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Review #634 of 365
Movie Review of The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) [PG-13] 113 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.00
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When Seen: 18 April 2008
Time: 5:20 pm
DVD Release Date: 9 September 2008 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
Soundtrack: order the CD below
Directed by: Rob Minkoff (The Haunted Mansion)
Written by: John Fusco (Hidalgo)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Jet Li (War) • Michael Angarano (The Final Season ) • Jackie Chan (Rush Hour 3) • Deshun Wang (Gongyuan) • Collin Chou (DOA: Dead or Alive) • Yifei Liu (Wu yue zhi lian) • Bingbing Li (Hu die fei)
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Director Rob Minkoff, last known for directing Disney's The Haunted Mansion and writer John Fusco last known for writing the screenplay for Hidalgo join forces with two of the greatest martial arts legends of our time, Jet Li and Jackie Chan, to bring to life a fish out of water tale about an adolescent boy named Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano) who, upon finding a long lost magical fighting staff in a South Boston Chinese pawn shop run by Old Hop (Jackie Chan), finds himself suddenly thrust from the clutches of murderous neighborhood bullies into an ancient time, ancient battle, and struggle between the forces of good and evil in ancient China. As he falls seemingly to his death, he actually passes through a special gate ala Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz that transports him through time and space smack dab in the middle of an ancient conflict. As his new found friend, Lu Yan (Jackie Chan) aka the Immortal Drunken Monk explains, he wields the staff of the Monkey King now frozen in stone by the evil and immortal Jade Warlord (Collin Chou) who froze him and then took over the kingdom of the Jade Emperor. The delightful Monkey King was the only one who could have ended his reign of tyranny. So the prophecy goes, a traveler will restore the staff to its rightful owner thereby freeing the Monkey King to defeat the Jade Warlord forever. Of course, Jason Tripitikas has a hard time believing any of this until he and Lu Yan are chased throughout the village as the presence of the staff alerts the Jade Emperor's forces to their whereabout. Borrowing again from a page of the Wizard of Oz, Jason meets up with special friends to help guide him on his journey to return the staff and hopefully be transported back home. Among these are the Silent Monk (Jet Li) and the Golden Sparrow (Yifei Liu). Unlike the Tinman and the Lion, these two lack neither heart nor courage as they join the battle and escort of Jason to the temple where he should return the staff. Of course, there has to be more than one villain, and in this case it is the evil temptress, Ni Chang (Bingbing Li) with her whip-like braid and desire for the immortal elixir only the Jade Warlord can grant. She sets out to capture them and keep the staff for the Warlord. Things are made worse because, well, Jason doesn't know how to block a punch let alone command the Kung Fu required to get past the Jade Warlord's armies. Fortunately, his two teachers: The Silent Monk and Lu Yan. In time, and after much pain, Jason emerges not just fit to fight but having built the self-confidence of a young man.
Spectacular scenery, wonderful special effects, and the kind of mercurial story that has made the Wizard of Oz with which this film compares favorably minus the musical numbers being substituted for good Kung Fu fighting make The Forbidden Kingdom rousing good family entertainment (ages 12 and above will find much to enjoy both girls and boys as both genders have strong roles despite the male-centered cast and, perhaps, story line). With relatively good-natured humor, little gore, and mostly appropriate minimized violence (of course it is Kung Fu fighting) the film shines promoting good values and ideals for young adults.
…the surprise hit of the spring film season…
There is a violent shooting of Old Hop in the beginning of the film followed by the beating up of Jason that earns the film a strong [PG-13] and may be shocking and too much for younger children though essential to the plot and promoting what is surely, especially for Wizard of Oz aficionados, a relatively predictable conclusion. The Chinese-themed mythology behind the story enhances and freshens positively what would otherwise, perhaps, seem derivative. Of course, seeing Jackie Chan and Jet Li side-by-side in a more kid-friendly film should merely firm up fans of both to see this film. Adults, likewise, should find the underdog story as appealing as the up-and-coming Michael Angarano who has come so far since his days back on "Will and Grace" where he portrayed the clever son of Jack. Puberty has taken hold, and it was clear that the young actor much have spent many long weeks training for the role. Meanwhile, his minor love interest, Yifei Liu who plays the Golden Sparrow, does a splendid job with her role. The Forbidden Kingdom could be the surprise hit of the spring film season as it quietly yields to the blockbusters planned for this summer.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
Cast Members
Jet Li
• Michael Angarano • Jackie ChanDeshun Wang
• Collin Chou • Yifei LiuBingbing Li
Director
Rob Minkoff
Writer
John Fusco
Director Rob Minkoff, known for directing The Haunted Mansion joins forces with two of the greatest martial arts legends of our time, Jet Li and Jackie Chan, to bring to life a fish out of water tale about an adolescent boy named Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano) who, upon finding a long lost magical fighting staff in a South Boston Chinese pawn shop run by Old Hop (Jackie Chan), finds himself suddenly thrust from the clutches of murderous neighborhood bullies into an ancient time, ancient battle, and struggle between the forces of good and evil in ancient China. With spectacular scenery, wonderful special effects, and the kind of mercurial story that has made the Wizard of Oz with which this film compares favorably minus the musical numbers being substituted for good Kung Fu fighting make The Forbidden Kingdom rousing good family entertainment and the surprise hit of the spring film season.
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