'The Karate Kid'

'The Karate Kid' (10) (PG) (3 1/2 stars)

Writer: Christopher Murphey
Director: Harold Zwart
Starring: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson, Wenwen Han

I love going to see movies and nothing makes me more happy then when a movie comes out of left field and surprises me. In 1984 I was 16 and I went to go see a movie from the director of "Rocky" called "The Karate Kid" with Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. I thought it was going to be a dumb movie and what I found was a thrilling, funny and incredible, charming crowd pleaser. There haven't been many movies that I saw in a theatre where people went nuts and cheered. In the 80's there were only a handful including "My Bodyguard", "Rocky III", "Aliens" and "Karate Kid". That was a delightful surprise and when I found out they were remaking the original I was not happy. Well surprise, the new "Karate Kid" is a beautiful, touching and rousing time at the movies. This movie gives the term "family movie" a good name. Kids do not need to be pandered to, they are smart. I am sick of the dumb cartoons and "Tooth Fairy" type crap. This movie is smart enough to follow the original closely while just changing it a little to make it fresh. Changing the location to China was a master stroke for the scenery is beautiful and the movie feels lived in. I think the time was also right to give today's kids an update that is fun, has good lessons to learn (but not preachy)and makes them cheer. I can also see a lot of kids rushing out after this movie to learn karate.

The movie stars Jaden Smith whose mother, played by the glorious Taraji P. Henson, gets transferred to China for work. The boy has to go to a new school where he sees a cute girl, the beautiful Wenwen Han, tries to meet her but then gets beaten up by very serious and mean kids. There is also a quiet and mysterious handy man in their apartment building played by Jackie Chan. It is a no brainer that Chan was picked to replace Pat Morita as the Miyagi type character. His character is more serious and sad but Chan gives his best all around performance of his career. I really could see serious award type talk for Chan here and I am not joking. Jaden Smith, like his father Will Smith, has what it takes to carry a movie. He is natural, charming, sweet and he gives us someone to cheer for. I see a lot of good things for this kid and not because of his father but because he is damn good. I love Taraji P. Henson as the mother who has one of the best smiles on film and she lights up the screen and I love her here also. There are great villains in this movie, great karate fights and a beautiful love story between Jaden and Wenwen. It is also a great movie about friendship for Chan and Smith have great chemistry and they create a warm and winning friendship. The movie can't create the same magic as the original one did for me. That being said, this movie will make you cheer, is fun, beautiful to look at and very touching. It is an extreme crowd pleaser like the original and is highly entertaining!

A side note: Will Smith is one of the producers and he hand picked this movie for his son. The movie had a huge opening weekend and out grossed "The A Team". Everything Will Smith touches turns to gold and that is why I think he is still the smartest man in Hollywood!