The trailers look awesome, the cast was satisfactory, how about the movie? Likes and dislikes, comin' right atcha.
What I liked about the movie:
Jaden/Jackie
Jackie Chan plays the updated version of Mr. Miyagi, formally portrayed by Pat Morita. The updated Mr. Miyagi is Mr. Han, the handy man at Dre's new housing complex. I have to say this is the most emotional role that I have ever seen Chan in. He is a man who has a tortured past he can't shake. Chan plays it with such sincerity, I was really moved by all the dramatic moments in the movie.
The chemistry between Smith and Chan is just fantastic. You felt the two genuinely cared for each other. The characters needed each other equally. This could have gone horribly wrong by the way. It could have turned into a sad sap story, but it didn't. There was just the right balance of sap and Kung Fu.
The Kung Fu
China
The major difference between this modern telling and the original is its location. China is shown so beautifully in the movie. The cinematography by Roger Pratt is breath taking and I really want to visit China now! China is shown while Mr. Han takes Dre all over to teach him the message of Kung Fu. This includes an awesome montage on The Great Wall of China.
The Score
I love when a score to a film gets me on the edge of my seat, this one did just that! James Horner wrote an incredible score that got my heart pumping during a chase scene, got me to cheer during a fight sequence and got my throat to swell up during a comforting scene.
The Director
Harald Zwart really did a fine job on the movie. The action, comedy, pacing, editing and the aforementioned score were all successful in my opinion. Zwart helped with the scope of China throughout the film. He took the camera to the streets where you could see how narrow ally ways were; he also showed how crowded parts of China are with wide shots of shopping areas, etc. The costume choices were believable and relatable. I think he did the best job possible.
What I didn't like:
Taraji P. Henson
Wow, I did NOT expect that performance by Henson, really I didn't. She got a lot of attention for her Academy Award nominated role in 'Benjamin Button', I even liked her in Smokin' Aces, but man she is so bad in this movie. I am dedicating this paragraph to how bad she is. She tried too hard to come off as the "tough mom", which did NOT work at all. She tried too hard to bond with Jaden Smith, which she could not sell to the audience. Even something as easy as cheering for Smith during the tournament was bad, over done, just bad! She is the ONLY thing I didn't like about the movie, did NOT see that coming.
Overall the movie was a nice treat at the movies. I gave The A-Team a positive review and didn't think 80's reboots could strike gold twice in the same summer, I guess I was wrong. Jaden Smith is going to be a big star some day and I think that's becoming more and more obvious with every movie. It was great to see Jackie Chan in a more emotional role than the usual action/comedies we're used to seeing him in. The change of location was great! China was beautiful in every frame; and the score was a treat for the ears. I know I went late to this movie (it's been out almost a month), but this was definitely one case of better late than never.
