Hook, bravo: New "Karate Kid" dubbed by Jackie Chan leaked online
41 years after the release of the very first movie, The Karate Kid, the cult franchise has been expanded with another film, Karate Kid: Legends. The new part will feature the characters of the 1984 original and its 2010 remake starring Jackie Chan. The film will be released in Russian cinemas in parallel on June 7, but now the on-screen version can be found online with a Russian dubbing. For more information, see the Izvestia article. Watch out for spoilers!
All films of The Karate Kid series
The history of The Karate Kid franchise began in 1984, when the premiere of the first film of the series took place, which in the USSR was called "Karate Kid", "Karate Kid" and "Karate Kid" on videotapes. The film starred Pat Morita as martial artist Mr. Miyagi and Ralph Macchio as teenager Daniel LaRusso. The latter learns karate in order to resist the bullies who pester him because of the girl, and in the final knocks out the main one using the crane technique. The release was a success, and soon three more parts were released. The last one, where the master has a student performed by Hilary Swank, seemed to bury the series — it showed poor commercial results and received a cold reaction from critics.
A shot from the movie "The Karate Kid"
In 2010, there was a reincarnation called "Karate Kid". The main roles in the remake were played by Jackie Chan and Will Smith's son Jaden. The creators took as a basis the same plot as in the original, changing some details like the location and type of martial arts. Now the young hero of the story was learning not karate, but kung fu.
A shot from the movie "Karate Kid" in 2010
A few years later, the 1984 film became the basis for the series "Cobra Kai", which became a direct sequel to the original with the participation of grown—up characters Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his enemy Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). The project lasted for six seasons and ended in early 2025.
Two branches of the same tree and a bet on nostalgia
The new part was subtitled "Legends" and wove the entire series together. The creators obviously relied on nostalgia and combined characters from different versions in one tape — the grown-up Daniel LaRusso, who debuted in the franchise in 1984, and Mr. Khan (Jackie Chan) from 2010. The plot explained this by the ancient connection between the Miyagi and Han clans, that is, between karate and kung fu. "These are all two branches of the same tree," says Miyagi himself in the opening scene. The sensei from both versions of The Karate Kid, it turns out, were once familiar.
In many ways, the creators of "Karate Kid: Legends" followed a well-trodden path. They used a formula familiar from two films: a teenager moves with his mother to a new city and falls in love with a local girl. She comes complete with a bad ex who is skilled in martial arts and ready to apply his skills to anyone who decides to claim the attention of his passion. The rivals are fighting for the lady's heart and their own honor in the championship. The difference is that the hero of the new film is not a skinny kid who doesn't understand anything about fighting, but already a master of his craft. Therefore, he does not need a course from scratch, but rather motivation and self-belief, since in the past he survived an attack that resulted in the loss of his brother. LaRusso and Mr. Khan, whom we know, take up the task, whose union on the screen brings the tape its share of light, kind humor.
An image from the movie "Karate Kid: Legends"
For the first time in the history of the series, the main role was played by an actor with Asian appearance. Ralph Macchio from the first film is an American actor of Italian descent. Jaden Smith from the remake is a black actor. Ben Wang, who played Lee Fung in "Legends," is building a career in the United States, but he is originally from China.
Another difference is the timing. The films of 1984 and 2010 went beyond two hours. The new part lasts only one and a half hours, so the action unfolds cheerfully and does not seem protracted.
What the critics say
Foreign critics were not unanimous in their assessment of the tape. Some blame the plot for being too simple and playing on a sense of nostalgia, while others, on the contrary, attribute the same to advantages. As a result, "Legends" has only 59% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
"The plot is just terrible. It's so full of cliches that you barely have time to laugh at one, as the other immediately hits you on the head," writes Frank Scheck in The Hollywood Reporter.
An image from the movie "Karate Kid: Legends"
New York Post columnist Johnny Aleksinsky also sharply criticized "Legends": he called the film a failure, the events in it were fake, one of the antagonists was a one—day villain, and the only advantage was the performer of the main role.
"Wang is a charismatic and likeable protagonist who doesn't overdo things like all those ham sandwiches around him. He's not as funny as Macchio used to be, but his smile is as powerful as his punches. The 25-year-old rookie is also proficient in martial arts, which makes the fights more realistic. But the way Entwistle portrays them does not allow for the full use of Van's abilities. They are not human enough and too similar to Mortal Kombat," Aleksinsky writes.
Tim Roby, a columnist for the Daily Telegraph (UK), agrees about the performer of the role of Lee Fung. He calls Ben Wang the main weapon of the film. His colleague from Variety, Owen Gleiberman, considers the actor "flexible and charming."
"He radiates the vibes of a young Bruce Lee," the expert writes.
An image from the movie "Karate Kid: Legends"
Those critics who positively assessed the novelty also praise it for its retro atmosphere, light summer mood, and popularization of martial arts.
"A charming 94 minutes that satisfies a young audience's taste for constant action and evokes a sense of nostalgia in an adult, making both laugh at the same jokes," Andrew Lawrence from The Guardian shares his impressions.
Fans of the series will have a surprise in the finale — a post-credits scene that aims right at their hearts, giving them another powerful comeback. The main bully from the 1984 film, who continued his career in the series "Cobra Kai" with LaRusso, Johnny Lawrence, played by William Zabka, appears in it. "Karate Kid: Legends" will be shown in Russian cinemas on June 7 as part of the pre-screening service.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
