Karate Kid: Legends Review: A Charming, Though Formulaic, Crossover

Few franchises have experienced a cultural revival as significant as the Karate Kid. The initial film, featuring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, is one of Hollywood’s iconic 1980s movies, leaving an enduring impact on underdog tales and coming-of-age dramas in subsequent years. So strong and distinctly 80s was this impact that the story’s reboot in 2010, starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, largely followed the same narrative trajectory but on the other side of the globe. Given the original Karate Kid timeline had been dormant since the poorly received The Next Karate Kid, a comeback seemed unlikely. However, Cobra Kai emerged. Much like its predecessors, this Karate Kid TV spin-off originated as an unconventional YouTube Red project and transformed into a hit Netflix series, rejuvenating the franchise for a new audience. Reminiscent of fanfiction, the creators took an implausible pitch and turned it into something more substantial, developing both the heroes and villains of the Karate Kid with greater depth than typical peak 80s camp.

The achievement of Cobra Kai probably paved the way for Sony to approve Karate Kid: Legends, a crossover that merges the reboot with the Miyagi-Verse and teams up Macchio and Chan as dual mentors for a fresh student. Similar to Cobra Kai, Legends offers more than just revisiting classic Crane Kick moments. This is an enjoyable, lighthearted journey that comfortably fits into the world of Karate Kid. It largely delivers on the action, humor, and emotional connections fans adore from this IP. Despite being under 90 minutes long, it manages to cover a lot of ground, introducing new characters, winning over viewers, reintroducing nostalgic elements, and testing the Karate Kid formula in New York City with innovative methods. Although it leans heavily on familiar scenarios and abrupt transitions, the Big Apple provides an ideal setting to refresh the Karate Kid formula using fresh techniques.

Karate Kid: Legends Brings Two Different Worlds Together

In Karate Kid: Legends, A New Protagonist Receives Mentorship From Two Franchise Icons

In the universe shared by Cobra Kai, also known as the Miyagi-Verse, any individual who had interacted with Mr. Miyagi could potentially rejoin the narrative involving Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence. This ranges from malicious senseis to love interests and ordinary troublemakers. For instance, Mr. Han (Chan) is brought into this story by revisiting and revising a scene from The Karate Kid Part II, where Mr. Miyagi explains the origins of Miyagi-Do karate to Daniel in China, thereby connecting their ancestries. Since instructing young Dre Parker, Sensei Han has evolved from a shy maintenance worker into a more prominent figure, opening a larger dojo and mentoring numerous students in authentic kung-fu. Among his pupils is Li Fong, a gifted student whose mother (Ming-Na Wen) disapproves of him continuing martial arts training. This, along with their ongoing grief over a family tragedy, leads them to relocate to New York, hoping for a fresh start.

In Li’s situation, moving to New York brings him across Mia (Sadie Stanley), a classmate who operates the neighboring pizzeria with her father Victor (Joshua Jackson), a former boxer struggling under the thumb of a harsh sensei O’Shea (Tim Rozon). It just so happens that this sensei’s dojo houses Conor (Aramis Knight), an unkind ex-lof Mia’s and a relentless fighter who takes issue with Li, and as an added complication, wishes to inflict pain on Li himself.

Initially, instead of following the usual path, the story finds Li assuming a mentor role, guiding Victor as they prepare for a fight to save his restaurant. However, this plan encounters some obstacles, leading to Mr. Han’s arrival in town to assist Li with his training for the Five Boroughs tournament and confronting personal issues. To make things more intriguing, Li capitalizes on the unexpected link between Han and Miyagi to invite Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) from the Valley to New York, asking him to team up with Li as a co-mentor. This exciting duo might not introduce anything new, but it offers fans of both Karate Kid versions an enjoyable opportunity to witness their interactions, compare their fighting techniques, and in some instances, see Li endure those techniques during training sessions.

