Movies

In the overstuffed ‘Karate Kid: Legends,’ too many storylines compete for dominance

BBG News

The issue with “Karate Kid: Legends” lies within its title – “Legends,” implying more than one. Numerous cherished characters from “The Karate Kid” series and emblems of sports movies popular in the millennial era join the fray, but ultimately, no character manages to triumph.

Rob Lieber has written, while Jonathan Entwistle directs, the latest installment in the Karate Kid series titled “Karate Kid: Legends.” This franchise now includes four movies dating back to the 1980s and ’90s, an animated show, a 2010 remake starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, and a popular Netflix spinoff series called “Cobra Kai” that features the original characters as adults. In this new movie, we have a blend of characters from both the original film and its recent reboot, set against the backdrop of New York City – the Big Apple.

In the movie, “Two Branches, One Tree” is frequently used as a metaphor for both karate and kung fu, the distinct martial arts training styles that mold our protagonist Li Fong (Ben Wang). However, “Karate Kid: Legends” lacks a solid, unifying core to connect these divergent branches. Instead, it presents two films engaged in an internal conflict, with punches and kicks clashing in a chaotic dance.

In one part of the movie, you’ll find an engaging and invigorating spin on “The Karate Kid,” where the martial arts pupil turns into the instructor. Following the demise of his kung fu master elder brother, young Li is forcefully taken away from a kung fu school in Beijing (under the tutelage of Chan’s Shifu) by his mother (Ming-Na Wen). Subsequently, he is relocated to New York City.

In that setting, Li forms friendships with Mia (Sadie Stanley) and her father, Victor (Joshua Jackson), who operate a pizzeria but are in debt to a loan shark named O’Shea (Tim Rozon). Besides being the proprietor of a martial-arts gym, O’Shea has given Victor an ultimatum: participate in a boxing match and pay off his debt or face severe consequences. In an attempt to honor his mother’s wish not to engage in fighting, Li agrees to train Victor instead.

Instead of a “The Fighter”-esque comeback film featuring ’90s sports movie star Jackson (“The Mighty Ducks”), we have a “Karate Kid” movie that hints at legends. As such, the plot about Jackson training in a pizza shop for boxing is swapped out, and instead, Shifu and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) journey from Beijing and Los Angeles respectively, to New York City to mentor Li for the 5 Boroughs tournament. Here, they face off against ruthless MMA fighter Connor (Aramis Knight).

In this movie, Li’s tournament rounds and training intertwine with character and plot development scenes, creating a chaotic flow that seems almost like watching a film on fast-forward at times. The story is told in such a hurried manner, and the city is frequently shown through rapid drone shots. Common archetypes are used to construct the narrative, which often feels as if it’s being summarized quickly during montages. The swift fight sequences, transitioning between slow and fast motion, make it hard to focus or fully appreciate the martial arts choreography.

Even though “Karate Kid: Legends” seems like a combination of two films crammed together for multiple legends to compete in one tournament, it’s not an entirely unpleasant journey, primarily thanks to the captivating performance of lead actor Wang. He possesses an endearingly appealing demeanor that conceals his formidable fighting abilities. His chemistry with Stanley and Jackson is electric, making it apparent that the filmmakers might have benefited from focusing on a single narrative, rather than relying on familiar karate kid tropes.

Regrettably, it appears that “Karate Kids: Legends” was more about familiarity than innovation, despite the intriguing glimpses of novelty it offered. The phrase “Legends never die” holds true here, but unfortunately, in this instance, not in a favorable light.

Katie Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

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2025-05-29 20:01

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