The Karate Kid 4K 2010 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

Twelve-year-old Dre Parker moves with his single mother from Detroit to unfamiliar Beijing, knowing neither the language nor the local customs. There he meets a Chinese girl named Mei Ying. However, in addition to her father, who disapproves of their friendship due to cultural prejudices, he faces a gang of bullies led by Chen, a master of kung fu. The only way to defeat him is to face the enemy at an upcoming grand martial arts tournament. A martial arts expert, Mr. Han, decides to help the boy.

Review 4K Movie

At first, I was very skeptical about this remake of the 1984 hit "The Karate Kid" starring Ralph Macchio. But my fears that it would be a trite and shoddy rehash of the original were not to be realized. That film is a product of the ’80s, while its official remake is a completely different movie.

The Title. Let’s start with the title. The English title of the film hasn’t changed. First, to attract viewers with a familiar phrase, and second, because Columbia Pictures had secured special permission from DC Comics to use the name “Karate Kid.” And indeed, Ralph Macchio was a full 22 years old during the filming of the original, while the new “karate kid,” Jaden Smith, was only 11 at the time of filming the remake. A kid, in a word. And looking ahead, I’ll say that the “romantic” storyline between him and a local girl (similar to Maccino and Elizabeth Shue in the original) felt very forced. But that isn’t the most significant change.

Karate. And the most important thing is that there is no karate in the new “The Karate Kid.” None at all. After all, the entire story takes place in China. The film introduces us to the culture and customs of this ancient and somewhat exotic country, and generally presents it in a broad sense. And if it weren’t for the English language and 3–4 American actors (including the main character), one could safely call the film Chinese. And China is… ping-pong? No, not ping-pong (though that too), but… that’s right, kung fu. There’s plenty of kung fu in the film, because “kung fu is everything we do every day,” as the teacher taught his student in the film.

Atmosphere. What I liked most about the film was the atmosphere. A vividly Eastern atmosphere. At times, the film exuded an air of antiquity, even though the action takes place in our ultra-modern era. The film showcases China’s landmarks in all their glory: ancient castles and temples, magnificent squares and structures, vibrant Chinese carnivals, and the country’s mesmerizing natural beauty. And against the backdrop of all this—kung fu.

Teacher and student. Another clear plus is the duo playing the lead roles—student Dre Parker and teacher Mr. Han, Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.

Jaden Smith—Will Smith’s son—is a carbon copy of his famous dad. Both the face and the facial expressions. In the film *The Pursuit of Happyness*, where a very young Jaden starred alongside his father, it wasn’t quite as noticeable, but in this film, it’s clear which parent he takes after. The young actor performed quite well, on par with the rest. In addition to his acting, his dancing skills and flexibility are also worth noting.

Jackie Chan. After the actor moved to Hollywood, he mostly starred in all sorts of nonsense that I didn’t even want to watch. For me, however, he remained that magnificent master from "Armor of God", "Rumble in the Bronx", and other Hong Kong action films. To be honest, Jackie surprised me, as I didn’t expect to see him at all in the role of a limping, stooped little man with a mustache. Plus, his role here is serious, even dramatic, without his traditional jokes and ever-present smile. Bravo, Jackie, great performance!

Action. Although this isn’t really an action movie, what kind of martial arts film would it be without action and fights? The film has all of that, and it’s executed at a high level. That’s why I also want to highlight the Chinese actors and stunt performers, who did a great job, especially in the tournament scenes. There were also action scenes featuring Jackie Chan.

Soundtrack. The film’s soundtrack is top-notch. This was to be expected. After all, the man behind it is Oscar winner and one of the best contemporary film composers, James Horner. Beautiful instrumental melodies with Chinese motifs perfectly serve to give the film that very atmosphere I mentioned earlier. In addition to the original compositions, the film very skillfully and appropriately incorporates well-known pop and rock songs.

Flaws. Of course, the film isn’t without its flaws, so it would be fair to mention them… Some scenes are far too over-the-top, such as the training sequence where the boy suddenly and instantly masters the basic kung fu strikes and blocks. And the final fight looked completely unrealistic, and it was obvious that the kung fu kid didn’t even hit his opponent. The evil coach at the kung fu school also looked very cartoonish. He shouldn’t be training kids, but rather the ninja fighters from the movie *Ninja Assassin* (2009). And finally, as is traditional in American movies, it’s annoying that almost everyone—regardless of country or ethnicity—knows English and American culture. Of course, the U.S. tries to impose its “democracy” on the whole world, but I doubt that ordinary Chinese people care about them, their culture, or their language…

Ancient treatment. Finally, I was very amused by the moment when Mr. Han treated his only student. Instead of traditional Chinese acupuncture (or something more original), Mr. Han applied a few cupping glasses to Dre—the very ones that create suction and were popular during the Soviet era.