Directed by:
Rob MinkoffScreenplay:
John FuscoCinematography:
Peter PauComposer:
David BuckleyCast:
Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Michael Angarano, Collin Chou, Bingbing Li, Crystal Liu, Thomas McDonell, Mathew Tang, Morgan Benoit, Alan Ng, Deshun Wang, Jason Chong (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
While hunting down bootleg kung-fu DVDs in a Chinatown pawnshop, Jason makes an extraordinary discovery that sends him hurtling back in time to ancient China. There, Jason is charged with a monumental task: he must free the fabled warrior the Monkey King, who has been imprisoned by the evil Jade Warlord. Jason is joined in his quest by wise kung fu master Lu Yan and a band of misfit warriors including Silent Monk. But only by learning the true precepts of kung fu can Jason hope to succeed - and find a way to get back home. (The Weinstein Company)
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Reviews (7)
Impatiently awaited for years by many fans of Asian action movies, the meeting of Jackie Chan and Jet Li on the silver screen ended up being a bizarre update of the nineties fanboy’s wet dream Sidekicks.
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NeverEnding Story with Chinese motifs. If it weren’t for Jet Li or Jackie Chan, I doubt the producers would have ever approved a screenplay like this. All possible clichés fill out the “journeying" breaks between fights which, luckily (thanks to Yuen Woo-Ping), are really good. Perhaps the next collaboration between Jet and Jackie will (allegedly for China) turn out better. This is just slightly above average.
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For it to be truly special, it shouldn't have been so clichéd from the beginning. However, I just love the legend of the Monkey King, no matter which version it's presented in. The story is quite straightforward, but the fight scenes are fantastic, which is thanks to the Chinese co-production. I really liked the exteriors, which are sometimes simply beautiful. Other than that, though, I probably won't remember this movie for very long. It’s something like a version of The Karate Kid in a fantasy fairy tale.
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At times it's more of a comedic farce than a solid action kung-fu movie, but Jackie Chan plays the drunkard so enthusiastically that it's impossible to be angry at him. The guys prove that they still know how to handle themselves excellently, and even though there are many shots (especially the entire Mythology) and scenes that could be seen as copied from The Lord of the Rings, the whole thing is so likeable and heartfelt that you are willing to turn a blind eye to the mess. Sometimes, I might imagine less flying and more solid action, but you cannot expect from Eastern warriors what is commonly done in Europe or in the US.
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The Forbidden Kingdom is an outdated, unremarkable and unoriginal film. At the same time, however, it is harmless and without any specific mistakes, so there’s simply nothing to criticize. Despite that, I will probably only remember it because of the actors who appear in it. And I appreciate that the screenwriter treated them fairly, providing them with really nice roles that made use of their respective characters.
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