Is anything NOT made in China anymore??? This will no doubt rake in the dough because of parents dragging their mindless pre-teens and toddlers to fill the seats. The action,etc does look good…BUT seriously…shouldn’t this be named “The KUNG FU Kid?”
I don’t know the whole plot and the “WHY”…but come on,man. What are the odds of a down-on-their luck black American(single mom) moving to China??? If they make that puzzle fit so be it…but the shit just seems retarded from my perspective.
(EDIT So it says she took a job transfer…but still…come on,man.)
The Karate Kid is one of those movies that shouldn’t be remade for another 20-30 years…or at least till people understand that you can’t call a movie The Karate Kid and have it set in China with Chinese culture. OR never(the best option). I know…I know…Hollywood has history of cultural cluster-fucks. But this one just really hit the jackpot. Damn you Hollywood!
Why would you dig up a classic like the Karate Kid and “remake” it like this? (Of course we already know the answer to this)
First problem, as Big Boss mentioned…they’re in CHINA. Karate is Japanese. I guess they figured the average person going to see this would lump all “Orientals” together into one group.
Second, some key elements which made the Karate Kid what it is are clearly missing…
1.) Altercation over a battery-operated radio
2.) Dirtbikes!
3.) Mop-headed antagonists (often riding dirtbikes)
4.) Overzealous combat vet providing bad influence to mop-headed antagonists.
5.) Protagonist’s instructor’s drunken recollections about the 1940’s
6.) Any sort of of originality whatsoever.
I hope Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi) haunts the fuck out of anyone involved with this.
There are a lot of remakes, anymore. Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Shining, The Omen, Amityville, etc… were not nearly as good as the originals. Filmmakers must be running out of material. I think Jackie Chan is likeable, but no one can replace Pat Morita.
I HATE they are doing this…but I will see that movie and can prettyt much bet that if they actually put some time into the story then it will make that kid famous.
I could make a list of the things I see wrong though and while I really like Jackie Chan, some of his movies have stunk big time.
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
God I hope they don’t fuck this up. I grew up watching that movie like 6,000 times. The VHS was literally warped from being rewound so may times.[/quote]
You and me both, although I had it on Beta. Watched it so many times that I remembered the commercials and when they appeared. My friends and I used to laugh hysterically at that scene where Daniel is throwing his bike against the dumpster and having a psychotic fit (“IHATETHISBIKEIHATETHISDAMNBIKESTUPIDBIKE WHY CAN’T WE JUST GO HOME?!?!”).
I also had absolutely no idea what Johnny was “rolling” in the washroom during the high school dance.
Wow,… okay, there’s no reasl reason to remake a film that in my mind (still warped from growing up in the 80’s) holds up when you watch it now. I do like Jackie Chan when he has the proper vehicle though… I’ll bitch about it, but will end up seeing it anyway.
Why even bother calling this shit the Karate Kid? The changing the setting from California to China, the lead actor from a teenage white kid to an 11 year old black kid, and who knows what else. If you’re gonna remake an awesome movie like the Karate Kid, actually remake the damn thing. So now they’re gonna make it center around a love affair story based on 11 year olds?
[quote]sam_sneed wrote:
Why even bother calling this shit the Karate Kid? The changing the setting from California to China, the lead actor from a teenage white kid to an 11 year old black kid, and who knows what else. If you’re gonna remake an awesome movie like the Karate Kid, actually remake the damn thing. So now they’re gonna make it center around a love affair story based on 11 year olds? [/quote]
That was the same problem I had with it. Who honestly gives a shit about the life struggles of a pre-teen? Do we all cheer for puppy love?
The first one worked because it was more of a “coming of age” story. He got his first car. He had a real fight. This kid is too young…even though I can tell what they are thinking.
They are looking at a FRANCHISE. They basically have the first two movies written if they train him in China and then move back to the states. By then he’ll be a teenager and look more grown up.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
I HATE they are doing this…but I will see that movie and can prettyt much bet that if they actually put some time into the story then it will make that kid famous.
[/quote]
I don’t think he has to worry about famous, I believe that is Will Smith’s kid.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
I HATE they are doing this…but I will see that movie and can prettyt much bet that if they actually put some time into the story then it will make that kid famous.
[/quote]
I don’t think he has to worry about famous, I believe that is Will Smith’s kid.[/quote]
Yep, and he wasn’t particularly great in Day the Earth Stood Still or Pursuit of Happyness. I’d love to see the little kid in The Blind Side take on this role.
They really know how to make a dude feel old. First they remake my favorite songs, now the Karate Kid. And the sad part is I sound like my old ass parents saying this ain’t as good as the original. I could’ve convinced myself to go to a theatre for a 16 year old, but 11? Netflix it is.
