Cast:Â Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, Ben Wang, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na wen
Genre: Action, Drama, Family, Sport
Director:Â Jonathan Entwistle
In Irish Cinemas: Now
So it’s little surprise that the latest installment—Karate Kid: Legends—places the spotlight not on its iconic legacy stars, but on a fresh face: Ben Wang. Despite the promotional weight carried by Macchio and Chan on posters and in marketing materials, much of the film’s runtime is devoted to introducing Wang’s character, Li, a newcomer thrust into familiar coming-of-age territory.
Wang delivers a solid performance as a likable and energetic lead in a film that largely echoes the beats of its predecessors. The story is familiar yet comfortingly effective: a teenager relocates to a new environment (this time, to a foreign country), navigates the challenges of fitting in, faces off against martial arts-trained bullies, forms a bond with a potential love interest (Sadie Stanley), and ultimately trains under unconventional mentors to prepare for a climactic martial arts tournament. The structure, peppered with montages and feel-good moments, owes a clear debt to both the 1984 original and the 2010 reimagining.
Li’s journey is driven more by action than introspection. Wang’s strengths lean toward the physical—his martial arts acumen shines in a series of well-choreographed fight sequences, enhanced by the high-caliber work of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. While the script attempts to add emotional depth by giving Li a tragic backstory, the dramatic material remains relatively lightweight, never straying far from genre conventions.
Interestingly, the film offers a minor twist on the familiar formula: for much of the first act, it’s Li who plays the mentor role, passing on his kung fu knowledge to a washed-up boxer entangled in debt with a local loan shark. This reversal adds a touch of freshness to an otherwise formulaic setup.
It isn’t until later, well past the halfway point, that the much-teased tag-team of Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso materialises. Their partnership is hastily justified via a thin strand of retroactive continuity: we’re told that Mr. Miyagi’s ancestors once trained alongside Mr. Han’s lineage, blending Miyagi-do karate with Han-style kung fu. It’s a bit of a narrative stretch, explained with the help of manipulated archival footage and a sprinkle of exposition, but it gets the job done.
Unfortunately, the payoff is underwhelming. Jackie Chan, though still commanding, is given only a few brief scenes of action. Macchio’s appearance feels more like an afterthought—perhaps a late addition during script rewrites—and his role offers little tangible link to the ongoing Cobra Kai series. For fans hoping for a satisfying crossover, the film stops frustratingly short of delivering.
Still, Karate Kid: Legends succeeds in capturing the franchise’s enduring spirit. It’s a vibrant, good-hearted film that, while occasionally superficial, leans into nostalgia with affection rather than cynicism. It may not revolutionise the series, but it serves up just enough inspiration, flying fists, and training montages to keep long-time fans punching the air with satisfaction.
Overall: 6.5/10
Movie Reviewer
