Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This has what I like in a martial arts movie. MMA has smashed the fantasy realm of these movies, where the gritty stuff where little asian men can beat gun wielding gangsters are no longer viable. This is why this movie works, because it takes the main character out of our modern world and throws them into the world envisioned in The Journey to The West, Monkey-King and all.

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is one of those Asian-loving Hollywood movies that always seem to have the need to cast a Western actor in the central role in case audiences are put off by seeing a foreign face as the lead. Thus we get THE KARATE KID remake with Jaden Smith and BULLETPROOF MONK with Seann William Scott. This film features the very first on-screen pairing between Jackie Chan and Jet Li, but the whole plot is centred around an American teenager who becomes involved in a mystical Chinese adventure.Put simply, I could have done without the kid. He's not great, and he's a distraction, getting in the way of what we really want to see, which is more Jackie and Jet. Thankfully, they do both get quite a lot of screen time, which means that THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is a fairly enjoyable movie. Jackie plays his Drunken Master role for the most part, while Jet Li has fun in a dual role as both the Monkey King and a mysterious monk. Their eventual showdown in a massive martial arts battle is doubtlessly the highlight of the movie.The rest of the film is okay, and features some passable villain duties from the reliable Collin Chou. In comparison to the other films Jackie had done in Hollywood, it's pretty decent, and it's a lot better than the previous Chinese version of the story I saw, MONKEY MAGIC. That's not to say it's brilliant, because it's a bit too cheesy, stylised and reminiscent of THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR to be a great film, but kung fu fans should enjoy it if only for the presence of the two genre icons.

This is an incredible fantasy adventure movie about Hong Kong cinema-obsessed American teenager Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano) discovering the powerful staff of the legendary Monkey King in a Chinatown pawn shop. In an attempted robbery, shop owner Hop (Jackie Chan) is wounded, but tells Jason to return the staff to its rightful owner. After fleeing from the thieves and falling off a building, he awakens into ancient China, where he finds himself on an unforgettable journey to free the Monkey King (Jet Li).This is a classic-style martial arts/fantasy movie that I've found to be very entertaining, and, even though the martial arts element is pretty cliché, the story is fresh and captivating - from Jason learning Kung-Fu to the appearances of the mystical characters such as the Jade Warlord, White-Hair Witch and the Silent Monk.There is an endless supply of martial-arts action, courtesy of some very notable Chinese martial arts star such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Collin Chou, and it gives the film continued excitement and non-stop fun for its save-the-Monkey King quest. Even the subplot about Jason overcoming his personal adversaries is a captivating element. The beautiful Yifei Liu and Bingbing Li make great leading actresses and they provided great on-screen chemistry and drama.Overall, it is a neat, fun and adventurous film - recommended for any martial arts-genre movie fans.Grade B+

'The Forbidden Kingdom' is an excellent martial arts fantasy that entertains from start to finish.Based on ancient Chinese literature, folklore, and religion, the story and script for this movie are well-constructed. Flowing seamlessly from scene to scene, they keep it easy to follow, giving the audience plenty of time to sit back and enjoy a feast of action sprinkled with a good dose of light-hearted humour.Alongside more well-known actors like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Collin Chou, a host of perhaps lesser-known (to Hollywood audiences if not Asian), yet none-the-less talented cast members (including Michael Angarano, Li Bing Bing and Liu Yifei) gives rise to a delightful array of authentic, colourful, and highly-varied characters.The action in this movie is a joy to watch. Boasting excellent work from the talented Yuen Wu Ping (he worked on stuff like 'The Matrix' and 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'), every fight scene is not only filmed really well but feels fresh, fast, furious, and keeps you wanting more. Even the 7-foot leaps don't seem ridiculous or out of place.The locations are superb too -- alive and gritty, bold and colourful, or grand and palatial, each one is beautifully atmospheric and perfectly suited to its scene.This movie is definitely an excellent addition to anyone's collection and even my one tiny criticism (that ending was just ever-so-slightly vomit-inducingly corny, but, hey, come on, they had to put it in) can't stop me from giving it top marks. A thoroughly well-deserved 9/10 for 'The Forbidden Kingdom'.