An 80’s Classic Gets an Update ~ Movie Review of ‘The Karate Kid’

The original ‘The Karate Kid’ (1984) was one of those films that defined the 1980s.  It followed a pretty universal theme of an underdog (Ralph Macchio who was 22-23 at the time although his character was supposed to be much younger) taken under the wing of a master (Pat Morita who was best known for his role as Arnold on  ‘Happy Days’ before he was cast as Mr. Kesuke Miyagi).   After the initial fish out of water scenes where the master transforms the hero, the hero is either defeated or gives an impressive performance against a formally mean spirited/cocky foe.  This updated version stars Jaden Smith (son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett – Dad produced the movie) as the kid and Jackie Chan as the master.

 

                I saw the film last summer summer before last as a double feature (maybe triple?) at the Boulevard Drive-In Theatre in Merriam, Kansas; which is probably the best place to see a drive-in film in Kansas City.  As drive-in movies go ‘The Karate Kid’ was a good choice for the venue.  I find that it is hard to concentrate on a film in a drive-in because there are so many distractions.  Despite all of their charms from a bygone era, I don’t feel the intimacy with a story that I do in a regular theater – the same holds true for films shown in cinemaplexs that have a wait staff deliver your dinner (I don’t think Kansas City has any theaters that do this anymore since Studio Movie Grill closed at Zona Rosa).  ‘The Karate Kid’ is a movie that any filmgoer over a certain age knows the plot of and the rest is just filling in the details. 

 

                The difference in the reboot is that Dre Parker (Smith) and his mother move to Beijing, China from Detroit for her job.  I don’t remember if anything is explained about Parker’s father, but the film makes it clear that it is just Dre and his mom.  She attempts to make the experience a big adventure for her son who displays little enthusiasm for the move.  Their apartment is less than spectacular which adds to his ennui.  The place is sparse and odd as demonstrated when his mother decides to take a shower to only find that the water has turned itself off midway through her shampoo.  She tells her son to go find the maintenance man to remedy the situation.  I have to say that although quite some time has elapsed since seeing this film and writing the review, I am still shocked by the idea that a mother would send her twelve/thirteen year old son off by himself in a foreign land where he does not speak the native language to conjure up a repair man to tweak her shower within hours of them landing – nothing overwhelming or confusing about that task for a kid with a chip on his shoulder.  I suppose this is a Hollywood movie and ergo Hollywood logic applies.  Of course it is very Hollywood to have the Mr. Han (Chan) be able to speak plausible English.

 

                From their first meeting onwards Dre finds a father figure/tourist guide in Han who realizes that the boy is going to have an awful existence if he doesn’t learn quickly how to acclimate into the culture as well as being able to defend himself – especially since he has a little something-something going on with one of the native lasses.  Although Han really doesn’t want to get involved…well, you know the rest.  In the end the lesson is about perseverance and honor.

 

                Jackie Chan is always likeable and is perfect for the role.  Jaden Smith is very impressive with his karate technique doing stunts that make him look like a pro.  He managed to be make those of us old enough to be his mother want to mother him while understanding that if we were thrown back into the dreadful years of middle school his picture would TOTALLY be hanging in our lockers – it’s a good balance and should serve him well in the next few years.  Probably the most shocking thing about writing this review now was that I was certain I would be scribbling something about a sequel, however I couldn’t find anything indicating that ‘The Karate Kid II’ will be chomping through more wooden boards anytime soon.  What I did find out was that the characters in this version practiced Kung Fu and not Karate and in several Asian markets the film was called ‘The Kung Fu Kid’.

 

                ‘The Karate Kid’ offered a lot of nice shots of China although it never once referenced that the nation was a communist country.  I’m sure the movie is due to be released on cable soon if not already.  I would recommend it for anyone of a certain age.  It is a good family film, but not necessarily one that adults would enjoy by themselves.  Overall, after living through the original and all of its sequels I was surprised that a sequel wasn’t in the works involving Dre returning to his old neighborhood and busting a few moves.  Oh well.

 

 

Westerfield © 2011