MOVIE REVIEW: THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM

04/10/08

SYNOPSIS: While hunting down bootleg kung-fu DVDs in a Chinatown pawnshop, Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano - "24", "Will and Grace," LORDS OF DOGTOWN, SEABISCUIT) makes an extraordinary discovery that sends him hurtling back in time to ancient China. There, Jason is charged with a monumental task: he must free the fabled warrior the Monkey King, who has been imprisoned by the powerful Jade War Lord. Jason is joined in his quest by wise kung fu master Lu Yan (Jackie Chan) and a band of misfit warriors including Silent Monk (Jet Li). But only by learning the true precepts of kung fu can Jason hope to succeed - and find a way to get back home.

REVIEW: Kung Fu fans unite! This one is for you. For the first time ever, Jackie Chan and Jet Li co-star in a legend filled, mythological fight fest that won’t let you down. Throw in some beautiful, hard fighting vixens, a ruthless villain and his army, and a humble kid slash kung fu fanatic who is thrust into the conflict and you have the formula for a nice storyline with a mystical legend as its backdrop as is customary for this genre. As is also customary, some parts of the movie are a bit corny but on the other side of that coin are some instant classic fight sequences. It is this movie’s best selling point along with the teaming up of these two martial arts giants. It is arguably the greatest pairing of currently popular martial artists in one film since Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris worked together and Chuck wasn’t even as popular yet on the big screen. This is only because Steven Seagal and Jean Claude Van Damme never paired up for a movie during their peak in the 90s (yeah, like that would have been interesting).

There is not much to say about the acting in this picture. The only real performances are during the fight scenes. This is also true in part because it is a little difficult to understand these guys, Jackie and Jet, when they talk due to their heavy accents. It doesn’t help the cause, but as soon as the next action scene comes around you forget about trying to figure out what they were saying. One aspect that did help the cause is the overall chemistry between Jackie and Jet. I was skeptical about that chemistry being successful and I was proven wrong. They did pretty good with each other even though they come from different movie style and fighting style backgrounds. This is best shown in their well choreographed fight scene against each other. Definitely one of the best fights in the movie, as you can imagine. They also brought a decent amount of humor to the film. It’s easy to see Jackie accomplishing that and his character, Lu Yan, is the funniest of them all. Michael Angarano as that humble kid, Jason, sticks out like a sore thumb as far as characters go but he is the bridge between the two worlds presented in this story. His dialogue does not help at all, but his fighting is impressive. Ah Michael-san, are you the next Karate Kid? Maybe. I will say that it must have been a real thrill for young Michael to be working with such masters. Other than this kid, the rest of the characters are all quite typical for this kind of movie. So is the storyline. But aren’t the vast majority of kung fu movies built the same way?

Having been shot on location in China was a very good thing. The film’s cinematography was that much better for it. The special effects were not overly elaborate and just the right amount was used (again keeping in mind the genre). This was a big leap for Director Rob Minkoff going from such projects as the Stuart Little series, The Lion King, and The Haunted Mansion to this major martial arts motion picture. Considering that it is his first, he did a commendable job. This movie, however, is not for everyone. This is the kind of movie that you go see for exactly what it is, an action packed kung fu fantasy. You don’t go see it for its compelling script or its stirring drama because you’re not going to get any. That’s why I scored it for what it is.