The Karate Kid (Blu-Ray:)

A remake of the 1984 film of the same name, The Karate Kid well exceeds expectations, delivering a powerful viewing experience filled with action-packed martial arts scenes, great footage of China and its many wonders, and an absorbing story of a preadolescent boy's struggle to find his own inner strength. The title Karate Kid is really a misnomer as it is the art of kung fu that is practiced in this remake, not karate, and other details, including the film's setting in China, also differ from the original film. What remains the same, and just as powerful, is the underlying story: a young boy moves to a new place where he feels isolated and is bullied by his peers. Through an unlikely relationship with an adult, the boy not only learns to protect himself through martial arts, but develops the much more important qualities of respect and the mastery of one's own mind and body. Relative newcomer Jaden Smith (son of actors and producers Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith) is excellent as the main character Dre Parker; Jackie Chan gives a restrained and highly effective performance as his mentor Mr. Han; and Zhenwei Wang is eerily believable as the bully Chen. This is an intense and often violent film that fully engulfs its viewers--be prepared to gasp and cheer out loud, and know that you may never look at the act of putting on and taking off a jacket in the same way again.--Tami Horiuchi

When 12-year-old Dre moves from Detroit China with his mum and gets bullied at his new school, he makes friedns with the aging maintenance man, a kung fu master who teaches him the secrets to self-defense. As Dre prepares to face down his intimidating tormentor, he begins to realize that the real fight is just beginning.

My 5 year old son (also called Jaydon) loves this film!

It’s no real homage to the original KK, I’m a real Jackie Chan fan but his roles are getting weaker each time he makes a film.. it’s a real shame.

Jaden Smith is fine as a child actor goes but I feel he is too young for this part. The original is a mixture of teenage hormones and pride which justifies the movie, in this it’s hard to take a 12yr old seriously not to mention the fact of a 12 year old getting the daylights beaten out of him in public is just wrong and not something I do not enjoy seeing.

original. Without that, as a standalone film, this doesnt offer much. Lacklustre performances, a hole ridden plot, charmless characters, a subtly disturbing story that envolves 'kids' beating each other up. The original is far superior in every way. And if there wasnt an original, this would just have been a straight to video/bargain bin release. It could of worked if the 'Karate Kid' and his co horts were a tad older, but as it stands they are all too young and it makes the fight scenes seem that much more brutal and nasty. Get the original.

A much better film than i thought it would be,i did not really rate the original.I really enjoyed the spectacular Chines out door scenes.Overall a feel good film.