The Karate Kid Review: Everything Old Is New Again

Everything old is new again.  There has been a resurgence of movies inspired by 80’s television shows, but why stop there?  Oliver Stone will be bringing us a new version of Wall Street later this year, but in the meantime The Karate Kid will have to satisfy our need for remakes.  The original 1984 The Karate Kid was an instant pop culture classic, spawning a few sequels and making a star of teen actor Ralph Macchio.  As a matter of fact, has Macchio had any other role besides that of Daniel?  While some movies are best left alone, I thought that The Karate Kid was a great remake for a new generation of moviegoers.

I admit to being skeptical about this remake.  Jaden Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness), Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith’s adorable twelve year old, just looks so little to me.  He is small in stature and age, in my opinion.  I didn’t think such a little boy could have any legitimate girl problems, let alone kick anyone’s butt.  I’m glad to say that I was completely wrong.  As Dre Parker, the young Smith is absolutely perfect.  Yes, he’s a little guy, but he is completely convincing as a fish out of water facing one obstacle after another.  He must contend with Cheng (Zhenwei Wang), resident tough guy and accomplished Kung Fu fighter.  Dre and his mother (Taraji P. Henson) move to China from Detroit when her job transfers her.  It’s a huge adjustment for both of them, but Dre has an especially tough time fitting in.  There is an obvious language barrier, but Dre’s appearance and charisma make him stand out.  He catches the eye of a local girl and tries to show off some dance moves.  This doesn’t go over well with Cheng, and he proceeds to make Dre’s life a living hell at school.  Too embarrassed to tell his doting mother, Dre keeps his torment a secret until he finds a solution in an unlikely place.

The new version mirrors the old by establishing a seemingly insurmountable physical and emotional conflict, then by revealing the character who will guide Daniel, err Dre, to victory.  Jackie Chan plays the “Mr. Miyagi” role of Mr. Han, a quiet handyman who comes to Dre’s rescue one day as he tries to escape Cheng and his crew.  He dispenses with the much younger boys easily, and Dre is fascinated.  He wants to learn how to defend himself and asks Han to teach him Kung Fu.  Han isn’t sold on the idea, but when he learns that Cheng’s brand of Kung Fu is undisciplined and vengeful, he seeks out the boy’s instructor.  He explains to Dre that there are no bad pupils, only bad teachers.  Cheng’s instructor is merciless and brutal, and he doesn’t take kindly to Han and Dre just showing up at his studio.  As in the original, the older men agree that Dre and Cheng will face off in an upcoming tournament, and Cheng and his cronies will refrain from bullying him so that he may train in peace.

The Karate Kid was a believable movie because it showed Dre’s training and preparation in great detail.  By the time the Kung Fu tournament arrives, Dre is in tip-top shape, and it’s not hard to believe that this wiry little pipsqueak can defeat bigger competition.  He and Han have grown very close, both having lost immediate members of their family and finding comfort in one another.  Dre’s father was killed, as were Han’s wife and son.  Han begins to look at Dre as another opportunity to share some wisdom and mentor a young boy.  They share a tender scene where Han shows Dre pictures of his deceased family as they both shed tears.  Instead of being corny, the scene added a degree of levity to an otherwise “feel-good” movie.  Smith has shown time and again that he has impressive acting chops for such a young actor.  He’s a cute kid, and it’s easy to root for him.  I usually enjoy more mature movies, but I must say that The Karate Kid was a treat.  It was a heart-warming movie that preached tenacity and bravery, and I look forward to a promising career from the young Smith.

Photo by Jasin Boland – © 2010 courtesy Columbia TriStar Marketing Group