Quest for Jackie Chan - "The Karate Kid" Australian Reviewer - Marie Setiawan

The Karate Kid feat. Jaden Smith
Date: Tuesday 13 May 2010
Time: 9.30PM
Location: Wetherill Park Hoyts, Stocklands

Old classic reborn. Let bad-assery ensue. Times two!

Last week my entire family decided to finally watch The Karate Kid. After hearing the good, bad, and mediocre reviews about the film, I decided to wipe my mind blank before entering into the cinema complex. Needless to say, it was pretty insane! Tuesday night was packed full of people lining up in queue to watch the films they had in store. Having not eaten dinner as of yet, my father and I patiently waited in queue while the rest of the family went ahead with dinner for themselves at Pho 76. Give or take half-an-hour later, my father and I finally made our way to the counter for the 8.30PM session. Keep in mind that we got to the complex at around 7PM. You can never guess what happened.

“I’m sorry, that session’s just sold out.”

My jaw would literally drop if it weren’t held up by the sheer excitement for the film. Sold out? Really? That alone spoke volumes about the film and the numbers. Without thinking, we decided to eat dinner with the rest of the family before walking back for the 9.30PM session.

Having indulged ourselves at The Chocolate Room, we made our way half-an-hour early for the 9.30 session. Luckily for us, the hall was empty. By the time there was only ten minutes to showtime, the hall was overcrowded with an eager audience. The queue spread from the door to the stairs (and for those who know of Wetherill Park Hoyts, you know what I mean). No wonder the 8.30PM session sold out. There were even heaps of people willing to watch the 9.30PM session for this film. I can still remember my father with a grin on his face: “Y’see, that’s why it’s all sold out. This movie has to be good!”

And those words will always stick in my mind.

Put simply, I loved this film. Or better yet, I applaud the film. It stayed almost true to the original in style, narrative structure, and thematic issues. Although I was raised watching the original Karate Kid, this rebirth of an old classic had elements that were both old and new to me, and that was refreshing. I heard the audience laugh, cry, and even applaud the film. That’s right. APPLAUD. They literally clapped their hands. This film has done itself the self-righteous justice it deserved.

Young and upcoming star Jaden Smith brought life into his performance as Dre Parker. The one thing that struck me in the changes of the film is how much of a little tank he is. It only shows how dedicated he is to his role, and that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree after all. He exhibited a huge range and brought a strong performance, and that was already clear in his appearance as his own father’s son in Pursuit of Happyness. Jaden has a bright future ahead of him.

And of course, kudos to Jackie Chan and his performance as the wise yet eccentric mentor for Jaden Smith. His role was enlightening to me, being one (if not the only) Hollywood film Jackie plays a character with a serious demeanour. I thought I would never cry at any of Jackie Chan’s performances, but I was proven wrong. He delivered the most heart-wrenching, dramatic, and upsetting performance I have ever seen him act, and it touched me so hard I shed tears. I don’t know how many others were crying with me, but I know that it brought tears to my sister’s eyes, and knowing her, that’s speaks volumes. If this film is the last Hollywood film Jackie will ever star in during his career, it will be an everlasting impression on his legacy as an actor, stuntman, choreographer, and most importantly, an icon.

For the record, although it is traditionally “Kung-Fu”, I’d rather not get into the details between the martial art and the title. It delivered well with great action, great drama, and an absolutely stellar performance from the actors. The Karate Kid had touched my heart. Again. This remake, filled with the wonders of Chinese heritage, culture, and antiquity can only be described as breath-taking. It re-taught us how life is more than what we know. It’s who we are, where we come from, and learning to live without regrets.