Certainly, the Karate Kid re-imagining is a film that, in principle, is easy to hate. Mr and Mrs Will Smith, who produced this film in a bid to put their kid on the road to silver screen stardom, are the latest over-zealous parents eager to show the world how cute and talented their kids are (following the likes of Robert Rodriguez and Francis Ford Coppola). Like an extreme version of a proud parent showing other mums and dads excruciatingly uninteresting pictures of their giggling infants, films like The Karate Kid are almost destined to be panned by cynical critics.
It’s no less than a miracle then that a movie which dares to tread the same ground as such a beloved 80s favourite, while also attempting to force feed us the talents of a snotty nosed Hollywood tyke, can turn out to be so likeable.
Using the original film as a basic template, the new Karate Kid lifts its central character, Dre (Jaden Smith), from the streets of Detroit and drops him in Beijing, China. Initially struggling with the alien surroundings, Dre’s fish out of water problems get a whole lot worse when the local tough kid targets Dre for some kicking practice. Unfortunately for Dre, his new bully just so happens to be a martial arts expert, and while Dre can dance, hes not much of a fighter. Luckily, Dre and his mother’s surly handy man, Mr Han (Chan), proves that he’s a dab hand with the old kung fu, and reluctantly takes Dre under his wing in order to pass on his wisdom.
As mentioned, this glossy, tweenified take on the Karate Kid concept could so easily be despised, but with the heart and the feel good vibe of the original remaining intact, there’s a sweetness, tenderness and sadness to this reboot which makes it fairly irresistible.
Crucially, the films lead isnt obnoxious. He’s actually pretty good and very natural in his performance, reminiscent of a mini-Will Smith during some of the lighter moments. And who better to take the Mr Miyagi role than Jackie Chan? Playing his age with a slump and a world-weary air of melancholy, it’s great to see Chan not playing the clown for once (though we do get to see him kick a little bit of ass).
Ultimately, while the film lacks the infamous crane kick, the Joe Esposito soundtrack and the classic Myagi adage, “wax on, wax off” (the new film employs the far less catchy “take your jacket off, put it on the floor, pick it up”), it’s still a solid reboot of the franchise and a very enjoyable family movie.
This Blu-ray edition, which features a DVD version as well, is stunning in its presentation. Boasting natural skin tones and some striking colours (Beijing practically sparkles with a multitude of vibrant colouring) the picture quality is top notch throughout. The audio doesnt exactly let the side down either and features clean and crisp dialogue, a loud and exhilarating music score and immersive sound effects during the had-to-hand combat. All in all, its a fantastic Blu-ray experience.
The extras include your standard making of featurette and a hideous Justin Bieber music video, while the Blu-ray exclusives include a pretty cool interactive map of China, plus a fairly entertaining if ultimately silly alternate ending in which Jackie Chans character brawls with the head of Dres rival kung fu class.
Overall Verdict: A film thats difficult not to like and a Blu-ray thats impossible not to be wowed by.
Special Features:
BD Live
Movie IQ
Interactive Map of China
Alternate Ending
Production Diaries
Chinese Lessons
The Making Of Featurette
Justin Bieber Never Say Never Music Video
Trailers
Reviewer: Lee Griffiths