#REVIEW: “KARATE KID: LEGENDS”

Review by Mr. Will Wong

There already have been remakes and spinoffs of this timeless David and Goliath tale, but what makes Jonathan Entwistle‘s latest reboot different and unique?

KARATE KID: LEGENDS comes at a time when fans of the franchise are getting ready to say goodbye to what has been a very successful branch-off of its legacy in series COBRA KAI. It centers on Li Fong (Ben Wang) who together with his mother (Ming-Na Wen) move to New York City after coping with some trauma back in China. One thing remains unchanged, and that’s his love for Kung Fu. He trained under Mr. Han (legendary Jackie Chan) and never is quite willing to say goodbye to it despite his mother being against it.  He meets a girl named Mia (Sadie Stanley) who works at her father Victor‘s (Joshua Jackson) pizza parlour. They strike what might be more than a friendship.  Her menacing ex-boyfriend Conor (Aramis Knight) however, disapproves and he also happens to be reigning champion of martial arts competition, the 5 Boroughs. After being bullied repeatedly, Li takes matters into his own hands and trains for the competition without his mother’s knowledge, and getting some help from two legends, Mr. Han and iconic Daniel (reprised by Ralph Macchio). Two branches, one tree.

On the whole, this installment delivers a kick with jaw-dropping action and crazy fight choreography, giving fans exactly what they came for. One thing to note though is that this take is a little more mature-veering, some young kids who loved the original films of the ’80s, might not entirely get Entwistle‘s take. The first half of the Film feels unhurried, taking its time and perhaps focusing a bit too much on Victor‘s storyline, and the second half hones-in on Li’s training with his two masters in a rapid-fire manner, making the experience feel uneven. More focus should really have been placed on Li’s arch-nemesis Conor versus focus on Victor, as this would have made a more interesting story.

Wang (Hulu’s American Born Chinese) gives us a big breakthrough performance, nailing the beyond-demanding choreography required of him and he has a natural presence to him and is a name to look-out for.  Stanley also benefits a lot from her work here possessing a likable Jennifer Lawrence-girl-next-door quality to her, though her presence really diminishes as the Film progresses. And Chan together with Macchio together in one film?  What more could fans want? Come on.

Sony Pictures Canada release THE KARATE KID Friday, May 30, 2025.

 

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