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Capone Regrets A Trip To THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM!
Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
Grrrrr... NotShia bad...
Hey y'all. Capone in Chicago here.
So what if this film is about 10 or 15 years too late to truly capitalize on the peak talents of its two stars, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, in a film together for the first time here? That doesn't mean THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM can't be good, right? Right?! So maybe this isn't the ideal vehicle to pair up these two legends, but that doesn't mean this film is a complete disaster. Right off the bat, I thought we were in serious trouble. Young American Jason (Michael Angarano of LORDS OF DOGTOWN and last year's MAN IN THE CHAIR) is obsessed with Hong Kong action films, so much so that he makes regular visits to the Chinese neighborhood of his unnamed city seeking out bootleg/import copies of films that never made it stateside at a shop run by an old Chinese man played by an almost-unrecognizable Chan. He is bullied by psycho fellow students in scenes that seem right out of THE KARATE KID (this film seems like a weird combo of that film and THE WIZARD OF OZ). He is forced to help rob the old Chinese man who is killed during the crime, but before he dies he bestows an ancient staff on the boy and tells him to make sure it gets to its rightful owner. Jason is transported to a mystical, ancient version of China where he meets a kung fu master (Chan out of old-man make-up and with long hair) and a monk, played by Jet Li. Like Chan, Li works double duty, also playing a mystical being known as the Monkey King, a role so bizarre that long-time fans of his probably owe it to themselves to check out the film just to watch Li's spirited performance.
As the group (which eventually includes a beautiful young love interest for Jason) travels across China to return the staff to its unknown owner, Chan and Li teach Jason the true meaning of kung fu, and in a short time, make him something of a master at it, as white teens are inclined to do. Since the martial arts choreography is handed by Woo Ping Yuen (KILL BILL; THE MATRIX trilogy; CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON; the DRUNKEN MASTER films), you at least know the fight scenes are going to be pretty great, and they are. But it made me a bit sad to think that it took an American-made, English-language film to bring these two martial arts masters together for the first time. Director Rob Minkoff (THE LION KING; STUART LITTLE; THE HAUNTED MANSION) clearly has a great love for the old-school chop-socky movies, and he does his best to mimic their style, especially when it comes to the over-the-top villains on display. Maybe it's my own bias against the idea of this film to begin with that made me resistant to it from the beginning. That being said, it did grow on me thanks to some killer fight sequences and the film's many references to kung fu films of the past. And as much as this is the story of a white boy in China, Minkoff keeps the sassy, fish-out-of-water dialogue to a minimum. I'm guessing that if I saw the film again, I'd be able to enjoy myself a lot more. THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is not the appalling, slap-in-the-face insult to martial arts films that I thought it would be, but it's far from high art. I found myself having fun at times, but I also grew rapidly impatient when there was no fighting on the screen. Derive from that description and your own personal love of martial arts movies whatever you can. I don't think I can quite recommend this, but those of you who don't consider yourselves purists might enjoy this one.
Capone
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you liked it?
Sounds interesting at least -
Yeah.
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... but somehow I just know I'm going find it cheesy enough to hate it.
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Jackie Chan the true meaning of cinema. I'm not gonna watch a film from a guy who despises his audience.
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the opening credits are awesome, really makes you think the film is going to be way better than it pans out being.
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I can't stand Jet Li in American movies. I think it's because they make him wear shades and hang out with gangsta rappers.
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kung fu hustle. the best martial arts picture i've seen in a long long time
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In fact, it is a great, great kids movie! Perfect for easing newbs into some of the conventions of the genre without overwhelming. Is it the ultimate teaming of the two masters we were hoping for? No, of course not... but it certainly isn't terrible. I was pleasantly surprised... If you watch this movie as a dream/wish fulfillment movie of a kung-fu geek, it is downright fun! It's respectful of the genre while playing to a western audience--not an easy task at all. Hopefully it will kick of a series of better, more mature titles.
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Reminded me a lot of "Bulletproof Monk."
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TIA.
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There aren't many kung fu flicks that can honestly be considered "high-Art" but why should it be? Kung Fu flicks are fun entertainment, If your going to be pretentious enough to "only watch Oscar Caliber" movies then why bother watching it? Sometimes these reviewers can be downright snobbish towards the movies they watch.
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Apr 21, 2008 10:14:51 AM CDT
AICN praises crappy The Ruins, then puts down THIS GREAT FILM?
by gibsonusa
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They hyped the crap out of I Am Legend....this whole page was filled with articles...but the movie ended up just okay/pretty good/watch one time.
Then they come on here and trick me into watching The Ruins....the movie had like a 20% on Rottentomatoes, but two guys on here convinced me to convince my friend with their good reviews...I left the theater angry at what the crap I just saw.
Now Forbidden Kingdom...a bonafide fun movie with lots of laughs and a Jackie/Jet fight scene that completely delivers...they play down on it...."not recommended"....
WTF?????? -
Go see it. It's for kids, but in a good way. And it's got the hottest white-haired asian chick you'll ever see. It is a little clunky, and Jet Li can't act at all, and the ending is cheesy, but none of that matters. It's a kung-fu version of Neverending Story.
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but I thought it was fun... retardedly fun, but still fun
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As if its just for kids.
I was kind of shocked they used the word "chinks" two times in the movie. Imagine if they used the word "nigger" two times...would it be a kids movie? Just wonderin...
But back on topic, this is not a kid's movie...its a movie for everyone! Just because of the Neverending Story style beginning, its for kids? The action and set pieces are fantastic. I went to a late night show, so it was mostly college kids and everyone was laughing and cheering. Definately not just for kids. The extended Chan/Li fight is for all. -
i saw it saturday and enjoyed it quite a bit. of course there's gonna be the purist a-holes that are pissed because it's not a chinese flick and not more violent which is really only li's bag anyways. most of chan's work has always been slapstick. either way it's a cool movie.
