Director Johnathan Entwistle and screenwriter Rob Lieber took the phrase “Go with what you know” to the extreme for their new film, Karate Kid: Legends. This is a popcorn movie for modern teen audiences and a nostalgic throwback for adults who grew up on the 1984 original. The filmmakers don’t want to change the game. They know their target audience and they know what works. For a little over an hour and a half, Entwistle and Lieber tip their hats to the legacy films while offering up some exciting martial arts sequences. There is heart, but the name of the game here is action and a little comedy.

1984’s The Karate Kid was a massive box office success and did very well with critics. Director John G. Avildsen did the impossible. The director basically created the “underdog film” formula with his Oscar-winning Rocky in 1976. With a screenplay by Robert Mark Kamen, Avildsen followed the same formula for The Karate Kid, added a bit more humor (and even more heartfelt camaraderie), and made it all feel fresh. It was an incredible feat, but the tried and true formula worked, helping the picture to become one of the most beloved of its time. Inferior (but fun) sequels followed and in 2010, someone got the bright idea to do a remake. The cash-grab update moved the story to China (Yes. In China they do Kung fu.) and starred Jackie Chan and Jayden Smith. While it was a moneymaker, the only thing worthy was Chan. Thankfully, he is the one and only crossover from the film. 

The 5-season Netflix series Cobra Kai continued the story of Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), following the two into adulthood. The series was silly fun and coasted on good performances from its two leads, homages to the original films, and its constant love letter to the 80s. The show had a loyal fanbase and was a big success for the streaming service. Karate Kid: Legends is the inevitable big screen follow up a.k.a. “Let’s keep this cash cow going”, becoming the sixth feature film in the 41 year franchise. 

Taking place three years after the events of Cobra Kai’s finale, Ben Wang stars as Li Fong, a Chinese teenager who is forced to move from his native country to New York City after his mother (a wasted Ming-Na Wen) finds a high paying job at a city hospital. She wants to move them away from China, as Li’s brother Bo (Yankei Ge) was murdered one year prior. After Bo defeated an opponent to win a tournament, the sore loser stabbed him, leaving him, as a helpless Li failed to stop it. Wang carries around regret from that fateful night, feeling that he could have saved his brother. 

Ben Wang does very good work and instantly endears Li to the audience through an understated and naturalistic performance. As he proved in the short-lived 2023 television series, American Born Chinese, this young man has presence. In a smaller way, his character has the same hold on the audience as Ralph Macchio’s “Daniel-san” in the original film. . 

When Wang tries to get to know his new neighborhood, he meets the sweet Mia Lipani (Sadie Stanley), who works at her father’s pizzeria. The two high schoolers strike up an instant friendship and begin to hang out. 

Of course Mia has an asshole ex-boyfriend, Conor (Aramis Knight), who doesn’t take kindly to her new friend. Of course everyone goes to the same high school. Of course Connor and his fellow ruffians belong to a dangerous dojo run by an offensively underdeveloped villain (Tim Rozin). Of course Connor and his bunch will jump Li and beat him up. Of course Li will call his former sensei, Mr. Han (Chan), who will surprise everyone by flying to New York to help his student and friend.

If the screenplay sounds like a retooled version of Avildsen’s original, right down to the mechanics of the plot, that’s because it is. Where Lieber’s work differs is an added bit of extra personal drama where Li coaches Mia’s father, Victor (Joshua Jackson), so he can win a boxing match and save the restaurant from falling into the hands of the mobster from whom he borrowed the money to buy it. 

There are some silly (but fun) training montages where Li tries to help Mia’s dad understand the basics of Kung fu. You see, to win his boxing match, Jackson’s character must learn the movements of the martial arts. Borrowing from Bruce Lee’s famous line, the teen tells Mia’s poppa to be “more like water”. The script sets up Victor to have once been “the best fighter in New York City.” Perhaps he should have learned how to move in a boxing ring a while ago. 

Ridiculous? You betcha, but Wang and Jackson are such likable actors that it just doesn’t matter. Their moments together are a good source of humor and warmth.

You can’t have a Karate Kid movie without the original Karate Kid. It takes almost an hour, but Ralph Macchio’s Daniel shows up to help Sensai Han train Li for a local karate competition (The Five Boroughs Tournament) where the winner pockets 50 grand. With that kind of money, one would expect a big, sponsor-backed, event held in an arena, like the All-Valley Karate Tournament from the original. The preliminaries are held in a parking lot and the final match for all the marbles is held on a rooftop. Who are the financial backers of this thing? Why don’t they rent out a gym, at the very least? Who pays the professional referee to oversee the matches and how did they convince him to participate? Where the hell is anyone getting 50 large?

Changing the lore of The Karate Kid Part II, Chan’s character was an old friend of Mr. Miyagi. Of course he was. Han wants to combine the  “Miyagi Karate” style with Kung fu in the hope of a victory of mind and body for young Li. As nice as it is to see Macchio still working his character, the inclusion of Daniel is almost an afterthought and his reasons for going to New York are vague. 

The film moves far away from the poetic musings of Pat Morita’s iconic Mr. Miyagi. There are no deeply felt speeches, just simplistic musings delivered by Chan and Macchio. It is to their credit how the two actors make the script’s badly-written dialogue digestible. 

Another demerit goes to keeping Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio apart for so long and not giving them enough “meat” in their time together. The pairing of these two actors in a film such as this one should have produced many scenes where the two men explain what martial arts means to them and why it is important to blend their two styles in Li’s training. They touch on it, but the film needed more. The screenplay drops the ball in not strengthening the bond between their characters.

While the blending of Daniel’s karate and Han’s kung fu is never fleshed out, Jackie Chan employs his famous stunt team to work alongside Xiangyang Xu to choreograph the martial arts action. This is where the movie finds a real spark. Although director Entwistle needs to learn the use of a wider frame for action sequences, the creative fight scenes pop and are great fun to watch. Wang has some real skills while fans of Chan’s work will recognize his signature comedic style during a few of the fights. 

While the film rushes through (and I mean RUSHES through!) the already thin plot, it manages to entertain. There are a few rousing moments that will have audiences cheering. The main cast does very well. Ben Wang and Sadie Stanley have good chemistry, as do Wang and Joshua Jackson. Wyatt Oleff shows up in a small but funny turn as a calculus tutor (and eventual friend) for Li. 

Most importantly, Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio are always fun to watch and bring the gravitas of their respective cinematic “legends” to every moment they share. 

For a popcorn movie in the pre-summer season, the picture should please younger viewers while older followers of all things Karate Kid will be split down the middle. The opening scenes will be a warm surprise for fans of all ages and there is a cameo at the end that is both wasted and welcome in equal measure. 

Flawed, to be sure, but those who remain dedicated to the world of Daniel LaRusso and all who exist in his orbit will find themselves having a fun 90-or-so minutes. When all is said and done, Karate Kid: Legends is a good time. Besides, any film that uses the Eric B. & Rakim classic, “Don’t Sweat the Technique” during a training montage can’t be all bad. 

If there is to be a sequel, I have only three words, and they are not “Sweep the Leg.”

Bring. Back. Johnny.

Karate Kid: Legends

Written by Rob Lieber (Based on characters created by Robert Mark Kamen)

Directed by Johnathan Entwistle

Starring Ben Wang, Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Joshua Jackson, Wyatt Oleff, Aramis Knight, Tim Rozin

PG-13, 94 Minutes, Columbia Pictures, Jerry Weintraub Productions