OBSERVER: Rourke’s Reviews
Karate Kid:
Legends
(PG). 94 minutes. Opens in cinemas June 5.
Utterly formulaic and contrived, this latest entry in the long-running franchise is everything you’d expect, but is entertaining enough thanks to good casting and a refreshingly stripped down running time.
After one (of many) criticisms aimed at the terrible 2010 remake, which had karate in the title, but focused on kung fu, Legends gets off to a brisk start explaining this mix of cultures and martial arts formats, before settling in on its main story.
The main character this time is teen Li Fong (Ben Wang), whose life is upended when his doctor mother (Ming-na Wen) moves them from Beijing to New York City, to take on a new job.
Because of this, Li Fong is unable to continue his kung fu training with Mr. Han (Jackie Chan). Dealing with a new school and neighbourhood, Li Fong understandably feels lost and isolated, until he decides to visit a local pizza place run by former fighter Victor (Joshua Jackson), but more notably, his daughter/employee Mia (Sadie Stanley), and the two make an immediate connection.
Li Fong’s happiness with Mia is disrupted with the presence of Conor (Aramis Knight), Mia’s ex and a notorious local karate champion.
Forced to defend himself, Li Fong will be trained by Mr. Han and Danny LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), so the young man can face his nemesis in a major competition.
As one can see from the plot description, Karate Kid: Legends follows every predictable pathway imaginable, with no surprises whatsoever.
The main surprise is how compact the material is, especially given the fact that it is combining characters and story elements from the original film series that began in 1984, and the 2010 movie.
This is a great approach, and director Jonathan Entwistle moves all the cliches in Rob Lieber’s script along at a generally fast pace.
The other aspect that helps considerably are the very likeable performances by Wang and Stanley. While their characters are familiar constructs, the two actors are quite charming, and have a natural chemistry.
Knight seems like the offspring of the main villain played by Thomas Ian Griffith in Part III, and is such a comic book bad guy that you wonder what Mia saw in him in the first place.
It is fascinating though to see how, in the early stages, every female character is against the use of violence to attain respect, and initially try to tell the male characters to find other ways to find a resolution, but by the end, are fully behind employing brute force to achieve victory.
It is the one element where more intelligent writing examining that subject was required, as it does make these particular sub-plots jarring. Overall, however, Karate Kid: Legends is more fun than it deserves to be, and should provide both families and fans of the series a good time at the movies.
RATING – ***
1922
(MA). 101 minutes. Now showing on Netflix.
The Stephen King adaptations continued to be churned out with 1922, based on the 2010 novella by the indefatigable author (who was obviously inspired by Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart), and like Gerald’s Game (also produced by Netflix, and released around the same time), is a cut above the King crowd.
Set during the title year, the story centres on Nebraska farmer Wilfred James (Thomas Jane), who loves the life he and those before him have lead.
His 80 acres became 180 when he married Arlette (Molly Parker), and the two have a teenage son, Henry (Dylan Schmid). Over time Arlette has made it obvious that she hates the farming life, and with their fortunes dwindling each year, wants the family to move to the city and open a dress shop. Horrified at the thought, Wilfred reacts strongly to the suggestion, and makes him realise how much he hates his wife. When Arlette threatens to sell her part of the farm and move anyway, Wilfred talks his son into helping him carry out the solution to their problems. 1922 dares to take its time, and Australian director Zak Hilditch (who also provides the screenplay) deserves credit for his measured, atmospheric approach to the material, allowing the characters’ dark thoughts to gain weight and purpose. This in turn gives the cast room to move, and nobody disappoints. Jane (Boogie Nights, Thursday, 61*, Stander, The Mist) gives his best performance in quite some time, truly bringing the brooding Wilfred to life, and makes a detestable person utterly compelling. Schmid is convincing as Henry, while Neal Mcdonough (Minority Report) and Kaitlyn Bernard offer solid support. As terrific an actor as she is, Molly Parker (Kissed, Wonderland, The Centre Of The World, Deadwood) gets the least developed character. The theme of male dominance is well introduced, but I just wish there was more time allocated to the changing dynamic between Arlette and Wilfred, and the way she feels suffocated by the men around her.
It would also have made Wilfred’s decision more convincing. Overt horror does make its way late into proceedings, jarring a little with the psychological thriller that has preceded it. At least it doesn’t have the kind of inherent problems that caused Mike Flanagan’s Gerald’s Game to falter in the second half. Impressively photographed by Ben Richardson (Beasts Of The Southern Wild, Wind River), 1922 is an effectively moody tale anchored by a memorable central performance.
RATING – ***½
Aaron Rourke