Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

Score: 6/10

This is the first movie where we can see two Hong Kong legendary actors, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, play side by side. It sounds promising and the fighting sequence is indeed captivating as expected. Unfortunately, other aspects of the movie are disappointing. Sure, you can have fun with the movie and I believe many people will be entertained. However, if you are looking for a serious plot and engaging performances, you won’t find any.

The heaven is ruled by the evil Jade Warlord and he manages to imprison the Monkey King (Jet Li) with trickery after an interesting fighting sequence. The magic rod, the only item that can free the Monkey King, is thrown away by the Warlord to a land far far away.

The scene continues to the modern world where a teenager who is also a big fan of Chinese martial art movies and books, Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano), lives. One night, a group of bullies forces him to help them rob a Chinese store owned by an old Chinese man (Jackie Chan). Jason finds a strange rod in the store and suddenly he is taken to ancient times in China.

Jason meets with Master Lu Yan (Jackie Chan, again) and he learns that there is a prophecy saying that every 500 years someone is sent on a quest to return the prized rod. Along the way Jason and Master Lu Yan meet with the Silent Monk (Jet Li, again) and the Golden Sparrow. They team up to deliver the rod to the Monkey King.

There are numerous fighting sequences and they are the jewel of the movie. There is a showdown between Chan and Li, which becomes the best part in the Forbidden Kingdom. On the other hand, when it comes to the story, the movie is just so bizarre. It is difficult to comprehend why Jason has to be in the movie. Perhaps the director wants to promote the concept of East meets West, but it makes the movie becomes too unrealistic and strange.

The acting from all casts is generally ok, but when they start speaking in the transitional scene, I should say, it becomes bizarre again. You will know what I mean when you watch it. The CGI looks good and the surrounding environment is beautiful. All in all, if you like fighting movie, you should definitely watch this one, but don’t expect any great plot from it.

For more information regarding the movie, you can visit:
- IMDB: The Forbidden Kingdom
- The Forbidden Kingdom Official Site

"The Fantastic Four"


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