Karate Kid

Released in the summer of 1984, The Karate Kid remains a convincing and well-crafted coming-of-age story, a genre that’s often runs the risk of succumbing to contrivance and corn.

The new Karate Kid attempts to walk the walk and talk the talk of its predecessor, but there’s a hollowness to this remake where its heart should be.  A big part of the problem is that the new version builds to a finale that celebrates violence in a way that the original didn’t.  

The tournament battles in the ‘84 Kid were closer to sparring sessions–here they unfold as full-on gladiatorial combat, with the contestants hammering away at each other with a fury and power straight out of a Rocky sequel.  It would be one thing if the fighters were in their late teens or twenties, but these kids are all 12 and under and the sight of them kicking the crap out of each other in front of a roomful of cheering adults [including their parents!WOHA] left a bad taste in my mouth in much the same way that Hit Girl’s antics in Kick-Ass did.

But first and foremost, I am completely astounded with how much talent Jaden Smith [son of Will Smith, Seven Pounds] has in him. Acting wise, he was almost perfect. He danced, he sang and he was very good being a kung fu kid as he was able to pull off awe-inspiring moves. 

Jackie Chan was also perfect playing as the new master. Although there were less action scenes from him, he is still the funny and quirky man that will give you a laugh from time to time. 

Some might say that it somewhat borrows from the original but for me-that is how it should be work. I also liked how the story was developed although some people will feel that the film is going to be too long with a running time of 2 and a half hours. For me, it's going to be a less pleasant experience if they trimmed off some of the story elements. 

To cap things off, The Karate Kid might not be as big as the 1984 film but I feel that it is truly a worthy remake. It still encapsulates what the original film stood for while bringing the film closer to the minds of the modern audience. This movie is guaranteed to be worth a look for almost everyone.

Why you should watch it:
- the film showcased how talented Jaden Smith is and the supporting cast was splendid like him
- the story feels new while borrowing key elements from the old film
- action-packed, serious yet funny; this is definitely a complete package from start to finish

- got standing audition from Indonesian audience!WOHA

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the movie might feel quite long for some