is quite good. Any weak performances stem from a poor script instead of poor acting.
FILM NERD STUFF: C
The fun soundtrack keeps the story moving.
An eclectic collection of pop songs fuels the film’s early pacing. Watching Li battle a bunch of crime thugs to the tune of LCD Soundsystem’s “North American Scum” is a real kick.
ONE BIG LESSON: D
Practice what you preach.
Li’s fortune rests on his ability to blend two types of martial arts: kung fu and Miyagi-do karate. Daniel refers to this idea as, “two branches, one tree.”
The film’s own fortunes fall because it doesn’t follow its own advice. It’s a tree with one branch: the original Karate Kid story.
Maybe the writers thought that introducing a new character and a new setting would be enough to constitute a new, second branch. It’s not.
Not blending the original story (which to its credit is still an amazing and wonderful story) with something significantly fresh and new is a huge, missed opportunity.
FINAL COMMENTS:
The advantage of digital music is that the sound quality will be the same the first time you listen as the thousandth. It wasn’t always this way, my friends.
Back in 1984 when we were kicking it with the original Karate Kid, music came on cassette tapes or vinyl. With analog, every play produces a tiny speck of wear and tear. The thousandth play sounds worse than the first. It sounds further away, a little tired. Its “pop,” a little pooped.
The movie feels like an old cassette tape that’s been played over and over again. After so many iterations, this story’s lost a bit of its luster.
People new to the franchise will love Legends. Folks who’ve been listening since the beginning will still bop their heads to its infectious beat, but they’ll also leave with a resigned sigh, realizing that it’s just not what it used to be.