The Karate Kid (2010)
June 10, 2010 in theaters
12-year-old Dre Parker could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying but the cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make him an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is a kung fu master. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.
Cast
Director
TRAILER
QUOTE
"Being still and doing nothing are two very different things."
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite the title, the film actually focuses on kung fu, not karate -- a change from the original that sparked debate among fans.
THE VERDICT
Synthesized from published reviews
A remake that earns more goodwill than its concept suggested by committing fully to its Beijing setting and the relationship between its two leads. Jackie Chan's Han is a genuinely affecting riff on the Miyagi archetype, and Jaden Smith's Dre is more convincing than the marketing implied. The film is longer than it needs to be and the climax follows the template too exactly. But the emotional core is real, and the film treats its Chinese setting with more specificity than most Hollywood productions manage.
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