The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

Directed By: Rob Minkoff
Written By: John Fusco
Year of Release: 2008

While hunting down bootleg kung-fu DVDs in a Chinatown pawnshop, Jason makes an extraordinary discovery that sends him hurtling back in time to ancient China. There, Jason is charged with a monumental task: he must free the fabled warrior the Monkey King, who has been imprisoned by the evil Jade Warlord. Jason is joined in his quest by wise kung fu master Lu Yan and a band of misfit warriors. However, only by learning the true precepts of kung fu can Jason hope to succeed, and find a way to get back home.

Being a fan of kung fu, when the stories of Jackie Chan and Jet Li teaming up in a movie became real, I obviously got a little excited. However, this movie is a far departure from anything they’ve done, which isn’t to say it’s a bad thing, but it’s definitely a film relying heavily on fantasy. Plus, let’s be honest, Jackie Chan’s latest run of films hasn’t been anything prestigious anyway.

Jackie and Jet play dual roles in the film as Jackie plays a character in the “real” world, and Lu Yan in the fantasy world. Jet plays dual characters both residing in the fantasy world, that of a monk and the Monkey King. Sure, it sounds ridiculous, and at times he even looks silly as Monkey King, but it’s a fun character with cool martial arts. Also, Jet Li finally isn’t playing a silent hero or over the top villain, which is a welcomed change from his normal cookie cutter films.

There are lots of martial arts pop culture references if you can find them which are fun to point out. Bruce Lee speeches are paraphrased, Shaw Bros. films are mentioned, and at one point the main character says, “Speed, power, accuracy? Hey, that’s Bruce Lee. Way of the intercepting fist! *Bruce pose*” With that said, the film is filled with humor, but never the kind that’s making fun of the genre. Just things like Jackie Chan thinking he can summon rain, then a shower coming from above. However, it’s just Jet Li on a ledge above pissing on him.

People who say the story has elements of the Karate Kid are just looking for comparisons. Sure, Jackie Chan teaches the main character karate, but that’s the only thing you could possibly compare to the other film. Besides, the Karate Kid is fluff compared to the bad ass stuff they do in this movie.

The visuals in this movie are probably the best feature besides the fighting. Ancient China is very much a fantasy land, with just the right mix of real sets and CGI. You’ll see people fight on clouds, in forests, in temples, and in a castle. Some parts resemble that of a graphic novel, with over the top fighting to match. Basically, if you were a kung-fu fanatic that got transported to China, this is exactly what you’d want it to look like.

All the fights are choreographed by the legendary Yuen Woo Ping, so as you can imagine they all look kick ass. Now, let me say there is a lot of wire work in this film, but this time it fits completely with the style of the film. I don’t like wires in realistic films, but this is not a realistic film. Of course, the best sequence of the film is the fight between Jackie and Jet. It’s about 5 minutes of straight fighting with no breaks at all. No interruptions from other characters, no breaks, and no time wasted. Just Jackie and Jet kicking the shit out of each other.

When it’s all said and done, this film pleasantly surprised me. I went in expecting something over the top and corny, which at times it is, but it’s a blast to watch. Great visuals, great fighting, and the story is pretty original. It’s definitely a family oriented film, but the fighting is enough to keep me watching. Anyone who trashes this film is obviously taking it too seriously. Great popcorn flick.

8.1/10