So what's wrong with showing a new generation the original?
The Karate Kid... movie... remake thing. Discussion and Spoilers
- Thread starter Trekker4747
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The original doesn't have modern stars or a hip, contemporary soundtrack!
The problem with the remake is also Jackie Chan. With Pat Morita, it's still a suprise when he jumps over the fence and kicks Johnny and all his gangs ass. With Chan, you know what he's capable of. You know he could take an army of Johnny's gang with no problem.
Ok.. Saw this today with my son, who was REALLY excited to see this..
First thoughts.. YES TOO LONG.. About 20 minutes could have been shaved off from the set up and the middle ground during the training.
Jaden Smith is his Daddy's son.. the mannerisms, the facial expressions.. I was highly entertained.
The cinematography was gorgeous, especially during the mountain temple scene.
The action was not over done, and while the ending was just a bit TOO much like the original, there was a good spin on it, that I completely enjoyed.
I'm a child of the 80's and the first two Karate Kid movies are classics to me.. However, in watching them on cable this weekend, they have not stood the test of time well. The antagonists are contrived and, let's face it, Ralph Maccio is SOOOO freaking stiff it's a wonder he's able to move at all.. I mean that literally.. He doesn't look comfortable in the role. Martial arts are fluid and graceful.. He is not.
The Chinese toughs are believable. They belong to a Chinese version of the Cobra Kai Dojo, with an instructor, who while not over the top like the guy in the original movie, was certainly enough of a jerk to warrent instant hatred.
Chan's performance was excellent. He is understated and subtle in his role. There a few "Jackie Chan" moments with facial expressions and his mastery of martial arts is was evident.
I'm cool with them calling this the Karate Kid.. To call it the Kung Fu Kid would have been a slap in the face of the original series it is trying to re-imagine.. There's a nice moment in the movie where the kid has to correct his mother about it being Kung Fu rather than Karate.
In many ways, this is superior movie to the orginal. It looks better, it sounds better and the story is more compelling.
While my 9 year old son was enthralled with the show, my 13 year old daughter's reaction was even more telling.. She's not much of repeat movie watcher (in the theatre) but said she wanted to see it again, right away.
First thoughts.. YES TOO LONG.. About 20 minutes could have been shaved off from the set up and the middle ground during the training.
Jaden Smith is his Daddy's son.. the mannerisms, the facial expressions.. I was highly entertained.
The cinematography was gorgeous, especially during the mountain temple scene.
The action was not over done, and while the ending was just a bit TOO much like the original, there was a good spin on it, that I completely enjoyed.
I'm a child of the 80's and the first two Karate Kid movies are classics to me.. However, in watching them on cable this weekend, they have not stood the test of time well. The antagonists are contrived and, let's face it, Ralph Maccio is SOOOO freaking stiff it's a wonder he's able to move at all.. I mean that literally.. He doesn't look comfortable in the role. Martial arts are fluid and graceful.. He is not.
The Chinese toughs are believable. They belong to a Chinese version of the Cobra Kai Dojo, with an instructor, who while not over the top like the guy in the original movie, was certainly enough of a jerk to warrent instant hatred.
Chan's performance was excellent. He is understated and subtle in his role. There a few "Jackie Chan" moments with facial expressions and his mastery of martial arts is was evident.
I'm cool with them calling this the Karate Kid.. To call it the Kung Fu Kid would have been a slap in the face of the original series it is trying to re-imagine.. There's a nice moment in the movie where the kid has to correct his mother about it being Kung Fu rather than Karate.
In many ways, this is superior movie to the orginal. It looks better, it sounds better and the story is more compelling.
While my 9 year old son was enthralled with the show, my 13 year old daughter's reaction was even more telling.. She's not much of repeat movie watcher (in the theatre) but said she wanted to see it again, right away.
Superior to the original? You must still be coming back fromt the high of watching this movie. Chan could never equal the performance of Pat Morita. Calling Daniel stiff in his movements is stretching. He's NEVER learned Karate before. Never stretched his full potential in what he could acomplish. It looks as if Smith's character has been training for years, and not just in a couple of months. Also I have a question. Does Han make Smith's character earn Kung Fu, and awaken the student? Ala paint the fence, or sand the floor, or is it like in the trailer where he says, 'I will teach you real Kung Fu.' and training montage comences. The movie looks so staged, and unnatural.
I can't wait, myself!!!
Hey, I don't wanna hear anyone here that saw 'The Karate Kidino' complain about any remakes in the future. Seeing this movie even once encourages film studios to make more re-makes. If this is number one this weekend, folkes you just paid for possible re-makes of Indiana Jones, Jaws, Rambo, The Goonies, Ghostbusters, Beverly Hills Cop, Lethal Weapon, Rocky, The Terminator, Top Gun, Back to the Future, Gramlins, and even Star Wars. Lucas owns his own vision, but he's also a buisiness man. If the right offer comes along, I bet he'd let a studio remake Star Wars. Especially if they said they'd make it just like he did in 1977. Nothing will be sacred. Any franchise would be up for grabs for a studio to Re-Make.
I didn't expect anything from this. But yes it was a really good movie. Jackie Chan was really good in a dramatic roll. And the film seemed to even have more emotional weight then the original. All in all I was completely taken off guard by this film.
good. i hope there are more remakes. sure there are a lot of crap ones, but there are also a lot of good ones. Magnificent Seven, A Bug's Life, Romeo + Juliet, True Lies, The Ocean movies.
and let's be honest... the original Karate Kid is not some cinematic work of art. it's a kid version of Rocky... popcorn, feel-good fun.
and let's be honest... the original Karate Kid is not some cinematic work of art. it's a kid version of Rocky... popcorn, feel-good fun.
