So how did 2010 version compare to the original film?
Who could forget the classic 1984 film “The Karate Kid”? It was by far one of the best martial arts films since the days of the legendary Bruce Lee. Now, the film has been re-made with a new millennium twist to it. The 2010 version of the movie starred child actor Jaden Smith and Mr. “Rush Hour” himself Jackie Chan. With any remake, there will always be some similarities and differences. One of the major selling points of the new version was how well
the main characters connected with movie viewers.
Dre Parker, played by Jaden Smith was much more personable in this film than Ralph Macchio (Daniel Sun) was. Aside from the fact that he is absolutely adorable, he really connected with the audience and brought tears to the eyes of many during select scenes. I mean who could resist a 12 year old kid becoming a hero in the eyes of his friends and family? Smith and Chan were both able to reach out to viewers in a way that was not seen in the original film. This was most likely due to the age difference between the two set of main characters. Mr. Miyagi, played by Pat Morita and Macchio were much older than the main characters in this film, which was why Smith and Chan were more relatable. Age differences were a factor but the main thing that set these to films apart was the comedy. Even though it had its sad moments, The 2010 Karate Kid was filled with humor. Jackie Chan alone will stir up a laugh. But with the very talented and funny Taraji P. Henson, who played Dre’s mother, added to the mix, the comical feel was genius. And of course, Jaden Smith knew how to get a joyous rise out of the audience. Did you forget who his father is?
As far as the story line was concerned, it was kept in tact extremely well which was a concern for some people. Often times with remakes, directors can venture off far from the original movie concept. But that was definitely not the case with this film. Just like Daniel Sun, Dre Parker was faced with vicious opponents who were looking to take him out. Remember the famous “leg breaking” incident? I’ll let you guess how it went down in this one. The movie also incorporated a love story as was done in the original.
Movie goers are probably wondering how the fight scenes were in this film and how they compared to those of the original. The action in both movies was very much on the same level as some moves left the audience cheering and in a complete daze at certain points. The “oohs and aahs” were endless.
Personally, I have to admit I was a little nervous at first when I heard that they were coming out with a new school version of this movie. It is such a timeless classic and we all hate to see a good movie ruined. But I must say I left the movie theater just as satisfied as I was years ago when I saw the original Karate Kid. This is most definitely an A+ film.