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this could have been something much better. the inclusion of some white boy and the fact that they are about fifteen years too late to catch Li and chan at their primes is a shame. There is no need for more violence, but this is the first time two martial arts movie icons have been united on the screen and the last thing I wanna see, as someone who as adored them as a small child, is some lame ass kid taking up screen time for no reason except to provide the audience with a fellow "outsider." I guess other modern martial arts movie like Hero or Fearless didn't need that but since one dude is a monkey and somebody is drunk they should put him in. Ugh. So sad.
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After hearing all the talk of this film being a piece of kid’s fluff, what I saw Friday night seriously took me by surprise. Just about every bit of criticism I’ve read is utter bullshit, starting with all the whining and complaining that Chan and Li are past their primes. The fight scene between the two of them is absolutely sublime and not merely the grandiose aspects but also the subtle nuances of their clashing choreography. Chan moves with the grace and speed of a man half his age and Li is still faster than god in just about every scene he’s in. I guess for some people 40 is where it ends but I can’t help think that many of these fat-ass critics feel like slobs when seeing men at this age moving with such physical prowess and grace. Beyond the excellence of the fight scenes is a pretty decent little story about a kid who lives his dream and discovers what a nightmare that dream actually is. This film is a fantasy epic that actually delivers some genuine thrills and surprises, including a resolution that was surprisingly poignant. What cliché’s are present works in the films favor, given the purposely derivative nature of the movie, yet the presence of these true cinematic masters allows them to rise above it. I’d also point out that the “white kid” is really the only non-Asian actor in the film sans the bullies he deals with, and a surprisingly large amount of the movie is actually in Chinese and requires subtitles. The argument that Chan and Li are supporting characters in this venture is absolute nonsense, as they dominate the screen time and enjoy the best scenes of the film. Michael Angarano has also been taking a lot of shit for his work in this film and that’s a mystery to me. He plays the decent-kid-in-over-his-head character well enough and seems to understand that he’s sharing the screen with two true cinematic legends. Lastly, while not a literal adaptation of the source material, the film is nevertheless a respectful and enjoyable exploration of an enduring mythology that I think worked well within the parameters of the film. The audience I saw it with was pretty diverse and actually applauded during the closing credits. Regardless of critical reception, what I saw was damn solid and leagues better than more recent offerings like Curse of the Golden Flower and House of Flying Daggers.
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...company man here. This is a good solid movie.It seemed that most of my cinema mates enjoyed it.It's good for kids and adults. Some of these reviewers are starting to turn into snobs.
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He's a very talented martial artist but what he's doing right now Chan was doing 30 years ago. I like the guy but his technique and skill set is maybe half that of Chan and Li and all he's doing is following in their sizeable footsteps. Pay respect to the true masters of martial arts cinema because Jaa is merely a benefactor of their innovation.
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I went into this thinking it was going to be bad, but I just had to see Li and Chan together. I was really surprised to find myself LOVING this movie! I don't get why everyone is so down on it. Yeah, it skews a bit younger, but so what? I think people are too jaded to appreciate a good film like this. If you love martial arts flix, definitely check this out! I found it to be a breath of fresh air and one of the better martial arts flicks I'd seen in a couple of years. And Li and Chan are awesome in it! I didn't even mind the kid.
....by the way, I wonder how many aintitcoolnerds hate this movie because the child actor got to hug jackie chan and they will never be able to? And how popular is this kid going to be with his friends....."Yeah, I just finished up making a movie with BOTH jackie chan and jet li..."
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oh, and I totally agree with you LastCleric. My thoughts exactly! I actually think the kid did a good job and the makers of the film had a refreshing respect for the genre's history.
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What did I tell you guys:)
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and the whole theater seemed to enjoy it, lots of belly laughs and giggling. Sure, it's no "Hero", but it was still a pretty touching story, I shit you not.
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Saw this film over the weekend. It was fun, the fighting sequences were good, but the story did make me want to push the fast forward button to the action sequences. The main reason to see this movie is the fight sequence between Chan and Li. That was really awesome!
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Don't let the nay-sayers fool you... I, too, thought this would be kind of a mess due to the forced inclusion of the "American White Kid," because in most films like that, the main character — The Kid — sucks at kung-fu, and even after he "learns" it (ala The Karate Kid), he STILL sucks, and it's painfully obvious.What sold this film for ME was the fact that the actor playing the kid actually looks GOOD in his various fight scenes, so that by the end of the film, you actually believe he could kick your butt, as well as the goons in the film!The fight scenes vary from chop-socky silly to downright impressive, and the Li/Chan fight IS very good... though I got the distinct impression Chan had a stunt double for a lot of it, due to his known physical problems and the frequent quick cuts in the scenes.But who cares??? It LOOKED great!If you like kung-fu movies, see this family-friendly homage to them. It's a lot of fun, and has some impressive action in it, even if you're a "kung-fu purist."And Jet Li as the Monkey King was FANTASTIC! I'd love to see a movie just with him starring as the character! Very cool... :)
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I enjoyed the hell out of it. It's not Chan and Li's best work ever, but it's still more fun than most movies in theaters right now - that's right, FUN, remember that. The amazing Chan/Li dust-up was the best sequence in the film, and the training sequence had me rolling on the floor (well, not literally). Far from perfect, but worth your time. And when Jackie and Jet appeared side-by-side onscreen for the first time - chills, baby, chills.
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youtube the chan/li fight clip, which is all you need to see, then avoid the film.
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