Silent Monk (Jet Li, left) and Lu Yan (Jackie Chan) in THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM(2008).
© Photo by Chan Kam Chuen
Movie: The Forbidden Kingdom
Starring: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano, Collin Chou, Liu Yifei, Li Bing Bing
Written By: John Fusco
Directed By: Rob Minkoff
Distributor: Lionsgate
THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM
By: Warren CurryDate: Friday, April 18, 2008
The Forbidden Kingdom is the martial arts movie equivalent of an All-Star game. It teams two of the genre's biggest stars, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, sharing the screen for the first time ever, with Hong Kong's premiere action choreographer, Woo-Ping Yuen (The Matrix trilogy). Add to the mix up-and-coming young actor Michael Angarano and The Lion King director Rob Minkoff, and you have a film that should satisfy both kung-fu cinema aficionados and general action-adventure fans who aren't adverse to family friendly entertainment.
Angarano plays Jason Tripitkas, a martial arts obsessed South Boston teenager prone to being the target of bullies. He frequently stocks up on bootleg DVDs at a Chinatown pawnshop owned by an elderly man (Jackie Chan, in the first of two roles), and it's here where he comes into possession of a magic staff that transports him to ancient China. Jason will be allowed passage back home only when the staff is returned to its rightful owner, a warrior known as the Monkey King (Jet Li, also in the first of two roles) who has been imprisoned in stone. The biggest of the many obstacles standing in his way is the army of the evil Jade Warlord (Collin Chou). Jason scrapes with the soldiers on his arduous journey, but aiding him are boozing kung fu master Lu Yan (Chan), the steely, stone faced Silent Monk (Li) and a resourceful orphaned girl known as Golden Sparrow (Liu Yifei).
Woo-Ping Yuen's choreography gives the elaborate fight sequences the appearance of highly physical ballet. Minkoff doesn't chop up these scenes too much, allowing us to soak in Chan and Li's skill and athleticism free of excessive manipulation. There's nothing here that comes remotely close to rivaling each actor's most exciting, let alone daring work, but in the context of PG-13 entertainment, the sheer spectacle compensates for the absence of truly riveting moments.
John Fusco's script references characters and elements from classic kung fu movies and literature. While there's a level of predictability inherent--the obligatory martial arts training montage when teacher, Lu Yan, schools pupil, Jason, for instance--the story unfolds at a brisk enough pace to make the clichés acceptable. Fusco's screenplay doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel, nor is that the intent. Rather, he's content to tastefully pay homage to a genre of films that's collective influence he proudly wears on his sleeve.
There's also a comedic quality to the movie, mostly filtered through the wine jug wielding Lu Yan's snappy dialogue. Always a truer physical comedian, Chan's timing and delivery don't completely hit the mark--and obviously, he's not speaking in his native tongue--but the sprinkling of humor, which takes on a literal meaning in one indelible sight gag, adds a different, welcome dimension. Li is a commanding screen presence, but the film's safety-first mode doesn't quite create a forum for his talents to be best appreciated. Angarano rack ups another solid performance, his synthesis of subtle streetwise attitude and vulnerability makes him the ideal unassuming everyteen to accompany on this adventure.
The film features a number of visual effects shots, but Minkoff doesn't use them to overwhelming effect. The director tells the story cleanly and efficiently, never allowing it to lose momentum and keeping a consistent pace throughout. The movie actually feels a good 20 minutes shorter than its 113-minute running time, which is a testament to Minkoff's ability to entertain without overtaxing the material.
The Forbidden Kingdom offers few surprises, but is sharply executed and flows seamlessly from one scene to the next. It might not live up to the expectations of those who've waited years for a Jackie Chan/Jet Li vehicle, but viewed on its own terms, it certainly qualifies as infectious, spirited fun.
