Movie Review - 'The Forbidden Kingdom'

The Forbidden Kingdom

Starring Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Michael Angarano
Directed by Rob Minkoff
Rated PG-13

At long last, Hong Kong movie legends Jackie Chan and Jet Li share the screen in The Forbidden Kingdom. If it had only been worth the wait.

While things pick up after Jackie and Jet become acquainted, the premise is pretty flimsy and too much attention is paid to another character. With the jaw dropping skills of the two reasons this film was even made, why should the focus ever be on someone else?

And that someone is Michael Angarano. Who?

Angarano plays an American kid named Jason who is whisked away to ancient China to help two immortal warriors turn the tables on a despotic warlord. Of course, the two warriors are more than equipped to handle the task without the silly Karate Kid-lite presence of the American teenager.

While perusing a Chinatown pawn shop, Jason discovers a weapon he’s seen in some of his favorite kung fu movies. One touch later, he finds himself in a Chinese village being rescued by the drunken Lu Yan (Chan). Realizing that Jason is the long-fabled savior of these parts – naturally – Lu Yan begins training the boy in the art of fighting and in no time, he’s on his way to becoming a master.

Director Rob Minkoff is not the best choice for the material. His credits include The Lion King, both Stuart Little movies and The Haunted Mansion. His decisions and camera techniques are horribly wrong.

The beauty of watching Jackie Chan and Jet Li action sequences is seeing the choreography, how each punch or kick is part of a greater overall plan, a ballet with violence. Minkoff edits the hell out of the few fight scenes we’re given, shows entirely too many close-ups so the action is lost, and keeps each scene under about two minutes in length, so we don’t get too excited about there actually being martial arts in a martial arts movie.

To put it bluntly, anyone wanting to see Jackie Chan and Jet Li battle against and with one another will leave The Forbidden Kingdom disappointed. Instead of fitting the movie around two of its genres three greatest stars ever, it forces them to play by Rob Minkoff’s rules. And the results are as unsatisfying as that prospect sounds.