The Karate Kid

[hotrodbx]

The Karate Kid what were they thinking when thwey called it that?
Good film for the kids.

[kaypatel]

Saw this at the weekend, better than the original!

[sunnyp]

Not as good as the original but a good remake nevertheless. The fighting scenes at the end of the original can't be bettered IMO.

[hugica88]

I loooooove this film! I was in The Karate Kid in Leicester square!
I saw the Smith family (Will, Jaden, mother,little girl) and Jackie Chan.
It was awsome!

[Rainey]

It was a good film but the original was the best for me, things like painting the fence & wax on/wax off are a little more believable than coat on coat off........

Kids enjoyed it although my 6 year old found the fighting a bit scarey a the begin, that was quite violent for a PG!!

[rizdude]

its a good family movie. jaden isn't a bad actor but jackie is brilliant as usual.

[Shinbone125]

i enjoy the film, just has good as the first i would say.

[vishal.snist]

I really liked the movie, it ws a good movie...

[Knight N]

I've just seen this movie and despite all the positive reviews on the forum I wasn't impressed.

In fact, I had some free tickets to a screening last month and couldn't make it so gave them to my neighbour and his kids. He told me they loved the movie. Therefore, I can see how as a stand alone movie it maybe fun for kids - but anyone who is a fan of the original will be sorely disappointed.

For me, this re-make was just wrong because everything that made the original so great was missing.


(Possible Spoilers Ahead)

Firstly, gone was the classic teenage 'coming of age' story, with the teenage outsider falling for the pretty girl and finding himself pitted against the school jock and his gang. I appreciate that the film makers tried something different but did they really have to have a cast of 12 year olds - who looked 8!

As a result, there was no chemistry between the lead and his female love interest and the main protagonist had no real reason to hate the Karate Kid - which was apparent from the fact he hardly said two words to him. At least, in the original the bully was the ex-boyfriend of the cheerleader and therefore acted out of jealousy and desperation to win her back.

Secondly, gone were the training sequences where Mr Miyagi cleverly used every day activities such as waxing a car, painting a fence etc into simple yet effective techniques for the 'Karate Kid' to defend himself. Instead we are given 'jacket on, jacket off' and training montages which make this new 'Karate Kid' into a deadly, fighting machine in a matter of weeks.

Finally, where was The Crane?

(End of Spoilers)


In the end, it seems like a fun film for a new genaration of kids that have never experienced the original but then why not call it 'The Kung Fu Kid' and leave the classic alone. Naming it 'The Karate Kid' was just another Hollywood money-spinner so that more adults would watch this because (given the relative age and size of the cast) this film was clearly aimed at minors.

That said, I have to agree with 'KevinKnapman' and say that there is something seriously wrong with watching little kids scrapping in the playground - never mind 'knocking seven bells' out of each other at an organised tournament.

What next? After School 'Fight Club' !

[g0m3rpyl3]

Gotta say that I enjoyed this more than the original. Ok, so there's no 'Karate' (I guess it would've been too much to call it The Kung Fu Kid!) in it but hey, at least there's a 'Kid' this time!

Jaden Smith carries the fighting off well and all in all it's a nice collaberation between Columbia and the China Film Group.

My tuppenceworth!