Kung Fu Kid

I went to see Karate Kung Fu Kid with Sije Lady Chrysanthemum and Lao Shir today. I always get nervous when I really want to like something, and I don't want to be disappointed. I often dislike when Hollywood takes something that's dear to me and turns it into The Next Big Thing. I feel protective of what I love. However, I always say that I will see Jackie Chan in anything, so off we went to see it.

A little background info on me first: Jackie Chan is a hero of mine. I've got all his oldest movies, read his book, and have been inspired and entertained by him for years. I know there are a lot of new martial arts action stars these days, and some of them are pretty great. But, Jackie's always been it for me.*

I also have fond memories of the first Karate Kid movie. I'm a child of the 80's, who among us doesn't have those memories? Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-san, wax on, wax off – these were a part of our culture growing up. So a few years ago, when I first started hearing rumors of a remake, I was like, "Why? Why does everything need to be remade?" When I found out that Jackie Chan was aboard, that made the prospect sound better.

Now, to the movie itself.

It was gorgeous. Vast, deep, and brave. China looked beautiful (and it made me feel very sad that I never got to take that trip to China. Maybe someday.) The Kung Fu was actually amazing. Every kid in the movie was brilliant; you could tell that they had all trained insanely for this. I admit, I wasn't ready to like Jaden Smith, because it's very easy to think "spoiled Hollywood brat" and write him off. But he was actually quite fantastic. He trained very hard, and it showed in every move. But that's just the Kung Fu aspects of the movie.

The acting was a revelation, too. The entire cast was great, and each performance was totally brave. I'm not talking about the physical aspect of it, but rather the emotional. The kids who were supposed to be brutal carried it off beautifully. They, and their teacher, were so much darker and more menacing than the bad guys in the original Karate Kid. It must be hard for young people to have to act like such awful people--to be willing to be villains, and have people cheer their downfall--but they didn't shy away from it. It takes a brave kid to play the brutalized victim, too. Smith wasn't afraid to do it, and I applaud that.

But, oh my god, Jackie Chan. You know, like I've said, I've seen almost everything he's ever done, and no one can deny that he's been fearless on camera – physically. All those broken bones, all those falls, his insane stunts. He's always been able to laugh at himself. Yes, "fearless" is the word.

In this movie, he was brave. Jackie had no big stunts, nothing that looked daring or breathtaking, nothing that made you have to hide your eyes and hope that he lived. He acted. Superbly. Anyone who's seen Karate Kid knows that the original Mr. Miyagi was a widower, and one night a year he'd get wasted drunk and mourn his wife, right? So, no spoilers there? Jackie Chan as Mr. Han went there, but they took it about ten steps farther. The story was so much darker, and so was his performance: this quiet, stern teacher flipping out, destroying the car with a sledgehammer, crying hysterically on the steering wheel. Jackie Chan. Rumble In The Bronx. Rush Hour. Shanghai Noon. Drunken Master. Fearless Hyena. And, okay, yeah, I saw him in "Who Am I," "The Prisoner," "Gorgeous," "Supercop" and some of his other dramatic roles. But he never went here before and it was so surprising.

But it was really the parts with all the training that were my favorites. Obviously, "wax on, wax off" has become "jacket on, hang it up," which is good, because you can't copy what's already been done. And the part where they went to, as Lao Shir called it, "Fantasyland for Kung Fu," was beautiful. The Kung Fu looked so fluid and powerful. I loved the thing with the bamboo staffs and the ropes. :)

My training brother Snarklit asked Sifu the other day if "that stupid crane kick thing from the original" was in this one. Sifu was like, "Well... not really. Kind of." They obviously had to have a similar moment to the first one. In this, it was the Snake form. Xiao Dre starts doing Snake form, and it would have been a little silly given the circumstances, but Jackie Chan lampshaded it beautifully with a perfect "Are you kidding me?!" look. And besides, the crane kick was lame. Snake form is awesome. :D

Each of us walked out of the theater dying to train. Chrysanthemum and I just can't wait to get to Kung Fu class tomorrow night. Focus! Empty your mind. Do it again and again!

(Of course it's a different story when you're on your hundredth kick and the movie was yesterday and you're thinking, "GAH, I'M TOO TIRED! Movies are fiction! ENOUGH!" Haha.)

But we came back to my house, talked a lot, and then after they left I went for my run. Every day I'm thankful that I can run a mile, and if I ever had to, heavens forbid, run for my life, I could. And more thankful that if I ever had to fight someone for my life, I'd probably be able to do that, too. That is all because of Kung Fu, and so THANK YOU, JACKIE CHAN.

And thank you to everyone who has ever trained me and helped me get better along the way, too.

I'd say, everyone should see The Karate Kung Fu Kid, whether you're a martial artist or not, because it's simply a great movie. But if you are a martial artist, you'll know what I'm talking about.










*My Dad was a martial artist, a boxer, and when I was a teeny wee lass, he would always teach me the basics of defense. I always wanted to do it, but as a child was very timid and afraid. In part, it was the character of Tifa Lockhart that made me get up and finally do it. I'd always wanted to, but wanting to and having the impetus to get the hell out there and try it are two different things. FFVII made me take the plunge. And because Jackie Chan has always been my hero, the choice of style was clear from the beginning. See icon: What Would Jackie Do? Kung Fu, obviously. :D So when Advent Children came out and it was clear that Tifa Lockhart also did Kung Fu, how gratified was I? Very. :D

Kung Fu Kid

I went to see Karate Kung Fu Kid with Sije Lady Chrysanthemum and Lao Shir today. I always get nervous when I really want to like something, and I don't want to be disappointed. I often dislike when Hollywood takes something that's dear to me and turns it into The Next Big Thing. I feel protective of what I love. However, I always say that I will see Jackie Chan in anything, so off we went to see it.

