Latest news with #MrHan
News18
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Ben Wang Joins Karate Kid Franchise As The First Asian American
With elements from the Karate Kid universe and a scoop from the Netflix series Cobra Kai, the result is the franchise continuation with Karate Kid: Legends. Legends Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio are reprising their beloved characters as Mr Han and Daniel LaRusso, while Ben Wang comes as a fresh addition as Li Fong, a young kung fu prodigy who is traumatised after witnessing the murder of his elder brother. With Li Fung's mother disapproving of his wishes to continue studying martial arts, the family suddenly moves to New York City with one major new rule for Li—no fighting. But as the saying goes, 'rules are meant to be broken." Shortly after arriving, Li's budding romance with the daughter of the pizza shop owner landed him in the ring, but not as a student. Yes, the Karate Kid steps into the shoes of a teacher, at least for a while, before Mr Han shows up.
The Review Geek
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
Karate Kid: Legends (2025) Movie Review – Worse than The Minecraft Movie?
Worse than The Minecraft Movie? Karate Kid: Legends is a bad movie and no amount of forced key-jangling nostalgia can save this one. There's very little here that's actually redeemable, with a formulaic and unimaginative story, atrocious editing and a rushed pacing that makes this feel more like an obligatory series of checkboxes to tick off than a genuine love letter to the franchise. coming off the high of Cobra Kai, Karate Kid: Legends could have been a good way of revitalizing the series. You can definitely see the intention here, with the movie attempting to bridge the gap between the end of Cobra Kai and tying it into the separate reboot in 2010, but it's wedged together with about as much finesse as a drunk guy attempting to ballet. With a tighter script and a bit more time to flesh out the characters, it could have worked but what's here is sloppy and poorly executed all round. The movie centers on a kid called Li Fong, a Kung fu prodigy who leaves the dojo, much to Mr Han's disappointment, to move over to New York City with his mum. Its your typical 'fish out of water' story, complete with some childhood trauma, a death in the family, and an estranged relationship with Li Fong's mum. It's your textbook hero origin story and Karate Kid: Legends unashamedly leans into all the tired cliches that come with this. It doesn't take long for Li Fong to get bullied at school by the local asshole, Conor, either because of course we have to include the bullying angle too. Now, Conor is karate whizz and been trained to fight ferociously – something that's at odds with Li Fong's philosophy, where he's not fighting anymore due to that aforementioned tragedy in his past. Don't expect much more with Conor though, as he has about as much depth as a shopkeeper NPC in an RPG. The only half-interesting part of his character stems from the fact that he's the ex boyfriend of Li Fong's current flame, Mia. Mia happens to be the daughter of Victor, an ex boxer who owes money to loan-sharks and through Li Fong, learns to fight again. It's a bit of a switch-and-bait because you kinda expect Victor to be the one training Li Fong but given he's already amazing (but not quite as amazing as Conor), there's not much karate training until near the end of the movie. In fact, amusingly the film includes more boxing training than anything else. With a run-time of under 90 minutes, the film absolutely steamrolls through its plot, leaving little room for anything to grow or evolve. There's a random nerdy, comedic friend that's thrown in, presumably for the comedy angle, but the film is so unoriginal in its execution that the only time you'll be laughing at is the editing. Editors Dana Glauberman and Colby Parker Jr. aren't newcomers to the field, with some pretty commendable shows to their name, so the fact that their editing is so bad is a bit of a mystery. The only thing I can think of is that they wound up in the editing booth high on psychedelics and a copy of Microsoft PowerPoint. We get all the bangers here, including swipes to the left, swipes to the right, zoom cuts, freeze-frames and box turns. Scenes are cut fast, there's some mashed-up animations too (because why not I guess?) and the flashbacks are more distracting than genuinely engaging. I've seen B-movies made on a shoestring budget with tighter editing and words cannot do justice to what an embarrassment this is. Unfortunately, this lack of engagement spills over to the entire movie. Everything is well-orchestrated with absolutely no surprises whatsoever, there's nothing left to the imagination and those looking for ties to Cobra Kai, and a returning Daniel LaRusso (who's heavily featured in the trailer), will have to wait for at least an hour before he makes an appearance. Ralph Macchio feels like he's been added in as an afterthought, with very little to do here other than being a bit of key-jangling nostalgia to remind you of the franchise. The same can be said for Johnny Lawrence too who does show up, but only after the credits in a scene that's actually one of the best in the whole film. The acting is a bit of a mixed bag too. While Ben Wang is great in his role as Li Fong, the rest of the cast range from okay to outright bad. Ming-Na Wen is not good as Li Fong's mother and is arguably the worst out of the entire cast. To be fair, it's not really the cast's fault entirely because the script gives them absolutely nothing to work with and they're constantly wrestling with the editing. This very much feels like a first-draft effort thrown on Sony's desk rather than a polished effort worthy of elevating the Karate Kid name. Ultimately, Karate Kid: Legends is just not a good movie. It's a poor, phoned-in, unimaginative and lazy title that doesn't have the foresight or the creativity to reignite this franchise. Instead, what we get is one of the worst movies of 2025, and in a year where we also got The Minecraft Movie, that's quite a feat. Read More: Karate Kid: Legends Ending Explained
