Karate Kid (Remake)

[GL1]

Cry some more please. It's a freakin movie. Who cares who wants to see it and who doesn't? Does that hurt you physically or what?

It's annoying as heck. And take your own medicine, unless his complaints are hurting you physically or something.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

I was one of those people who wasn't going to see it because I assumed it was going to be a disaster. I was wrong and now even I'm interested in seeing it eventually.

the biggest reason this film is a financial success isn't because of Will Smiths son, or even Jackie Chan. It obviously had good word of mouth and people liked it. Its a good film critically, so I'm glad its a financial success.

In a world where trash like Transformers ROTF and the Twilight series are huge box office successes, can't we be glad where films with good critical reviews become successful?

 

[Nivek]

The A Team has never been a film; it's the first of it's kind. The Karate Kid has. The distinction is quite clear.

Pretty obvious, too.

"Remake" of an 80's movie (with significant retooling).

Adoption of 25 years old 1980's TV series.

I wonder how successful this film would have been calling it The Kung-Fu Kid?

 

[kickass]

^^^ It's still called The Kung Fu kid in other countries, to my understanding. I'm interested how much this film makes overseas.

 

[jacobed]

I'd say its pretty successful because the story is a timeless story hence to why they made the movie. It's a feel good story about determination and trimuph. Rocky did it in the 70s and Karate Kid did it in the 80's now we have the new Karate Kid. I hate when people say the movie is unneccessary, it's a fantastic story that helps teach younger kids morals something not alot of movies do now a days. The whole Will Smith reason for it being popular is stupid, he's not the star just producer. His kid is actually a pretty good actor and I felt that his connection with Jackie Chan was better than that of Macchio and Morita. The original is too much of a classic to say that this one is better than it but I thought it did the original justice. I'd say that this is so far the 2nd best movie of the summer, I enjoyed the A-team a bit better. The only real problem I had with this movie is that it is about 30-40 minutes too long

 

[danoyse]

I wonder how successful this film would have been calling it The Kung-Fu Kid?

It's as good as I keep hearing it is...it would probably be doing fine.

It was definitely being sold on name recognition from the original film, which is much smarter than selling it as a "starring Will Smith's kid" film. And it worked.

I love the original (Ralph Macchio even mentions my NJ hometown in one of the first scenes - everyone in the audience applauded when he said it all 3 times I saw in theaters), I thought it was a travesty when I first heard it was being remade.

But...it looks really good, and that it was done well. And I had so much fun revisiting the 80s with The A-Team that I'll definitely be seeing this in the next week or so.

 

[Nivek]

The use of the name annoys the crap out of me, especially given the kid learns Kung-Fu.

I'm sure it's fine, I just have no interest in seeing it.

 

[danoyse]

The use of the name annoys the crap out of me, especially given the kid learns Kung-Fu.

I think if they had called it The Kung-Fu Kid, people would have assumed it was a ripoff of The Karate Kid instead of a proper remake, which is a bit easier to take.

 

[Prison Mike]

I thought The Karate Kid was a nickname that Jaden's character gets...

 

[A&W]

I think if they had called it The Kung-Fu Kid, people would have assumed it was a ripoff of The Karate Kid instead of a proper remake, which is a bit easier to take.

Yeah I figured the same thing.

 

[LostSon88]

Ugh...would people please stop with the title!

If those would just go and see the movie (instead of blindly hating it) and see the context in which karate is utilized, having the film called "The Karate Kid," is perfectly fine.

Unlike what so many have sworn to, the filmmakers do indeed make an attempt to rationalize why they its called, Karate Kid.

Obviously it helps with the marketing of the film but its also made a pretty important point in Dre's arc.

...but whatever, I swear its like talking to a wall on these boards sometimes.

Continue on about ranting about it not being called "Kung-Fu Kid" and/or the casting of Jaden Smith.

 

[S.A.A.D.]

The movie is by far the worst remake that I have ever seen. All the attempts at humor fail,and are cheesie. The music is garbage,and the dialog is amature and crappy,the whole jacket trick doesn't work and is repetitive and irritating imo. The best thing about this movie is whenever Jaden's character get's his butt kicked. And Jackie Chan playing Hong I guess,this movie should have been called The Super Lame Tween Kid. I think,even though I wasn't expecting a lot from this movie,I find it to be extremely bankrupt,it doe's very little to distinguish it's self from the original Karate Kid movie. In a good way that is.

 

[bullets]

They did the original film justice. I didn't think I'd like Jaden , I was annoyed with him last time I saw him on screen. Here he is right for the role and it's fun to watch him try to mirror things he's learned from Mr. Han about culture.
It was a good movie and felt believable. It did feel like they took a long time to get to where we knew it was going but it helps the character development.
8/10

​

 

[dark_b]

I'd say its pretty successful because the story is a timeless story hence to why they made the movie. It's a feel good story about determination and trimuph. Rocky did it in the 70s and Karate Kid did it in the 80's now we have the new Karate Kid. I hate when people say the movie is unneccessary, it's a fantastic story that helps teach younger kids morals something not alot of movies do now a days. The whole Will Smith reason for it being popular is stupid, he's not the star just producer. His kid is actually a pretty good actor and I felt that his connection with Jackie Chan was better than that of Macchio and Morita. The original is too much of a classic to say that this one is better than it but I thought it did the original justice. I'd say that this is so far the 2nd best movie of the summer, I enjoyed the A-team a bit better. The only real problem I had with this movie is that it is about 30-40 minutes too long

then why didnt they make something new ? why does it have to be a remake?
you can use 80% of the same story and the last 20 % you change so much so that you get something new and unique.

why a remake? why a remake?

