‘The Forbidden Kingdom’ is Cliché Kung Fu Done Right
-----The idea of a Jackie Chan/Jet Li team up was mouthwatering…20 years ago. Ha, ha, ha! Now that I’ve made a crack about their age, I have to say, they’re what make ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’ a forbidden guilty pleasure that I actually enjoyed quite a bit.
-----The plot follows the example of many a movie. An inner city white kid from Boston is obsessed with Kung Fu. He finds himself in a Chinatown Pawn Shop looking for old school Kung Fu flicks when he sees an ancient staff-like weapon. Conveniently enough, it transports him back to Ancient china so that it may be returned to its rightful owner. Cliché? Sure. Fun? Definitely.
-----Jackie Chan and Jet Li are the driving forces behind this film. Their chemistry is of a quality that it carries many conventional moments into quality entertainment. Acting as mentors for white kid from Boston Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano), they effectively aid him in his journey across China. They both provide many laughs and seem to have a lot of fun portraying light meshes of their past roles. Fortunately for the audience, when they’re having a good time, you’re usually having a good time too. Angarano is adequate as cliché character Jason, and the rest of the cast all does their part, with Chan and Li both playing multiple characters. They are this movie’s gasoline, and without them the vehicle just wouldn’t go.
-----The choreography is refreshingly elegant. Obviously Chan and Li don’t necessarily do all of their own stunts anymore, and much of it is a blend of actual fighting styles and your ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ flying around style. The choreographer, Woo-ping Yuen, is easily one of the best, if not the premiere martial arts choreographer in the business. Having worked on both the ‘Kill Bill’ franchise and ‘The Matrix’ franchise of films, he is one of the best at getting smooth and vivid action sequences. ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’ is no exception. Unlike much of Hollywood these days, the camera is allowed to watch the action unfold, rather than having a different shot every half second and shaking repeatedly. Let the choreographer do what he’s paid for.
-----The cinematography continues to stun in excellent locations throughout China. The beauty and vague familiarity with many of the epic Chinese landscapes give this film a certain magical feel that’s absence could have ruined the film. Ultimately, with the excellent choreography, the stunning cinematography, and the chemistry between Chan and Li, this film survives any other flaws and conventions. This 3-pack of brilliance is enough alone to make an entertaining and fun film, and it does just that. The movie rides these three factors into the sunset, ensuring it sticks to its’ strengths, never trying be something more than it is. The bottom line is, if it gives me what I came to see, I’ll probably enjoy the movie. This is the case with ‘The Forbidden Kingdom.’