Geek Tyrant
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Jackie Chan Says He'll Do His Own Stunts 'Until the Day I Retire, Which Is Never' — GeekTyrant
After more than six decades of epic martial arts fighting, bone-breaking falls, and the kind of creative mayhem only Jackie Chan can deliver, you'd think he might finally retire doing his own stunts. But nope, Jackie isn't slowing down. In fact, he says he's not retiring. Ever. Chan told Haute Living in a recent interview: 'Of course, I always do my own stunts. It's who I am, That's not changing until the day I retire, which is never! And to be honest, when you've done it for 64 years straight, there's no physical preparation anymore. Everything is in your heart and soul; it is muscle memory.' At 70, with over 150 screen credits under his belt and a legacy that's defined the action genre, Chan is still all in. He's set to reprise his role as Mr. Han in Karate Kid: Legends , and yes, he's doing his own stunts. Chan's commitment to old-school, real-world stunt work hasn't changed, even as Hollywood leans deeper into digital effects and safety-first setups. But while he remains a die-hard traditionalist, he's not blind to how the industry has shifted or the risks that come with his craft. 'In the old days, the only [choice we had] was to be there and jump; that's it. Today, with computers, actors can do anything, but there's always a sense of reality that you feel is missing.' That 'sense of reality' is what Chan has always chased, but he's also painfully aware of what it's cost him. (If you've seen the blooper reels at the end of his movies, you know: this man has paid in full.) That's why, despite his refusal to quit, he's quick to caution others from following in his footsteps. 'It's a double-edged sword. On one hand, actors become more and more capable of doing impossible stunts with the help of technology, and yet, on the other hand, the concept of danger and limit gets blurred and the audience is numb [to it]. 'But I'm not encouraging anybody to risk their lives to do the stunts like I did; it truly is too dangerous.' So, while Jackie Chan isn't done crashing through windows or swinging from scaffolding, he's also not asking anyone else to risk their neck to keep up. He's just doing what he's always done… being Jackie Chan, and apparently, that job doesn't come with a retirement plan.
Express Tribune
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Karate Kid: Legends' brings old masters to new students
For over four decades, the Karate Kid franchise has been kicking its way into pop culture history, with multiple films and the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai keeping its legacy alive. Now, Karate Kid: Legends is poised to unify the two cinematic iterations of the saga — the beloved 1980s originals featuring Ralph Macchio and the 2010 reboot with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. With a fresh protagonist, an intriguing mentor dynamic, and a long-awaited crossover, the trailer promises a thrilling new chapter in the Miyagi-verse. The trailer was dropped on Wednesday and introduces us to Li Fong, played by Ben Wang, a teenager trained in kung fu by Jackie Chan's Mr Han. However, when Li relocates to the US, he faces bullying and decides to switch disciplines, turning to karate for self-empowerment. This transition cleverly bridges the gap between the franchise's two distinct martial arts styles. Who better to teach him than the original Karate Kid himself, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio)? The trailer teases an emotional moment as Mr Han visits LaRusso, urging him to take Li under his wing. Seeing these two iconic mentors meet is an undeniable highlight, blending nostalgia with fresh energy. Visually, the trailer exudes classic Karate Kid charm, with training montages, tournament hype, and dramatic face-offs that pay homage to the franchise's enduring formula. There's an undercurrent of grief in Li's story — his move to America seems tied to the loss of his older brother, a plot thread left ambiguous in the trailer but hinting at deeper emotional stakes. Directed by Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F**ing World), the film marks his feature debut, with a screenplay by Rob Lieber. While Cobra Kai has successfully reignited interest in the Karate Kid universe, Karate Kid: Legends aims to bring the saga full circle by blending two generations of martial arts storytelling. Fans are unsurprisingly eager to see if the film captures the essence of both the original films and the reboot. Despite the excitement surrounding the crossover, some elements of Karate Kid: Legends may feel predictable. The franchise has always revolved around an underdog proving himself through discipline and perseverance, and this film appears to follow suit. However, the novelty of seeing Mr Han and Daniel LaRusso in the same film, alongside a new protagonist, could be enough to keep audiences invested. With a supporting cast that includes Joshua Jackson, Ming-Na Wen, Shaunette Renée Wilson, and Sadie Stanley, the film is set to expand the Karate Kid universe. Karate Kid: Legends releases in the US on May 30, and if the trailer is any indication, fans are in for an action-packed, nostalgia-fuelled ride.
