Karate Kid: Legends is a very fun, entertaining and endearingly heartfelt, action-packed film that is sure to bring a new generation of fans to the storied franchise. Nearly 41 years after the original film that starred Ralph Macchio, the late great Pat Morita, William Zabka and Elizabeth Shue. Macchio returns as his storied character of, Daniel San and Jackie Chan returns as his character of Mr. Han from the 2010 remake of the original film to star alongside new star, Ben Wang, who is set to be the new, “Karate Kid.”
The film starting with a nostalgic callback to the 1986 The Karate Kid: Part II where Daniel and Mr. Miyagi are seen in Mr. Miyagi’s dojo in Japan gives longtime fans like myself of the original films something to smile, laugh and cheer at from the very opening of the film. That then flashes to present day Beijing, China where Mr. Han is the shifu of a large Kung Fu school that he teaches many students the ancient ways of Kung Fu. With Wang’s character, Li Fong, a quiet teenager, who secretly lives in the school trying to hide from his mother, who is a doctor that soon comes to find him and bring him back to her. We find out that Mr. Han is actually Li’s uncle and that his mom is moving him to New York City after accepting a new position as a doctor there.
Mainly set in the always timeless cinematic backdrop of the always bustling New York City. The almost comic book and somewhat cartoonish-like, yet nostalgic take of New York City’s Chinatown to the Italian pizzeria, New York street alleyways and even the city’s famously buzzing San Gennaro street festival is the perfect backdrop to bring in a new generation of fans and give a different fresh perspective for OG fans of the franchise. As Li tries to adjust to and struggles with adapting to moving to a new city and learning a new culture, but quickly befriends Mia Lipani, who is the daughter of pizza owner, Victor, who we later learn used to be a boxer. Mia brilliantly played by Sadie Stanley. Both Li and Mia developing an endearingly heartfelt and romantic relationship with great comic relief of one another that starts from the very beginning they are seen onscreen together and even earns Li the nickname, “Stuffedcrust.” Showing from jump what great chemistry both Wang and Stanley have together as their characters. That may fly under the radar as something you wouldn’t expect going into the film that works really well in making this newest entry into, The Karate Kid, franchise so endearingly heartfelt, fun and entertaining.
It is Mia’s tough-as-nails former boyfriend, Connor Day, who is the reigning champion of the underground street style, Five Boroughs Tournament and son of the local dojo owner that emerges as the villain and rival of Li that every, “Karate Kid” needs in their story. Who we first met when he violently beats Li that prompts his mother, Dr. Fong, who is so brilliantly played by legendary veteran actress, Ming-Na Wen, to find him a tutor, so he doesn’t fight like they had both agreed upon before moving to America. His tutor, Alan, later on not only becoming a friend of a select few that Li has in a new city, but that helps become a key component in another aspect of his story when he eventually needs somewhere to train.
Like any Karate Kid movie in the storied franchise there is plenty of great fight sequences, choreography and something different that we have never really seen. With there being aspects of many different fight styles from kung fu to karate and boxing in the movie. Whether it be Victor, who used to be a professional boxer returning to boxing to pay back a debt he owes to save his pizzeria and Li agreeing to train him by using elements of kung fu to help him or Li himself later on in the story eventually using both kung fu and karate to train to try to take down his rival, Connor. Mr. Han going to Los Angeles to visit Daniel San’s dojo, which at one time used to be the late Mr. Miyagi’s to recruit him to help Li fight Connor and teach the ways of Miyaga-do karate. The audience also learning of Han’s connection to the Miyaga family legacy. Hesitant at first to come to New York to help train, Li, Daniel San, eventually comes to help cause as we all know he likes to keep the wisdom, legacy and traditions of Miyagi going and when there is someone who cares to help someone in need of help in the way that Mr. Miyagi did with Daniel San when he was younger, himself. You can never go wrong and it be the wrong choice.
Like the original films, this newest entry into the storied Karate Kid franchise is as much about found family and that extended family you find to help you in your journey in life too that so many of us can relate to. Which Li gets plenty of. Whether it be Mia and her dad, Victor, who becomes like a father figure to him in a time he truly needs it in dealing with some of the traumas life has dealt him to Mia herself and his tutor, Alan. Who helps Li in wooing Mia as a love interest and to give him an odd, but somewhat hilarious and it will make do space to train. The buildup to the final tournament. The somewhat cheesy, but also great underdog story of finding a purpose to what you are actually fighting for and using two branches that are both parties of the same tree to help complete and find that purpose. The thing is it isn’t really done in a cheesy way though and with a Chinese, Mandarin-speaking character such as Li that brings a fresh perspective we have never seen before in the previous films. Bringing something very fun, entertaining and endearingly heartfelt, as well as action-packed that both longtime fans of the franchise, like myself and even new fans will really enjoy. It is definitely a really great entry into the storied Karate Kid franchise that will bring a whole new generation of fans to the franchise and can later on even eventually be seen as a possibly endearingly memorable and heartfelt classic film the way the original films are to much of my generation. That is a real must-see film that the whole family will enjoy with all the great laughs, entertainment and fun it provides for a fun night at the movies everyone will enjoy.