What happens when you mix martial arts expertise, a Shia LaBeouf look-alike and "The Lion King"? Enter "The Forbidden Kingdom." A truly one-of-a-kind film on many levels, this latest kung-fu blockbuster employs several tricks of the trade to ensure that you are getting your money's worth. The main exhibit at hand is the casting of both Jackie Chan and Jet Li. The two kung-fu stars have reached amazing cinematic success on their own accord and, for the first time, are joining forces for American audiences.
The second trick that "The Forbidden Kingdom" employs is the involvement of director Rob Minkoff, whose main contribution to the filmic world is a little gem you might have heard of called "The Lion King." In "The Forbidden Kingdom" he crafts a tale about Jason Tripitikis, your standard American nerd, played by relative newcomer Michael Angarano, whose obsession with kung-fu takes him back in time to ancient China. Here he must unlock the secret behind the Monkey King, an immortal legend who is the key to destroying the equally immortal Jade Warlord.
Ridiculous? Maybe, but boy was it entertaining. The plot for "The Forbidden Kingdom" combines equal amounts of Chinese folklore and American fluff. The presence of Minkoff as a director adds a hefty dose of Disney to the otherwise typical kung-fu adventure story. This dose of Disney essentially opens up the film and continues throughout, allowing it to be accessible to a far wider cross section of the population.?
Let me expand. Producer Casey Silver cleverly chose Minkoff as the director in a move that influences an extremely conventional Disney story structure that can be accessible for kids and parents alike. Stop me if this sounds familiar. Nerdy and self-conscious character gets into a tough predicament and must work, with the help of wise elders, to overcome the situation and, in the process, gain the confidence to beat the bad guy.
Luckily, the story never grows overly annoying considering that this is just as much an authentic kung-fu movie as it is Disney fluff. Seeing Jet Li and Jackie Chan battle it out for the first time in cinematic history is truly a sight to behold. The combined talents of both phenomenal fighters, coupled with some ridiculous fight choreography by Wo Ping, whose credits include the "The Matrix" trilogy and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" creates some of the most creative, original and altogether cool fight sequences ever seen. On a kung-fu level alone, "The Forbidden Kingdom" succeeds hands down. ?
The end result is quite simple: a Disney kung-fu film. While, in concept, this would seemingly prove strange and disjointed, moviegoers will be pleasantly surprised. Performances across the board are great in that typical Disney way as well. Michael Angarano, whose previous primary acting muscle was flexed in "Lords of Dogtown," holds his own amazingly well amidst these experienced and beloved kung-fu legends. Furthermore, his fighting skills are surprisingly good, exhibiting a level of talent that I was not expecting. Those who are trying to put a face with this name need to just imagine a slightly goofier looking Shia Labeouf, as another journalist and I commented that the casting department probably ran out of money before they could score the real thing.
"The Forbidden Kingdom" is a film that aims high with its ambitions and succeeds on almost all levels. Director Rob Minkoff was quick to point out that he felt as out of place in the director's chair as Jason does in ancient China and luckily he pulls out one of the most unique kung-fu movies of all time. It is a potent blend of American storytelling and epic Chinese kung-fu that should entertain even the most jaded of moviegoers. A trip to this kingdom is one you definitely won't forget.
