A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Work causes a single mother to move to China with her young son; in his new home, the boy embraces kung fu, taught to him by a master. The Karate Kid is a remake like no other that pays it's respects to the Original film but on the same time it does things on it's own with new characters, a new setting and a new story as a whole. The chemistry between Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith is excellent and both gave 2 terrific performances and that scene in the car with Dre and Mr. Han was so moving and sad and Chan's dramatic skills once again come out and it's good seeing that from time to time he keeps delivering and choosing this kind of projects and this one did good to him plus Chan saying that he is nowhere near as good as Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) shows how kind and sweet of a person he is. Will Smith's son Jaden also gives a compelling and in my opinion sad and moving performance as 'The Karate Kid' and i also loved his scenes with Wenwen Han. The Soundtrack is also superb and excellent and the martial art sequences were a mix of Karate Kid meets Rocky. Overall this is an amazing remake that respects what the Original did but also tries to move on and do things on it's own without doing everything by Nostalgia and it's sad to see that so many people hated the film, just because some films are been remade that doesn't mean that all of the remakes will turn into another Ghostbusters and besides i think that both 1984 and 2010 versions are terrific and special in their own ways and i'm sure that some people will eventually see that with time. (A+)

I remember when this movie came out in 2010. I was so mad that they were remaking "The Karate Kid" that I didn't even bother with this movie. I decided to watch it years later after getting over it. This wasn't a bad remake by any means; it had its highs and some lows as well.Jaden Smith is actually pretty good as Drey. While not quite as engaging as Ralph Macchio, he does a good job of showing vulnerability and gradual character growth throughout the film.The best part of this movie is Jackie Chan as Mr. Han. It's actually pretty hard to compare him to Pat Morita's Mr. Miyagi from the original. He is similar in some ways, but different in others, which I appreciated. Like Nostalgia Critic pointed out, whereas the original film had a teacher-student relationship, this one has the teacher and the student teaching each other, which is a nice new spin on it.However, there are many things about it that really don't work. I know that I'm not the first person to point this out, but this was really more like "The Kung Fu Kid" than "The Karate Kid." I respect that they tried to give us something new, but it still has to be karate if that's what's in the title.Another thing is that the supporting characters are nowhere near as appealing as in the original film. The main protagonist's mother, love interest, and even the villains are rather bland and forgettable.The film is too long and would have been tighter if it were maybe 20 minutes shorter.It still wasn't a bad movie. It's reasonably entertaining and will have you cheering in the end when Drey wins the tournament. However, this movie still didn't need to be made, and it pales in comparison to the original "Karate Kid." There's still enough here to warrant a slightly above-average grade.RATING: C+

I can't berate this film enough. In fairness, most of my dislike stems from my love for the original. Not that remakes are always terrible, sometimes they can be good, there have been some that I've enjoyed... and then sometimes you come across remakes like this.Growing up, the original to me was a very classic 80s coming of age film about moving to an unfriendly environment and standing up to your bullies despite the odds. The characters were mostly likable, especially the noble Mr Miyagi who gradually bonds with the protagonist and teaches him to defend himself, in a very believable manor within a very realistic time frame. I loved it, and it meant a lot to me as a teen. Wasn't fussed on the sequels but that's irrelevant.... The remake on the other hand. No harm to Jackie Chan but he's no Pat Morita in the role of Mr Miyagi. In this version he teaches Jayden Smith also to overcome his bullies, but not standard high school teens... no, rather a gang of homicidal 10 year olds that are determined to murder the lead. I just plain don't believe that anyone could become a trained lethal weapon before they reach double digits, much less that Chan would ever get away with kicking the stuffing out of them all so that they won't murder him too... so instead he trains Smith to also be a killing machine in a very small time frame. Not a believable level of karate skill like in the original, but at mortal combat level within a few weeks. In fact he finishes off the leader with a backwards shooting star press head kick from about fifteen feet in the air... as if. More CGI overkill.It doesn't help that Jayden Smith is so unlikable too, before and after this production. No, this movie is dreadful, I don't think I'd be so vehemently against it if I didn't love the original but I'm certain I'd hate it regardless. I can't think of one redeeming factor this film has, not one. I like Jackie Chan, especially when I was younger, but not even his appearance in this film earns it any credit.Don't watch this movie, it has nothing to offer except the prospect of wasting your time.

As others have noted, this remake should actually be called The Kung-Fu Kid, as it revolves around the Chinese, not Japanese, martial art. I'm not sure what's more troubling: the implication that American audiences wouldn't respond to anything less than a brand name or the fact that it's true. Regardless, a film nobody asked for, or expected much from, surprised audiences with its quality, proving itself to be one of the best live-action family films of the past decade.Jaden Smith (son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith and subject of his father's hit song Just the Two of Us) continues to build on the impressive acting chops he displayed in The Pursuit of Happiness. Jackie Chan, who has long been one of my favorite action stars (based on his Hong Kong films, not his American ones) makes good on his stated intention to reinvent himself as a dramatic actor, showing a range of emotions (subtlety, warmth, and grief) that is truly impressive. There's a great deal of thought in the storytelling, as well as a complexity to the characters, that is missing from many family films today. The cinematography captures the lush beauty of China and messages about inter-cultural appreciation, self-discipline, and the abhorrence of misused violence, are well conveyed.The film's weaknesses are far from fatal. Its two and a half hour running time causes it to drag ever so slightly (it could've lost 10-15 minutes for a better pace). Also, after spending an entire film distinguishing itself from the 1980's classic and standing as its own film, this new Karate Kid (SPOILER) stumbles slightly by essentially copying and pasting the ending from the original. This may be fine for those who've never seen the older movie, and for those who have it is still thrilling and the well-delivered, with terrific choreography. I just wish the film had continued with its own independence. That said, it's still a poignant, moving, and thrilling surprise.IS IT OKAY FOR YOUR KIDS? The Karate Kid is rated PG. One of the key messages of the film is that of nonviolence. This should be surprising only to those who don't know much about actual martial arts, which teach mental and physical self-discipline, being in harmony with nature and other people, appreciation of life, respect for others, and use of force only out of defense. In order to convey this message, the film contrasts it with violent bullying and the misuse of force. There is child-on-child (and one instance of adult-on-child) violence in this film which serves the purpose of deflating the "fighting is cool" notion some audience members may have. It is gritty and painful to watch, making the film not recommended for very young children who may either be frightened by it or attempt to imitate it. For older children, however, the message of nonviolence should be clear. There are a couple of uses of mild profanity by a child, but these are corrected by his teacher and explained to be disrespectful, so the child doesn't use them anymore. A 12-year old boy and girl share a kiss.ANY WORTHWHILE MESSAGES? Physical force should be used only in self-defense, never to attack and only with the goal of making peace with one's enemies, not punishing them. Respect and honor your parents.