In theaters May 30, director Jonathan Entwistle attempts a dual legacy sequel to both the 1984 and 2010 versions of “The Karate Kid” with the franchise’s latest installment, “Karate Kid: Legends.” Upon moving to New York City, Li Fong (Ben Wang) gets tangled up in the financial affairs of his love interest, Mia Lipani (Sadie Stanley), whose dad took a loan from the wrong people. After failing to train her dad in the ways of kung fu so he can win money in the boxing ring, Fong takes it upon himself to save Lipani’s dad’s business by entering into a karate tournament that will provide him with the needed funds. To prepare for the competition, Fong’s senseis, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), must teach him to combine the styles of both kung fu and karate. While “Karate Kid: Legends” offers a unique energy to an over 40-year franchise with action scenes that strike hard, it strikes too fast to truly land an emotional punch.
Despite the film’s pacing being too fast for its own good from a story standpoint, the constant, frenetic motion it possesses provides a unique counterpoint to the original trilogy – I choose to believe “The Next Karate Kid” does not exist. “The Karate Kid Part I and III” take place in the sleepy San Fernando Valley, specifically Reseda. For anyone who has ever been there, it’s not a very happening place. As for “The Karate Kid Part II,” its events unfold primarily in Okinawa, Japan – another lax environment. In light of these, these films’ pacing matched these slower, more laid-back atmospheres.
“Karate Kid: Legends,” however, is set in New York City – one of the most lively locations in the country, if not the world. Because of this complete 180-degree shift from relaxed suburbs to rambunctious cityscape, it uses this new location to fill the movie with energy. Needle drops such as Joey Valence & Brae’s “HOOLIGANG” and “California Love” by Zapp & Roger add an old-school swagger and tempo to the scenes. Additionally, during the final tournament, “Street Fighter” style graphics flash on screen to lay out the rules for the fight.
In reference to the fight scenes, “Legends” easily has the best choreography of the franchise. The original films are properly cheesy. The reboot did the kung fu elements well, and “Cobra Kai” is honestly awful most of the time. However, the fight scenes depicted here are fast-paced, brutal and creative. Chan’s influence is definitely felt as they use his iconic style that melds physical comedy with hard-hitting punches. During one scene in particular, Han knocks Fong onto a pan and sends him spinning across the dining room table. Fong looks ridiculous while doing this, and it gives the fight scene an entertaining wackiness. Conversely, when the action needs to be intense, it strikes first, strikes hard and strikes fast. A foot to the head feels like a knockout. A strike to the eye is thrown with aggressive intention and a real weight that leaves the audience reeling from the impact.
That all said, though, while this NYC intensity and energetic fight choreography gave “Legends” a fast pace that made it unique in the context of the franchise, it severely weakened its potential for storytelling.
To start off, no one in this movie is a character. Everyone is merely a mouthpiece for dialogue and a physical body to move on camera. None of the characters are changed or challenged in any compelling way over the course of the film. This lack of characterization is rooted in Fong’s lack of growth. He starts the movie already being a kung fu prodigy and, hence, has nothing to learn from Han or LaRusso, who merely feels like an extended cameo in his own franchise. Since Fong’s senseis have nothing to teach him, Han and LaRusso’s relationship with Fong does not evolve throughout “Legends.”
This becomes incredibly prevalent when viewers get to the finale, which feels incredibly hollow. What the “Karate Kid” franchise does so well is use the final tournament as a physical manifestation of the emotional struggles the characters must overcome. They train all movie, and the audience witnesses their growth, so when that final point is struck on the mat, it feels earned because the viewer has seen the work that went into getting there.
In “Legends,” however, not only does Fong lack a clear, personal motive for why he needs to fight in this tournament, but his fighting style doesn’t reflect his growth. While he does want to help Lipani’s dad with his financial trouble, this does not say anything profound about who Fong is as a person. If he wins or loses the tournament, his life will be the same. Additionally, despite Fong supposedly learning to combine kung fu and karate, it isn’t visually obvious to the casual viewer. Because this clear visual language is absent from his fighting style – unlike how “wax on wax off” became a notable maneuver in LaRusso’s arsenal – there are no distinct cues to showcase Fong’s growth. Since Fong has vague-at-best personal stakes in the tournament and he doesn’t appear to have changed as a result of his training, it doesn’t feel like the results of the tournament matter to him, so why should it matter to the audience?
“Karate Kid: Legends” is a disappointing legacy sequel that, despite giving the franchise a new, fast-paced energy, comes at the cost of creating an emotionally compelling film.
2.5/5
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Featured Image via Sony Pictures
