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Karate Kid
The Karate Kid: Black Star Power for the Next Generation
An RCE Exclusive
By Byron Lee
This review contains many spoilers
We've come a long way.
Will Smith, our country's biggest movie star, has partnered with his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, to produce a film with one of their sons as the central character.
Jaden Smith, who showed so much promise in his father's "The Pursuit of Happyness," does well for himself, once more, in "The Karate Kid," a remake of the iconic 1984 film. He stars as Dre Parker, a kid forced to move from Detroit to Beijing (which looks magnificent in the cinematography) when his mother Sherry (Taraji P. Henson) finds employment there. There are shades of "Men In Black"'s Agent J in Jaden's cockiness, and he also has his father's winning sense of humor (alternately goofy and deadpan) and ability to tackle dramatic scenes. Also a revelation, in a different way, is Jackie Chan as Dre's mentor, Mr. Han. After more than a decade of grinning, sometimes to an unbearable degree, Chan is finally aloud to be serious and emphasize his age. (After a crowd-pleasing sequence in which Mr. Han fights a group of bullies, using both their strength and clothing to have them beat themselves up, Han shows his exasperation.)
What is also welcomed about the movie, especially in light of its target audience--kids and their parents--are the messages. The film has a positive worldview. When Sherry complains that the hot water in the shower doesn't work, Mr. Han tells Dre that all she needed to do was use the switch that changes the water over. When Dre says that the family didn't have switches in Detroit, Mr. Han responds, "Get switch. Save planet." Also, Mr. Han makes it clear to Dre that the purpose of Kung Fu is to make peace, not to, as Dre puts it, "kick someone's ass." (Han says, "The best fight is the one that you can avoid." Mr. Han further emphasizes a message of discipline---one that is especially important for our youth---when, after seeing a woman martial artist control a cobra movements with her eye and head movements, Dre asks Mr. Han to teach him how to control people. Han responds by saying that there is only one person that Dre needs to learn how to control.) Han also uses Sherry's frequent admonishment for the boy to put his coat on a hanger as a bridge to both Kung Fu's hand and arm movements and to a message of courtesy. ("Every thing is Kung Fu. It's how we treat people.") (The film, as one can tell, makes it clear that its title was purely a commercial concession. Perhaps "The Kung Fu Kid" sounded too corny.) Also, laudable is the way the movie subverts cultural stereotypes. When we are first introduced to Mr. Han, a fly is buzzing around him, while he is eating with chopsticks. Mr. Han follows the fly with said utensils, before sending it to its demise with a fly swatter. Furthermore, Dre is drafted for a pickup game of basketball, only to prove in short order that he can't play a lick.
The makers of the film should also be commended for the risks they take. For a PG film, it does not shy away from the impact of violence. Both of the beatings Dre suffers at the hand of his tormentors seem painfully real. The film also does not shy away from the subject of interracial romance, but chooses to apply a relatively subtle touch when implying that this occurrence is the basis for the bullying Dre endures. (Dre's first violent encounter with nemesis Cheng (Zhenwei Wang) comes after Dre shows interest in Meiying (Wenwen Han). After the second beating, Cheng says "Stay away from us. All of us."
(It should be noted that the courting between between Dre and Meiying is given great depth, as is Meiying's character, a fellow student who is also a concert violinist. She has her own dreams and concerns, independent of Dre. Also noteworthy is the fact that their temporary separation is mended through the universal idea of honor {Dre acknowledges to the girl's parents that a fun-filled excursion distracted her from her musical studies. She is subsequently aloud to attend the climatic tournament, as she promised to.})
Moreover, the filmmakers handle the tournament wisely. Emphasizing the competition's point system and keeping the editing unobtrusive (for the most part) draws the audience into the action, making the story's machinations an afterthought.
The ultimate compliment to the film is that it makes Dre's transformation (from the boy crying to his mother to go home to the boy who has made a new place his home) seem real, making Dre's struggle (a universal one for comfort and respect) all the more resonant. (The soundtrack, where The Roots, Flo-rida, Justin Bieber, AC/DC, Rachmaninoff and Chopin co-exist, also reflects unity among diverse groups.) Strictly regarding our community, one should not be surprised to see Dre Parker become the cultural touchstone that Tiana (of "The Princess and The Frog" fame) became earlier this year. The positive image of a young black child will go a long way. (Audience of all kinds are responding to the movie. It opened at number one at the box office, grossing 56 million and making back its budget (40 million) in three days.)
(Also commendable is the lack of a Will Smith cameo to put his involvement behind the scenes in boldface. {Although they couldn't resist putting images of the elder Smith in the admittedly affecting end-credit sequence.})
The movie is not without its missteps, though. A moment clearly meant to give Mr. Han some depth (and show off more of Chan's dramatic side) feels tacked on, a feeling emphasized by the impromptu training session it awkwardly leads to. Also, in an attempt to capitalize on the happy feelings that follow Dre's triumph, the members of the rival martial arts group (whom, it is implied, are beaten by their Master to drive home their mantra of "No Weakness. No Pain. No Mercy."), are fawning towards Dre and Mr. Han to an unbelievable degree. Finally, the movie occasionally breaks out the sledgehammer to get its message across. Before the tournament begins, Mr. Han tells Dre that the youngster has taught him a valuable lesson: "When we get knocked down, we can choose to get up." This lesson is repeated by Dre, at a pivotal time, moments later.
Despite these minimal flaws. "The Karate Kid" is inspirational family fun with a black star--and power couple--at its center.