More than forty years ago, The Karate Kid was released in theatres, inspiring a new generation of martial arts enthusiasts and introducing Ralph Macchio in the role that would define the rest of his career. After multiple sequels and a 2010 remake starring Jackie Chan, the franchise came back to life with Netflix show Cobra Kai, set decades after the events of the original movie. Launching in 2018 and releasing its sixth and final season this year, the highly acclaimed series was the perfect continuation and farewell for Karate Kid fans both old and new. With everything wrapped up so satisfyingly, it begs the question; what the heck is Karate Kid: Legends, and why does it exist?
In this film, we are introduced to a new Karate Kid, Beijing’s kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang). He is trained by his uncle, who happens to be Mr. Han, Chan’s Mr. Miyagi-like character from the 2010 remake. However, Li is forced to train in secret due to his disapproving mother (Ming-Na Wen) who doesn’t want him fighting after the tragic death of his champion brother Bo (Yankei Ge). As a result, Li is forced to move with her to New York City, which is worlds away from Beijing. As Li struggles to fit in and get used to the new city, he befriends nearby pizza shop owner and boxer Victor (Joshua Jackson) and his daughter Mia (Sadie Stanley), who also goes to school with him. Just as things are looking up, Li attracts unwanted attention from Conor (Aramis Knight), the local karate champion and certified jerk. In order to defend himself and help Victor out of some trouble, Li enters into the 5 Boroughs, New York’s biggest karate tournament. Mentoring him is Mr. Han, who comes over from Beijing, and brings another familiar face with him to train Li – Daniel LaRusso (Macchio). This also confirms that 2010’s remake is now retconned, as Mr. Han and Daniel exist within the same world, creating an MCU-esque Karate Kid universe. With their combined fighting styles of kung fu and karate, a single branch is created that Li must follow in order to seek victory.
From the get-go, it is obvious that this is a Karate Kid movie; kid moves to a new city with his single mother, meets a girl he likes, is targeted by the school bully (who is also involved with the girl he likes), meets a wise old man who teaches him the ways of the fist, and becomes an underdog champion by the end of it all. Karate Kid: Legends doesn’t try to hide that it is following the exact same blueprint as all of its predecessors, making it unabashedly predictable and corny in parts. However, who’s to say this formula doesn’t work anymore? By creating good guys who you want to see succeed, bad guys who are easy to hate and perfectly old-fashioned high stakes, director Jonathan Entwistle proves that this is still a winning recipe. What helps is that Karate Kid: Legends, despite being reminiscent of the past, still has its own unique feel and flavour. The urban streets of New York City have not previously been seen in any Karate Kid films, and starkly contrast the family-friendly and polished Californian setting where most of the action has previously taken place. This provides a more gritty atmosphere, which can be encapsulated in the film’s final fight that takes place atop a city skyscraper. The fights themselves feature spectacular choreography and camerawork, and make every punch hit harder than the last. Newcomer Ben Wang proves himself to be a star on the rise, making Li a likable and endearing protagonist who is easy to root for. Yet, the real highlights of the film are the performances and chemistry between Chan and Macchio. Chan is a cultural legend who is clearly having a ball here, and Macchio warms the heart as a character that means a lot to both him and audiences. It actor Wyatt Olleff also earns most of the laughs and steals his scenes as Alan, Li’s tutor and wingman.
With its fast pacing and swift runtime, Karate Kid: Legends manages to justify its existence, even if it does lean heavily on nostalgia. In saying that though, Wang’s Li will undoubtedly inspire a new generation of young karate lovers.
