Greetings, intrepid movie-goers! Movie Reviews for Mere Mortals has been forced to take a short hiatus while I recover from foot surgery. All these wonderful summer movies are out there just waiting to be watched and reviewed, but here I sit, my feet bound in gauze and tape, unable to traverse the parking lot of my local cineplex. I did manage to see two movies before I was laid up, though, the first of which was The Karate Kid, a remake of one of my favorite teen movies.
The Webber family saw it on opening night, and it has since become a box-office smash. And rightly so. Despite being two hours and twenty minutes long, it was a fast ride, and entertaining from start to finish. And what a thrill to see little Jaden Smith taking such a powerhouse position in the family dynasty. His parents, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, helped produce the movie, and it was a genius move on their part – it was the perfect vehicle for establishing young Mr. Smith as an actor who can brandish both physique and emotional depth.
Is it wrong to have a crush on a 12-year-old boy? I’m just asking . . .
The movie is a startling departure for Jackie Chan, who reprises the role of Mr. Miyagi under the name Mr. Han. He is not the kung-fu star of the show – he has only one martial arts scene, in fact. He isn’t a man of power, mystery, or even charm. He doesn’t even look like he bathes all that often. But it’s wonderful to see Chan filling these grubby new shoes, and I hope it’s a sign of the kind of unexpected roles we will see from him in the future. We also can’t overlook the delightful Taraji P. Henson, who plays Smith’s mom. She takes nagging to a whole new level, delivering my favorite line in the whole movie.
While this year’s Karate Kid is similar to the original in terms of plot and characters, there are enough differences to make things interesting for those of us who grew up with Daniel-san. However, this time around, the karate kid in question is much younger, and this makes for some harsh scenes of violence. No one likes to watch a kid get beat up, and little Mr. Smith gets more than his fair share. As a result, the movie might be a little tough for younger viewers to watch.
The credits are great, accompanied by a slideshow of photos from behind the scenes. The kids look like they were having a great time. And who’s that kid rapping in the background as the credits roll? You guessed it – Jaden Smith.
See the preview for The Karate Kid here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMsZM-MNI1A
Posted by Holly "Double Feature" Joplin 
Movie Reviews for Mere Mortals 