I thankfully didnвЂ™t re watch the orignal for a while and I only just saw it again AFTER I watched the remake. The original holds a special place for me. Now is it better thanВ the original? I canвЂ™t say that. The film has some wonderful, very soulfulВ things to say about kung fu, the reason calling it вЂњThe Karate KidвЂќ is more maddening because the discussion about Kung Fu is integral to the narrative.Д«esides all that, the film works on its characters, which makes it easier to handle watching the film when the film sometimes just do the original films scenes word for word! Instead, your kinda tricked back into getting excited for the same story beats again. The Great Wall of China training, a walk in a Kung Fu monastery, the use of the yinyang symbol in one sceneвЂ¦I just sensed that the studio was like вЂњadd more chinese things so that they get that theyвЂ™re in ChinaвЂќ.ДЄnd to go back to the title one more time. There are a few scenes that I felt were studio notes for the film to make it moreвЂ¦chinese. Hell, the fight scene that I still like to poke fun at (Jackie fighting 11 year olds) is actually a fun Jackie Chan fight scene. Nothing too amazing, but fun and solid fights. Henson is wonderful as DreвЂ™s mom and WenwnВ Han is adorable as the Meiying, the filmвЂ™s version ofВ Elizabeth ShueвЂ™sВ Alli combined with TamlynВ TomitaвЂ™sВ Kumiko.ДЄs for the actual kung fu scenes, theyвЂ™re well shot and enjoyable. The rest of the cast pulls of their roles just as well. Dre is written as a likeable kid whoвЂ™s down to earth, and JadenВ pulls that off withВ charisma to spare (what the hell, is that shit like genetic?). Jaden never plays it cute, never plays it like he winking at the camera. Jaden SmithвЂ™s DreВ is a good first leading role for him. When Jackie gets to his big emotional scene (their version ofВ the scene in which Miyagi is drunk and talking about his time in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team), he just nails it. HanвЂ™s a tired, broken down man, not the old friendly and loveable Miyagi. My instincts about Jackie ChanВ from the trailer were right. Han are completely different characters from the original. The best thing they did in the whole film, is that they didВ not write Jackie ChanвЂ™s Mr. While I originally poked fun at the idea of the Westerner in a foreign land, it actually helps strengthen the scenes in which DreвЂ™s mom is trying to convince him how good their new life is since it is a new lifestyle.

ItвЂ™s not any more realistic, but it is easier to swallow for modern taste. The bully situation is played tough, and since they donвЂ™t use the classic вЂ™80s stereotype blonde jerks, the new bullies are played with a more modern, palatable -street-kid-gang-style.

The new film does a good job on those elements as well. The story of a kid wanting to not be scared and hating his new home, and the father/son/best friend relationship between mentor and student in the original Karate Kid still hold up to this day. The original filmвЂ™s story and character relationship were always the strongest things about it. Yes, it has basically all the words, all the beats of the original song, but it spins around enough so that it feels like theyвЂ™re adding their own voice, their own take on it.ДЄctually, the fact that the film takes place in China makes it seem like theyвЂ™re took some elements from The Karate Kid part II, which actually helps the film give it its different spin. The movie is like a really good cover song. The title is a gigantic, idiotic and silly misnomer and itвЂ™s only more frustrating for me because I actually enjoyed the film. Ok, if the 12 year child in this film can understand WHY couldnвЂ™t the studio?! The titleвЂ¦.the god damn titleвЂ¦.THERE IS ONE MINUTE OF ACTUAL TALK ABOUT KARATE IN THE WHOLE THING!!! And itвЂ™s a training video! THATS IT! Theres even a scene where Jaden Smiths character is correcting his mom that what he wanted to learn was вЂњKung FuвЂќ not вЂњKarateвЂќ and that thereвЂ™s a big difference. So, no matter what, thereвЂ™s still going to be one that will bother me till the endвЂ¦ I still stand by a few things I said in that write-up.

First, check out my old post about the trailer back in DecemberвЂ¦.

The karate kid 2010 movie trailer