Starring: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson
Director: Herald Zwart (The Pink Panther 2, Agent Cody Banks)
Running Time: 2 hr, 12 min
Release Date: June 11, 2010
Budget: $40 million
Critics’ Thumbs Up: 65%
“…clean storytelling and cultural curiosity.” Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York
“Way. Too. Long.” Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
At over two hours, it’s exhaustingly long, but this remake of the 1984 original boasts heart and an endearing underdog story. It stars Smith (the son of Will and Jada) as the young protégé and Chan as the wise kung fu master. Other than exchanging karate for kung fu and Los Angeles for Beijing, the two films follow the similar storyline of a young boy moving to a new city with his single mother (Henson) and getting bullied before finally learning life lessons from a newfound mentor. Though The Karate Kid falters due to some pointless plot lines, The Pursuit of Happyness’ Smith gives an authentic performance and depicts a meaningful relationship with Chan.
