As someone who grew up during the 1980s, I watched both The Karate Kid and The Karate Kid: Part II multiple times. Although these movies have their corny, schmaltzy moments, the heart at their core always resonated with me. Forty-one years after the release of the first Karate Kid movie, and after two sequels, an attempt at two reboots, and the success of the Cobra Kai television series, a new Karate Kid movie is now in theaters. Karate Kid: Legends takes the elements of the fish-out-of-water/underdog story that captured the hearts of fans and puts a new spin on it, delivering a delightful sequel guaranteed to please these same fans.
Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), the kung fu instructor in the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid, has opened a well-respected martial arts school where his nephew Li Fong (Ben Wang) is a gifted yet conflicted student. The source of the conflict has to do with Li’s mother’s (Ming-Na Wen) opposition to his Kung-Fu studies, as fighting caused the untimely death of her older son and Li’s older brother. Li and his mother attempt to start a new life in America, where she hopes they can leave violence behind.
After promising his mother to avoid fighting, Li finds himself in a couple of difficult situations in New York, where his mother has taken a job as a doctor in a hospital. First of which, he befriends the street-wise and sweet Mia (Sadie Stanley), a girl with whom Li becomes enamored. Mia helps her father, Victor (Joshua Jackson), run his struggling pizzeria but is also in debt to another neighborhood businessman with criminal ties. Concerned with his new friends’ problems, Li steps up to train Victor, a former boxer who has the chance to score big if he wins a local boxing match. At the same time, Li infuriates Mia’s ex-boyfriend, Conor (Aramis Knight), a local karate champion who proceeds to torment and threaten Li for pursuing his ex-girlfriend.
Written by Rob Lieber and directed by Jonathan Entwistle, Karate Kid: Legends is a sweet and heartfelt movie that feels in tune with the Karate Kid franchise. I love that the filmmakers decided to give this film its distinct spin on the underdog story, setting it apart from the rest of the franchise. The elements that tie it to the saga are the inclusions of both the Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Han (Chan) characters. The filmmakers find a creative way to include Han’s ancestry and connect it to the Miyagi family history. In doing so, this connects all Karate Kid movies and the Cobra Kai series to this one new story.
As one would expect, this new installment has its corny and schmaltzy moments, but that is all part of this franchise’s overall experience. The genuine heart that goes into these stories most often balances this out. The entire cast of this film invests a great deal of love and passion into their performances, and that is what really makes it stand out. As Li Fong, Ben Wang is an absolute delight. He gives the audience a charming and lovable underdog with whom they can empathize.
Jackie Chan performs solidly as Han, a caring but no-nonsense instructor/uncle who knows exactly what his nephew needs to better himself. Ming-Na Wen is also fantastic as Li’s mother, a woman who hates violence and wishes to avoid it at all costs. I was also impressed by the performance of Sadie Stanley, who portrays the tough but lovely Mia. As Victor, Mia’s father, Joshua Jackson’s appearance is not only a pleasant surprise but also a fine addition to this movie. Of course, Ralph Macchio is great as Daniel LaRusso, a zen-like presence and instructor who steps in to help Li and Han face their challenges.
Karate Kid: Legends is a movie that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the franchise. For those who have never experienced the Karate Kid movies, it is best to do your homework and watch all the previous films, as well as the Cobra Kai series. At the same time, there is enough good in this movie that makes it a worthy introduction to this beloved franchise.