This film has renewed my faith in filmmaking that doesn’t dumb down to audiences. THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is a modern day THE KARATE KID, which has been desperately missed. There was a time in the ‘80s when family films could be enjoyed not by just the small children and teenagers but adults and older audiences as well. This includes THE KARATE KID trilogy (I dismiss that last film outright), THE MONSTER SQUAD, THE LOST BOYS, SOUNDER, HOMEWARD BOUND, THE BEAR, and a plethora of similar films. Lately this has been replaced by such mediocrity as GARFIELD: THE MOVIE, CATS & DOGS, ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS, HERBIE: FULLY LOADED, among many others, in which only kids seem to be interested in. All that has changed with THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM.
The story concerns a bullied teenager Jason (Michael Angarano) whose love for all things martial arts gets him transported back in time to the Forbidden Kingdom where the Jade Warlord (Collin Chou) holds reign because he has turned his only real nemesis The Monkey King (Jet Li) into stone. Now Jason must travel across great distances in order to free the Monkey King from his prison and defeat the Jade Warlord. To aid Jason on his quest is Lu Yan (Jackie Chan), an Immortal whose martial arts power is derived from being drunk all the time, and The Silent Monk (Jet Li, again) who will not only train him but teach him the ways of the martial arts (ala THE KARATE KID). Jason feels a kindred relationship with his third companion Golden Sparrow (Yifei Liu) who has her own reasons for joining the band of warriors on their quest. They must travel through great distances and learn to become a team in order to defeat the Jade Warlord who seeks the immortality of the Immortals.
THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM could have easily become another derivative film like last year’s D-WAR: DRAGON WARS or SIDEKICKS (went back far for that one) or even the infamous THE NEXT KARATE KID and any of those POWER RANGERS movies. Part of the film’s greatest achievements go to the ensemble cast which does a great job with presenting an epic fantasy in such a realistic way. Jason’s journey from meek kid to martial arts master is hard with many tough lessons learned along the way but the film doesn’t just stop there. All the characters have a journey ahead of them and a destiny that must unfold before the group can raise the Monkey King and defeat the Jade Warlord. Writer John Fusco and director Rob Minkoff never forget that it is not only the action, but the characters which audiences care about and will ultimately identify with and cheer for during the movie.
In a summer filled with derivative action films with no heart and little character THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is a welcomed change from what has become the Summer season norm.
The story concerns a bullied teenager Jason (Michael Angarano) whose love for all things martial arts gets him transported back in time to the Forbidden Kingdom where the Jade Warlord (Collin Chou) holds reign because he has turned his only real nemesis The Monkey King (Jet Li) into stone. Now Jason must travel across great distances in order to free the Monkey King from his prison and defeat the Jade Warlord. To aid Jason on his quest is Lu Yan (Jackie Chan), an Immortal whose martial arts power is derived from being drunk all the time, and The Silent Monk (Jet Li, again) who will not only train him but teach him the ways of the martial arts (ala THE KARATE KID). Jason feels a kindred relationship with his third companion Golden Sparrow (Yifei Liu) who has her own reasons for joining the band of warriors on their quest. They must travel through great distances and learn to become a team in order to defeat the Jade Warlord who seeks the immortality of the Immortals.
THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM could have easily become another derivative film like last year’s D-WAR: DRAGON WARS or SIDEKICKS (went back far for that one) or even the infamous THE NEXT KARATE KID and any of those POWER RANGERS movies. Part of the film’s greatest achievements go to the ensemble cast which does a great job with presenting an epic fantasy in such a realistic way. Jason’s journey from meek kid to martial arts master is hard with many tough lessons learned along the way but the film doesn’t just stop there. All the characters have a journey ahead of them and a destiny that must unfold before the group can raise the Monkey King and defeat the Jade Warlord. Writer John Fusco and director Rob Minkoff never forget that it is not only the action, but the characters which audiences care about and will ultimately identify with and cheer for during the movie.
In a summer filled with derivative action films with no heart and little character THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is a welcomed change from what has become the Summer season norm.
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