Karate Kid: Legends review: Balances nostalgia and new blood well —but struggles under its own weight

The Karate Kid franchise has expanded in many different ways and has had many different types of success, but very few have tried as hard as Legends to integrate everything into one cohesive story. This movie attempts to stitch together pieces from the original trilogy, the 2010 reboot, and the Cobra Kai spinoff series into a new plot and is directed by Jonathan Entwistle and written by Rob Lieber. Ben Wang stars as the protagonist, Li Fong, who is a teenage kung fu artist trying to balance life in New York City’s Chinatown.

Despite his prowess as a martial artist, he’s also an emotionally troubled teenager. Li freezes up during crisis moments as a consequence of some well-placed trauma, in this case the witnessed murder of his elder brother post a highly publicized martial arts tournament. This emotional blockade emerges as the greatest hurdle for him to settle with, and that’s one of the film’s best ideas. Giving him genuine mental struggles marks Legends as something more than just a reimagining of the previous films.

Jackie Chan reprises his role as Mr. Han, the character he played in 2010, and his rapport with Wang is convincing as an effective student-mentor relationship. However, this bond goes beyond the realm of martial arts; it is about mending wounds. At the same time, the romantic interest of Li, Mia, played by Sadie Stanley, is a young entrepreneur who makes Li care about his new surroundings, which shifts his character from being merely self-serving.

Things go haywire when the film adds layers upon layers of legacy storytelling. Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso has a multitude of memorable references to previous films, and the main villain's sensei is connected to Mia’s family through some mob debt. While these links are meant to serve fans the most, they begin to overshadow the more subtle story that is the soul of the film.

A new hero stands tall

Ben Wang easily carries the movie single-handedly. He possesses the physical grit required to make his story as a martial arts prodigy believable, alongside the emotional depth to represent Li’s more delicate internal conflicts. His moments of sorrowful solitude and tentative connection with other people make the film feel sentimental, but his impressive choreography ensures that he is a true successor to the mantle of the Karate Kid.

What makes Li stand out is the fact that he is not on a strenuous coming-of-age journey—combat-wise, he is already proficient, but his mental fortitude and sense of direction are still nascent. That twist to the quintessential Karate Kid formula is quite welcome. Sadly, the script does not provide enough of an opportunity for this more complex character arc to unfold and, instead, moves too quickly through key milestones to reach the next cameo or plot point.

Too much history, too little time

Given the film's runtime of just 94 minutes, it's clear that there are too many moving parts, which proves to be an issue. Macchio’s Daniel is so far into the movie that his contribution feels more symbolic than necessary. The film attempts to generate emotional depth with Daniel's connections to Mr. Miyagi and Mr. Han, only to use Hobson’s choice. The attempt to rationalize their interdependence using some stunningly shocking retcon fundamentally damages the emotional coherence the prior scenes strove to establish.

In the same manner, more inspiring concepts such as Li becoming the coach for ex-boxer Victor Lipani (wonderfully played by Joshua Jackson) are left untouched. Jackson’s performance offers a more approachable note to the film, and one that opts to center around his relationship with Li would have been much more rewarding. Sadly, Legends has mountains of unfinished business to attend to regarding the franchises they are part of and lose any depth in the process.

Final verdict for Karate Kid: Legends

I'll give this movie a 9/10⭐

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Karate Kid: Legends bursts with heart, nostalgia, and new concepts, but trying to do everything at once detracts from the overall enjoyment. It's clear that Ben Wang is franchise-ready, with Jackie Chan and Joshua Jackson providing solid support. But the film seems overly preoccupied with its past to the extent of missing the opportunity to explore a fresh narrative.

Hints of brilliance are present—an unconventional protagonist, high emotional stakes, and inventive spins on the classic. However, in merging different timelines, characters, and attempts to cater to fans, it seems Legends ignores its core plot. But as a standalone story, it’s an emotionally satisfying journey that weaves together just enough sentiment to earn a spot in the dojo.

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