Karate Kid: Legends Review

Light on its feet and low on stakes - "Let's save a beloved pizzeria from loan sharks!" - Karate Kids: Legends, the sixth entry in the franchise, is a breezy romp as far as martial arts films go. Fans craving the signature dropkicks without the franchise's usual dose of emotional heft will be especially charmed by director Jonathan Entwistle's (The End of the F**ing World) buoyant take; it is as if the actors might break into song-and-dance at any moment. In three words, this one is about pizza, New York, dragon kicks.

To be sure, the film sticks to the Karate Kid formula, even if it flips it for funsies. Here is Li Fong (Ben Wang) who has moved to New York from Beijing with his mother (recall Jaden Smith's character moves from Detroit to China in The Karate Kid, 2010) where in the course of time he faces off with his rival Connor Day (Aramis Knight), the tightly-wound ex-boyfriend of Li's current crush Mia (Sadie Stanley), in the city-wide street competition.

In Li's corner of the ring, the legendary duo Sensei Han (Jackie Chan) and Sensei Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), whose spirited bickering ("That's the move I taught him!" "No, I taught him that!") amps up the fun vibe. Also cheering for him is Li's affable one-time-boxing-legend neighbour Victor (Joshua Jackson), and his perky teenage daughter Mia.

A half-hearted attempt at drumming up the stakes, with Li's mother forbidding Li from fighting after his brother is killed, predictably fizzles out. The film seems reluctant to darken the mood for long, seizing every opportunity to lighten things with humour. Mia jokes that Li is the "Chinese Peter Parker", which seems apt because Li's mom gives us Aunt May vibes with her disapproving yet loving glares at Li's adventures.

Downtown New York, where the film plays out, pops with vibrant energy - even the alleyway where Wang rescues his neighbour Victor from loan sharks feels alive. The film moves at a brisk pace, never pausing to dwell on emotions or wallow in nostalgia - not even when Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio make their appearances. The two veterans of the franchise bring a light-hearted, mischievous energy, playing their roles with a relaxed charm that's genuinely giggle-worthy.

The martial arts moves are as good as any, better even, as the film's disinterest in tragedy means we are relaxed and in the mind for unsullied enjoyment. Karate is mixed in with Kung Fu and Kung Fu is mixed in with Boxing. The martial arts buffet is open and serving!

Ben Wang (of American Born Chinese fame) may not fit the ideal image of a Kung Fu warrior; he is lanky, beguiling, even shy and hunched. But his lightning-fast moves, his "one-inch punches" and tornado-raising dragon-kicks are as exciting as they can get. He and Sadie Stanley make an adorable pair of teenage lovers.

Karate Kids: Legends is nothing like its imposing title suggests. It's a feel-good pivot away from the franchise's sombre roots, offering a light, accessible entry point for a new generation of viewers. In many ways, it feels tailor-made for the TikTok Reels generation - a crowd that prefers its entertainment quick, breezy and fun. For them, this cheerful, easygoing Karate film will go down easy.