The Forbidden Kingdom Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)April 21st, 2008
bThe Forbidden Kingdomb b Monkey Business
bThe Forbidden Kingdomb is a fun film that everyone can enjoy. But itbs a project that should have been made 10 years ago. It has that kind of sweeping epic arc in which an entire civilization is in danger. It has a few breathtaking sequences where legions of troops go to battle. And martial-arts-film-legends Jackie Chan and Jet Li finally-finally unite. So, whatbs wrong? Well, itbs perhaps too little too late.
I think that Jet Li described it best. Last year, I read an article in an entertainment magazine in which he was interviewed. Li was urging audiences to keep expectations low for his eagerly anticipated fight scenes with Jackie Chan in the film. "When Jackie Chan and I first wanted to work together 15 years ago, our passion was at its peak. ... Our desire to succeed was very strong," the 45-year-old Li told The Associated Press. "Now we joke that when we watch the `The Forbidden Kingdom' our combined age is 100." (Chan is 54.)
Truthfully, there is only one fight scene between the two, and itbs pretty fun to watch. Jackie Chan brings to the project his familiar style of slapstick humor alongside high-energy martial arts. Jet Li brings his natural prowess for combat and precision.
Happily, they still look to be close to the top of their game. But, as with this and pretty much all the other fight scenes, itbs just highly stylized violence without any real drama. Entertaining? Yes! Moving and absorbing? No!
The story initially centers on the dorky Jason (Michael Angarano) who is in possession of a mystical staff that the evil forces want to get their hands on. Our
fish-out-of-water-white-boy-who-must-be-the-only-person-in-China-who-d oesnbt-know-Kung-Fu eventually meets and befriends a drunk kung fu master (Chan), a silent monk (Li), and a beautiful Chinese
warrior-girl (YiFei Liu) who just sort of randomly appears and joins their group. Give Chan and Li oodles of credit because even though they are both baby boomers, they can still put a good whooping on anybody half their age. But admittedly, they do not seem as intense as they once were, and neither can quite carry the mantle of the Messiahs-going-into-enemy-territory to destroy the dark forces of evil.
This film is based on the Chinese epic story 'Journey to the West', one of the four great classic novels of Chinese Literature. For this undertaking, there should be romance, drama, sacrifice, majesty, and an abounding sense of poetry. But all the filmmakers could muster here was a kung-fu family comedy. The story seems lazy, borrowing elements from the bKarate Kidb, bLord of the Ringsb, and bMortal Kombat.b
Itbs not nearly as epic in feel as Jet Libs bHerob. It is, however, more intense that Jackie Chanbs bAround the World in 80 Daysb. Ibm not sure if thatbs a compliment or not.
Nonetheless, as a ChineseAmerican, I have to support my brethren! I mean, who doesnbt want to see Jackie Chan and Jet Li in the same movie? For some, it has been a long time coming. bThe Forbidden Kingdomb does offer up a few very funny scenes, it never seemed dull, and it makes for a decent evening out. If the American Idol judges were casting their opinions, Randy would say bDawg, it was ok! Hey, just keeping it real.b Paula would say, bkeep being who you are because thatbs what the audience wants.b Simon would say, bI completely disagree with you, Paula.b
Grade: B-
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 2 out of 3
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