Monday, April 21, 2008

Good movie with a bad title

Ajumma stepped into The Forbidden Kingdom expecting to see a trashy Hollywood train wreck with actors Jet Li and Jackie Chan thrown on the tracks.  Instead the film offered witty dialogue, a quick pace, reasonable action sequences, and lots of laughs.  Jackie Chan is a true showman and robust martial artist.  While Jet Li moved fluidly (his praying mantis made my heart skip a beat), his acting was very wooden.  Twice during the movie I recognized scenes straight out of Karate Kid.  Something to note is that the kiss between the white protagonist and the Asian girl which appeared in the preview never occurs in the film.  So unlike the Karate Kid, this white boy doesn't get the Asian girl.  Assssssa!