 

[LostSon88]

How is this remake any different than the various reboots/remakes we've gotten the past few years?

Their goal was exactly the same...to reintroduce the story and characters to a new generation in a new, modern interpretation.

Why was Batman Begins necessary? Because the last two films in that series were absolute GARBAGE.

...the same can be said about the Karate Kid series. So they went back to the drawing board and started over to put the classic story in an updated setting.

The biggest difference between the two is that Begins was a reboot and started from scratch. Karate Kid was a remake which took the base elements and attempted to expand upon them.

And imo, they not only succeeded in remaining faithful to the original but in many ways IMPROVED upon some of the story elements.

Critics liked it, people who've seen it liked it. The majority of those who hate it are the one's who haven't even bothered to go see it DESPITE the positive word of mouth its been getting.

 

[Episode29]

The movie is by far the worst remake that I have ever seen. All the attempts at humor fail,and are cheesie. The music is garbage,and the dialog is amature and crappy,the whole jacket trick doesn't work and is repetitive and irritating imo. The best thing about this movie is whenever Jaden's character get's his butt kicked. And Jackie Chan playing Hong I guess,this movie should have been called The Super Lame Tween Kid. I think,even though I wasn't expecting a lot from this movie,I find it to be extremely bankrupt,it doe's very little to distinguish it's self from the original Karate Kid movie. In a good way that is.

LOL. Shouldn't you be over on the imdb forums?

 

[Spidey Rules 2]

I liked this movie. I thought it was really good and I also enjoyed the originial when I was growing up. I only have two gripes with this movie:

The scene (right before the final match) seems off: Dre and Han talking about why he should/should not continue to fight (maybe it was Jaden's lack of acting skills, not sure).

The final kick. Okay, yes I expected a final kick of some sorts, but when the hell did Dre ever see that kick performed (much less get to practice it)? Didn't Han say something about it taking a lifetime to learn? Dre might as well as used the Darth Vader choke hold on his opponent. What ever sense of realism I had for this movie went right out the window. I guess lucky for me it was at the end.

 

[kickass]

I liked this movie. I thought it was really good and I also enjoyed the originial when I was growing up. I only have two gripes with this movie:

The scene (right before the final match) seems off: Dre and Han talking about why he should/should not continue to fight (maybe it was Jaden's lack of acting skills, not sure).

The final kick. Okay, yes I expected a final kick of some sorts, but when the hell did Dre ever see that kick performed (much less get to practice it)? Didn't Han say something about it taking a lifetime to learn? Dre might as well as used the Darth Vader choke hold on his opponent. What ever sense of realism I had for this movie went right out the window. I guess lucky for me it was at the end.

That's the kicker though, isn it? (no pun intended).
If they showed Mr. Han teaching Dre that move and technique, it would have made the ending less climatic and less of a surprise.
Allso, we notice in the film that mr.han didn't teach him that anyway, Dre taught himself. However "possible" it is to master, it was the magic in the delivery and such a beautiful and tender moment I thought. It's the mssg behind that kick that really sticks out.

Glad to hear you liked it!

 

[louiebling$]

I liked this movie. I thought it was really good and I also enjoyed the originial when I was growing up. I only have two gripes with this movie:

The final kick. Okay, yes I expected a final kick of some sorts, but when the hell did Dre ever see that kick performed (much less get to practice it)? Didn't Han say something about it taking a lifetime to learn? Dre might as well as used the Darth Vader choke hold on his opponent. What ever sense of realism I had for this movie went right out the window. I guess lucky for me it was at the end.

Well he did tell Mr.Han that he learned a little capoiera(sp.?)

That's the kicker though, isn it? (no pun intended).
If they showed Mr. Han teaching Dre that move and technique, it would have made the ending less climatic and less of a surprise.
Allso, we notice in the film that mr.han didn't teach him that anyway, Dre taught himself. However "possible" it is to master, it was the magic in the delivery and such a beautiful and tender moment I thought. It's the mssg behind that kick that really sticks out.

Glad to hear you liked it!

Yea like I said before My theater clapped when he did that kick at the end... you don't see that lot at movies these days.

 

[louiebling$]

Edit

 

[lou2099]

Yea like I said before My theater clapped when he did that kick at the end... you don't see that lot at movies these days.

I had a rambunctious audience, too, applauding almost everything during the tournament. I'd wondered if they'd have done the same for the original.

The remake was far from my expected prediction that it would be bad. However, it was as if all of the original movie's soul was surgically removed, leaving just the heart. For today's movie attendees, I guess that's acceptable.

 

[Steyin]

I saw this Friday night with my gf. The commercials and trailer swayed me more into wanting to see it, and it was well worth it. The film was great, funny, emotional, choreographed very well and the cinematography in a few scenes was excellent. I caught most of the references to the original, and I actually enjoyed this more than the original. I thought Jaden has the same charm his dad does, and I love jackie Chan so it was a great combo. Overall its a great film for any age (and there were tons of kids and parents in my showing, with a great applause at the end). I'd give this a solid 9/10.

 

[Mace Dolex]

I bet Will Smith is proud of his son and going "AWW HELL YEAH!!"

 

[GhostPoet]

"Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!!"

 

[terry78]

Jaden Smith is basically Will Smith Jr. He doesn't emote or have that charm yet that pops got, but you can see it in him.