Jackie Chan, Jet Li Enter ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’
April 18, 2008
Two masters share the screen for the first time
To martial arts film fans, the pairing of Jackie Chan and Jet Li is a dream come true — a highly anticipated and rare chance to see two masters share the screen. Think Al Pacino and Robert De Niro going head-to-head in Heat (and the upcoming Righteous Kill), or Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift in The Young Lions.
The Forbidden Kingdom is the first screen meeting of two legends, something fans have been clamoring to see for almost three decades. It can’t be easy for any film to live up to such expectations, and, to the filmmakers’ credit, they simply try to make a movie imbued with fun and joy.
Writer John Fusco’s (Young Guns) script is rooted in Chinese mythology — most specifically around the legend of the Monkey King (played by Jet Li) — but intended for an American audience. To that end, the protagonist is Boston teen Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano) who, for reasons unexplained, is the chosen one destined to return a magical staff to the Monkey King, who has been imprisoned by the evil Jade Warlord (Collin Chou).
Jason is transported to ancient China, where he sets off on his quest with the help of the wine-loving Lu Yan (Jackie Chan), the Silent Monk (Jet Li) and the beautiful Golden Sparrow (Liu Yifei).
Director Rob Minkoff (The Lion King) and Fusco clearly have a love for the genre. Martial arts enthusiasts will delight in the numerous references peppered throughout, including Chan’s nod to his Drunken Master days and Li Bing Bing’s deadly White-Haired Demoness, born straight out of vintage kung fu movies and wuxia novels.
Yes, this is another story about a Caucasian male destined to enter an Asian world to save the day, complete with the lovely Asian female love interest. But, for the most part, the stereotypical land mines are kept to a minimum because the Asian characters are by far the most charismatic presences on screen.
Regarding the fight sequences, action choreographer Woo-Ping Yuen (The Matrix) does his usual stellar work. The fights employ a mix of styles and are impressive, but bloodless enough to make the film acceptable to children and adults alike.
Of course, the audience is mainly there to see Chan and Li duke it out against each other. I’ve heard some grumbling that the two stars are too old to be at their best and that this pairing should have come 15 years ago. Chan and Li may be past their prime, but the criticism is unfair. When the big moment comes about halfway through the film and the two battle inside an ancient temple, it’s still impressive. If there are any letdowns, it is the fact that, by now, we’ve seen what these two can do so many times that it no longer has the same wondrous effect. But had this scene played in exactly the same way with two unknown newcomers, we’d be proclaiming them the future of martial arts films.
The Forbidden Kingdom is a film that very much wants to be liked and wants to entertain every person in the audience. You’re likely to enjoy the film as it plays but may immediately forget about it when you leave the theater. The Forbidden Kingdom is the cinematic equivalent of a Big Mac, and if you allow yourself to enjoy it for what it is, you just may have a nice night at the movies.
The Forbidden Kingdom opens on April 18.
Philip W. Chung is a writer and co-artistic director of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble. Lodestone’s next production of Nic Cha Kim’s Trapezoid runs from April 19 to May 25 in L.A. For more info: lodestonetheatre.org.
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8 Responses to “Jackie Chan, Jet Li Enter ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’”
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the trailer is maaahvelous
who’s the blonde upstart(golden sparrow)?
it’s like when dinero & pachino collided
in that movie awhile back…
as usual I am eager to see this movie like so many movies out in the last couple of years. Most of them to disappointment. And after hearing reviews, decided not to see them. Just cant justify spending $20 for two tickets (the wife & I), $5 for cup of coke, $6 for popcorn - not worthy of the poor quality films- remind us of Bollywood. But lets get back to the Forbidden Kingdon. Already done too much reading on the preview critics and unfortunately not very good ones. But then again, Hollywood had turned Chan & Li into bankroller less the charisma they have out of Hong Kong. Of course the reason is, “it’s for the American audience.” Lets face it-Chan & Li will always be kung-fu heroes (just like Bruce Lee) and Chow Yun Fat will always be the great gun samuri. J Chan great movies are still those from HK. J Li lost his charisma when he crossed the Atlantic. Li’s French connection didn’t help much either. Watching these two great actors/martial artists by Hollywood film makers are at their lowest points. Hollywood directors don’t know how to make kungfu moives. It’s like watching a basketball movies done in Hong Kong - not the same as done in the US. Great martial art movies are still from HK. It is what it is. Copycats never live up to originals. But heck, at least Chan and Li are raking in some dough to help out the asian man.
maybe will wait for the dvd in July - it’s only $1 rental from McDs.
Peace Out Brothers
This unfortunate plot sounds like a cross between “Gremlins” and the “Never Ending Story” where we find the mystical object in Chinatown (Gremlins) then gets magically teleporting us to a mystical land (NES). What bugs me about the film is that we have two stars that should be the protagonist not another white protagonist with the Asian girl love interest. …chiche!
Phil:
Once more, good try.
But this time, no cigar.
Had it with all the kick-ass Astaire walk around the ceiling type dancings. AND all the derivative nonsense thereof.
Chinese “monkey-king” musings are equally juvey and no less ho-hum, but, at least, they are true to their own time and their own references to theater and miming and tale-tellings in the village squares.
No “western” variation thereof can be any more convincing than “Kill Bill” or, even, crouching tigers. For that matter, add “Hero” AND similar smarmings.
More to my point, DeNiro/Pacino pairings may have been interesting, but Brando/Clift confrontations were strictly hype. Clift, in particular, was a fascinating figure, actor even, but never a convincing prototype of macho male in ANY of his Gollywood roles.
Afraid everyone was brainwashed by those studio spinmeisters.
Frank
Buyer’s remorse.
Or shoot-from-the-mouth rue.
Jet and Jackie led the pack this weekend, but that’s not saying too much, is it? A mere 21-mil doldrums weekend.
All goes back to boxoffice dice.
But did you note Ventre’s MSNBC “must-see” notice of the latest Asian “stoner” movie, in “Guantanamo” at that?
What I’m trying to take back, a bit, is that BOTH Li AND Chan are world-class movie “stars.”
Jet’s Hollywood debut upstaged, was it Michael Douglas?, certainly not Mel Gibson, and his costar, in his “heavy” scenes, in spades.
And Jackie, of course, is sui generis, craftily and easily melding comedy into the slash,’dervish module.
But neither is Gollywood, and Kumar and Harold castings are few and far between. Nonexistent? That too.
And, on another thread, I eat crow about “original” material. There can be NONE, right? Only, is it?, five basic plots available to everyone from Aeschylus to the Coen bros.
It’s HOW and how well your take takes?
Hope “Trapezoid” proves a smash and your pay-as-you-can audiences give standing ovations.
Never mind those hoity-toity critics. Who, moi?
Nevaire.
Frank
I just watched it. I didn’t think it would be as good as it is. It is certainly one the best movies I’ve seen in recent years. Enjoy!
I just saw this movie today and truly enjoyed it.
People who share Saiman’s opinions should see the movie before making any unfair and ignorant comments.
i truly enjoy watching the forbidden kingdom of jet li and jackie chan’s movie.. It certainly one of the best movie i’ve watch in my life…
Good job… Both of you are my idol…