A little background info on me first: Jackie Chan is a hero of mine. I've got all his oldest movies, read his book, and have been inspired and entertained by him for years. I know there are a lot of new martial arts action stars these days, and some of them are pretty great. But, Jackie's always been it for me.*

I also have fond memories of the first Karate Kid movie. I'm a child of the 80's, who among us doesn't have those memories? Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-san, wax on, wax off – these were a part of our culture growing up. So a few years ago, when I first started hearing rumors of a remake, I was like, "Why? Why does everything need to be remade?" When I found out that Jackie Chan was aboard, that made the prospect sound better.

Now, to the movie itself.

It was gorgeous. Vast, deep, and brave. China looked beautiful (and it made me feel very sad that I never got to take that trip to China. Maybe someday.) The Kung Fu was actually amazing. Every kid in the movie was brilliant; you could tell that they had all trained insanely for this. I admit, I wasn't ready to like Jaden Smith, because it's very easy to think "spoiled Hollywood brat" and write him off. But he was actually quite fantastic. He trained very hard, and it showed in every move. But that's just the Kung Fu aspects of the movie.

The acting was a revelation, too. The entire cast was great, and each performance was totally brave. I'm not talking about the physical aspect of it, but rather the emotional. The kids who were supposed to be brutal carried it off beautifully. They, and their teacher, were so much darker and more menacing than the bad guys in the original Karate Kid. It must be hard for young people to have to act like such awful people--to be willing to be villains, and have people cheer their downfall--but they didn't shy away from it. It takes a brave kid to play the brutalized victim, too. Smith wasn't afraid to do it, and I applaud that.

But, oh my god, Jackie Chan. You know, like I've said, I've seen almost everything he's ever done, and no one can deny that he's been fearless on camera – physically. All those broken bones, all those falls, his insane stunts. He's always been able to laugh at himself. Yes, "fearless" is the word.

In this movie, he was brave. Jackie had no big stunts, nothing that looked daring or breathtaking, nothing that made you have to hide your eyes and hope that he lived. He acted. Superbly. Anyone who's seen Karate Kid knows that the original Mr. Miyagi was a widower, and one night a year he'd get wasted drunk and mourn his wife, right? So, no spoilers there? Jackie Chan as Mr. Han went there, but they took it about ten steps farther. The story was so much darker, and so was his performance: this quiet, stern teacher flipping out, destroying the car with a sledgehammer, crying hysterically on the steering wheel. Jackie Chan. Rumble In The Bronx. Rush Hour. Shanghai Noon. Drunken Master. Fearless Hyena. And, okay, yeah, I saw him in "Who Am I," "The Prisoner," "Gorgeous," "Supercop" and some of his other dramatic roles. But he never went here before and it was so surprising.

But it was really the parts with all the training that were my favorites. Obviously, "wax on, wax off" has become "jacket on, hang it up," which is good, because you can't copy what's already been done. And the part where they went to, as Lao Shir called it, "Fantasyland for Kung Fu," was beautiful. The Kung Fu looked so fluid and powerful. I loved the thing with the bamboo staffs and the ropes. :)

My training brother Snarklit asked Sifu the other day if "that stupid crane kick thing from the original" was in this one. Sifu was like, "Well... not really. Kind of." They obviously had to have a similar moment to the first one. In this, it was the Snake form. Xiao Dre starts doing Snake form, and it would have been a little silly given the circumstances, but Jackie Chan lampshaded it beautifully with a perfect "Are you kidding me?!" look. And besides, the crane kick was lame. Snake form is awesome. :D

Each of us walked out of the theater dying to train. Chrysanthemum and I just can't wait to get to Kung Fu class tomorrow night. Focus! Empty your mind. Do it again and again!

(Of course it's a different story when you're on your hundredth kick and the movie was yesterday and you're thinking, "GAH, I'M TOO TIRED! Movies are fiction! ENOUGH!" Haha.)

But we came back to my house, talked a lot, and then after they left I went for my run. Every day I'm thankful that I can run a mile, and if I ever had to, heavens forbid, run for my life, I could. And more thankful that if I ever had to fight someone for my life, I'd probably be able to do that, too. That is all because of Kung Fu, and so THANK YOU, JACKIE CHAN.

And thank you to everyone who has ever trained me and helped me get better along the way, too.

I'd say, everyone should see The Karate Kung Fu Kid, whether you're a martial artist or not, because it's simply a great movie. But if you are a martial artist, you'll know what I'm talking about.










*My Dad was a martial artist, a boxer, and when I was a teeny wee lass, he would always teach me the basics of defense. I always wanted to do it, but as a child was very timid and afraid. In part, it was the character of Tifa Lockhart that made me get up and finally do it. I'd always wanted to, but wanting to and having the impetus to get the hell out there and try it are two different things. FFVII made me take the plunge. And because Jackie Chan has always been my hero, the choice of style was clear from the beginning. See icon: What Would Jackie Do? Kung Fu, obviously. :D So when Advent Children came out and it was clear that Tifa Lockhart also did Kung Fu, how gratified was I? Very. :D