Concrete Playground

First up, let me start by saying that this film is not The Karate Kid. Yes, it's a remake of the beloved 1984 original complete with updated versions of Pat Morita's classic Mr. Miyagi and charismatic poster-boy Ralph Macchio's Danny Le Russo. Yes, it follows the same familiar Star Wars-like formula of helpless-lost-boy-meets-wise-mentor-who-him-to-greatness. But rather than combating bullies on the gritty urban streets of LA, our waif-like African-American hero is transported to the teeming streets of Beijing, China, where he's winded by culture shock and schooled in the art of kung fu not karate. So for the sake of preserving everyone's favourite childhood classic, I'll be referring to this remake as 'The Kung Fu Kid' henceforth.

In 'The Kung Fu Kid', 12-year-old Dre (Jaden Smith, son of Will and Jada) has a hard time adjusting when he moves with his mother (Taraji P. Henson) to Beijing. Not only is the language and landscape completely foreign, he has to contend with a group of schoolyard bullies who terrorise him via some pretty brutal fight scenes (kiddies, avert your eyes). Enter Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), the solemn, reclusive maintenance man who lives in solitude next door and happens to be a clandestine kung fu master. He takes the young hopeful under his wing and trains him in the ancient Chinese art, enabling him to beat the bullies, win the girl and prove himself as a 'man'.

As far as cinematography goes, this film hits it out of the park. It may be a kid’s movie, but the sweeping vistas of mountainous Chinese countryside and bustling streets of Beijing redeem it from the predictable storyline and make for compelling adult viewing. The other surprisingly notable features of this film are its leads, Smith and Chan. Smith, who's clearly right at home in front of the camera, is entirely his dad's son in terms of charisma and screen presence. At only 11 years of age at the time of filming, he manages to carry the weight of a hefty 140 minutes of cinema (a little too long? I thought so) with relative charm and ease, while Chan portrays the world-weary, multidimensional Mr. Han with honesty and heart.