Karate Kid: Legends

CinemaSerf 6/4/2025 11:54:43 AM 8.4

The marketing around this has been terrible, I thought, so I was not really expecting much - but it’s not so very bad after all. That’s almost entirely down to a cheeky and engaging effort from Ben Wang as the young “Li Fong” who has recently (and reluctantly) arrived in Los Angeles from Beijing with his doctor mother (Ming-Na Wen) after a family tragedy which we go into a little more, later. He befriends pizza family “Victor” (Joshua Jackson) and his teenage daughter “Mia” (Sadie Stanley) but quickly - and quite brutally - discovers that former prize-fighting dad is in hock to a loan shark and so wants to try to punch his way out of his problems. When he realises that the young lad has some skill with kung-fu, they decide to team up and that’s the start of their escapades that ultimately pitches the new arrival against local champion “Conor” (Aramis Knight). For that challenge, he is lucky to have the help of his visiting Chinese mentor “Shifu” (Jackie Chan) who manages to elicit the assistance of the original “Karate Kid” himself (Ralph Macchio) so he may practise the more cerebral “Miyagi” form of karate. Predictable? Well, yes and Macchio is about as wooden as one of his late, lamented, master’s bonsai trees but there’s a little gentle mischief from Chan and just about enough action to stop the melodrama from swamping the thing. You will probably never recall it half an hour after you’ve seen it, but it’s is probably second to the original (1984) and passes a couple of hours effortlessly.

Margot Maritz 6/20/2025 8:55:13 PM 8.4

While Karate Kid Legend may hold appeal for a younger audience drawn to high-energy martial arts sequences and a familiar underdog narrative, I found the film somewhat lacking in depth. The storyline followed a predictable arc with few surprises, and although competently executed, it offered little in the way of emotional complexity or thematic richness. That said, one commendable aspect was the inclusion of a sustainability seal during the end credits. This small but significant detail signals an awareness of environmental responsibility within the production process—something I deeply value. While the film itself may not have resonated with me, it’s encouraging to see the industry making strides towards greener filmmaking practices.

Margot Maritz 6/20/2025 9:16:25 PM 8.4

While Karate Kid Legend may hold appeal for a younger audience drawn to high-energy martial arts sequences and a familiar underdog narrative, I found the film somewhat lacking in depth. The storyline followed a predictable arc with few surprises, and although competently executed, it offered little in the way of emotional complexity or thematic richness. I didn’t like this. That said, my only frame of reference for The Karate Kid is that one How I Met Your Mother episode, so I haven’t seen the original films. But because I know how much people hype this franchise and how beloved it is, I went in expecting a lot. I expected phenomenal karate choreography, some intense emotional moments, and real substance. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. I don’t think I’m the target audience for this film, honestly, it didn’t feel like it was made for me, which is absolutely fine. It lacked depth, it didn’t have the emotional or narrative weight I was hoping for, and the overall vibe just didn’t land with me. The Karate Kid: Legends wasn’t for me. Sustainability commitment That said, one commendable aspect was the inclusion of a sustainability seal during the end credits. This small but significant detail signals an awareness of environmental responsibility within the production process—something I deeply value. While the film itself may not have resonated with me, it’s encouraging to see the industry making strides towards greener filmmaking practices. Watch my video reviews: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMSABkyqF/ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKbd3VCCHvL/?igsh=MXY2NnhrMGZ2aWlyeQ==