I will grant you the comments about Morita.. He did earn an oscar nomination, after all.
Regarding Daniel... By the end of the first movie, he's certainly good enough to beat the punks that were pushing him around, but at the climax of the second film, he's still stiff as a board. It's his acting style rather than his character, I'm afraid. And then, in the third movie, he gets a lucky shot at the end to win? C'mon.. that was awful.
In the new movie, Jaden needs to learn to show respect.. His "wax on, wax off" deals taking his jacket on and off and hanging it up on a peg.. Chan uses it to teach respect to the boys mother and at the same time, teaches him a basic movement of his form of Kung Fu. He goes through several days of this and nothing else.
Michael Phillips said in his review that Jackie Chan beats up a bunch of 11 year olds. I guess that scene doesn't work as well when the bullies are much younger than in the original. 
Dusty Ayres
Commodore
What about the bloated epics of yesteryear (Lawrence Of Arabia, et.al)? If you can watch those on TCM or on DVD, then you can watch these movies. Seems to me that the complaints about "Generation ADD' that I've heard on this board in another post might actually apply to you.
How about because just like theater, it can be done? Amazing how Hollywood did remakes in the past and people didn't bitch like crazy, but now, they do.
1984 Karate Kid running time = 126 minutes.
2010 Karate Kid running time = 139 minutes.
So, it's a 13-minute difference, not a 60-minute difference.
How about because just like theater, it can be done? Amazing how Hollywood did remakes in the past and people didn't bitch like crazy, but now, they do.
Tell this to the first part of your signature.
It was a good movie. Well made, respectful of the original, and entertaining. Jaden Smith has his dad's charisma, for sure.
What struck me was how young they made the kids. The lead, Dre, is 10 years old! In the original Daniel was a high school senior. Having such young kids really throws you out of the movie when it hits you that you have adults cheering on kids in what is basically a bloodsport. Would've been easier to take if they were at least teens.
It first hit me how young all the kids are when they have the first fight involving Chan's character and the "bullies," who are basically babies. Can't have the good guy hitting children, so they make it a funny thing of him getting the kids to hit each other. Effective scene, until it hits you why it was done that way.
As for karate vs kung fu... don't care.
What struck me was how young they made the kids. The lead, Dre, is 10 years old! In the original Daniel was a high school senior. Having such young kids really throws you out of the movie when it hits you that you have adults cheering on kids in what is basically a bloodsport. Would've been easier to take if they were at least teens.
It first hit me how young all the kids are when they have the first fight involving Chan's character and the "bullies," who are basically babies. Can't have the good guy hitting children, so they make it a funny thing of him getting the kids to hit each other. Effective scene, until it hits you why it was done that way.
As for karate vs kung fu... don't care.
What about the bloated epics of yesteryear (Lawrence Of Arabia, et.al)? If you can watch those on TCM or on DVD, then you can watch these movies. Seems to me that the complaints about "Generation ADD' that I've heard on this board in another post might actually apply to you.
How about because just like theater, it can be done? Amazing how Hollywood did remakes in the past and people didn't bitch like crazy, but now, they do.
This has always been the case, I myself cannot attest for it, as I was not an age to remember (I would have been like three or four), but I am told that some of the so called 'fandom' of Star Trek were (and actually, still are) riled up at the idea of Trek without Kirk, Spock and McCoy. This wasn't even a remake, to boot. For how much more noticeable it is though? The internet, plain and simple. Well, that and some people bitch for the sake of bitching.
Tell this to the first part of your signature.How about because just like theater, it can be done? Amazing how Hollywood did remakes in the past and people didn't bitch like crazy, but now, they do.
Hah...
Remakes that I hated in the last 10 years or so:
House on Haunted Hill
Clash of the Titans
Friday the 13th
A Nightmare on Elm Street
The Hills Have Eyes
The Hills Have Eyes II
Dawn of the Dead
Day of the Dead
The Day the Earth Stood Still
The Fog
Fun with Dick and Jane
Godzilla
The Grudge
Halloween
Halloween II
The House of Wax
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Hey, it counts!)
I Am Legend
King Kong
Last House on the Left
Miracle on 34th Street (This one should not have happened)
The Nutty Professor
Poseiden
Planet of the Apes
Rollerball
The Time Machine
There are very few exceptions where the original surpasses the remake. The Thing, and Scarface come to mind. With all these remakes, Karate Kid came along and I was done.
House on Haunted Hill
Clash of the Titans
Friday the 13th
A Nightmare on Elm Street
The Hills Have Eyes
The Hills Have Eyes II
Dawn of the Dead
Day of the Dead
The Day the Earth Stood Still
The Fog
Fun with Dick and Jane
Godzilla
The Grudge
Halloween
Halloween II
The House of Wax
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Hey, it counts!)
I Am Legend
King Kong
Last House on the Left
Miracle on 34th Street (This one should not have happened)
The Nutty Professor
Poseiden
Planet of the Apes
Rollerball
The Time Machine
There are very few exceptions where the original surpasses the remake. The Thing, and Scarface come to mind. With all these remakes, Karate Kid came along and I was done.
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