Ben Wang Steals the Show as Karate Kid: Legends’ New Protagonist

Wang Proves Himself Opposite Ralph Macchio, Jackie Chan and a Fun Supporting Cast

It might come as a surprise that in Karate Kid: Legends, despite its marketing suggesting a focus on established characters, it actually centers more around Li’s story. Rob Lieber’s script primarily follows Li, with Mr. Han acting as a mentor during the opening and middle sections but never outshining him due to Chan’s strong presence. Daniel enters the scene an hour in, offering guidance on blending kung-fu with karate. In supporting roles, they contribute to the humor for older audiences, while Ben Wang delivers the emotional depth as Li, doing so effectively.

In Wang, there’s an authentic blend of charm, vulnerability, and a touch of rebellion that perfectly suits Li as he embarks on his journey to rebuild, assert himself, and overcome the past demons haunting him. This character, unlike Daniel from the original Karate Kid or Dre, defies stereotypes commonly associated with a bullied teenage protagonist. Moreover, Li doesn’t merely imitate these characters but carves out his unique identity. The supporting cast also shines independently, with Li’s connections to his mother, Mia, and her father adding depth to the main character as a kind-hearted individual with resilience. Even Alan, initially Li’s math tutor, evolves into a compelling and likable friend, transforming what could have been a stereotypical supporting role into something endearing over time. The relationships in Legends serve to strengthen the protagonist’s portrayal as a noble soul with fighting spirit.

The main issue lies with the character Knight, who, although demonstrates some degree of violence towards Conor during his martial arts demonstrations, fails to create a truly menacing villain. This flaw can be attributed to the broader scope of the movie “Legends,” as Li first instructs another individual in kung fu before engaging in the tournament, which was less prevalent in previous films. The romance and exciting fights are still present, but Connor and O’Shea seem like secondary characters compared to other antagonists from the Karate Kid series, even though this is more due to excessive dramatic flair prior to Cobra Kai.

The Karate Kid: Legends Fight Are Good, Despite Uneven Creative Choices

The Film Offers a New Spin on Karate Kid Martial Arts, But Some Visual Choices Don’t Always Work

After the over-the-top karate battles in each season of “Cobra Kai”, viewers might expect “Karate Kid: Legends” to match that level of insanity. However, while the fights are skillfully executed, they don’t quite reach the same degree of absurdity as what is shown on streaming platforms. The combat sequences are intense and swift, especially during the final tournament fights, although some moments can appear a bit choppy due to editing between punches. These fight scenes showcase Wang’s physical abilities brilliantly, and occasionally even the adults join in the action when Chan and Macchio (still active at 71 and 63 years old) have their turn to take down an opponent. Although Chan doesn’t get a moment as iconic as his fight against the bullies in the “Karate Kid” remake, one house fight scene still manages to maintain that essence.

As a movie reviewer, I found myself both captivated and somewhat frustrated by “Legends”. The film’s unique selling point lies in its imaginative use of different visual styles to depict the Five Boroughs tournament. The Street Fighter-inspired art captions add an exciting edge, especially during rule explanations, giving the movie a nostalgic arcade game feel.

However, the movie oversteps with its excessive use of music cues and transition effects to introduce action scenes or travel across Manhattan. These choices make the scenes progress at breakneck speed, reminiscent of a New York minute. While the film is relatively short, this repetitive pattern can become tiresome over time.

In essence, the film maintains its playful spirit throughout and, much like any effective movie, recognizes the impact of an impressive training sequence. The film cleverly references earlier installments in the franchise, such as Mr. Han’s innovative twist on “Wax on, wax off.” By setting the story several years after ‘Cobra Kai,’ it becomes more accessible to new viewers who aren’t required to watch six seasons of the series beforehand. Although the plot ultimately follows a familiar trajectory, it becomes increasingly difficult not to support Li as he prepares for his final showdown in the ring.

In the finale of “Karate Kid: Legends,” Daniel clearly discusses the symbolism behind Li’s martial arts lineage, “Two branches, one tree,” which now resonates with the connection between the original “Karate Kid” and its remake. Although it may take some time for “Legends” to fully realize the big crossover, the collaborative scenes still have impact, and thanks to Wang’s mesmerizing performance, the narrative maintains its own longevity. Similar to “Cobra Kai,” this franchise is far from meeting its end anytime soon.

Karate Kid: Legends is in theaters on May 30.

2025-05-28 16:06