The Karate Kid
The Karate Kid

Movie spotlight

The Karate Kid

2010
Movie
140 min
English

12-year-old Dre Parker could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying but the cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make him an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is a kung fu master. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.

Insights

IMDb6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes66%
Metacritic61/100
Google Users72%
Director: Harald ZwartGenres: Action, Drama, Family, Sport

Plot Summary

Dre Parker, a 12-year-old from Detroit, moves to China with his mother and struggles to fit in. He befriends a shy classmate, Meiying, and incurs the wrath of Cheng, a bully who practices kung fu. Mr. Han, a maintenance man with a mysterious past, teaches Dre how to defend himself using kung fu, emphasizing discipline and skill over aggression.

Critical Reception

The 2010 remake of 'The Karate Kid' received mixed to positive reviews. While many critics noted its departure from traditional karate to kung fu and its deviation from the original's underdog narrative, it was generally praised for its performances, particularly Jackie Chan's, and its emotional resonance. Audiences appreciated the modern update and the chemistry between the leads.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for Jackie Chan's surprisingly nuanced performance and Jaden Smith's earnest portrayal.

  • Some critics found the shift from karate to kung fu and the extended runtime disappointing.

  • The film's emotional core and visual appeal were generally well-received.

Google audience: Audiences generally enjoyed the film, highlighting Jaden Smith's performance and the touching mentorship between him and Jackie Chan. Some viewers missed the original's karate focus but appreciated the modern setting and action sequences.

Fun Fact

The iconic "wax on, wax off" scene from the original film was re-imagined in the remake with Dre learning to deal with his emotions by practicing "the feeling of kung fu" through various mundane chores taught by Mr. Han.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

3 reviews
vasago

vasago

I can not understand which was the purpose of this remake . A really bad choice . A movie which was 100 times worst than the original one . It was a waste of time for me . I am a huge karate kid fan but this one was one of the worst remakes...

ohlalipop

ohlalipop

Well, the theme of the movie is the same as the original Karate Kid BUT this movie is actually not about karate but kung fu. The comedic parts and the dramatic parts are just right. The action is okay. There weren't much especially from Jad...

Andres Gomez

Andres Gomez

A Karate kid which practices Kung Fu for a bad re-make. Only Jackie Chan could be saved from this movie.

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