What pulled the crowds to the theatres for Karate Kid, Jaden Smith or Jackie Chan?
It is a simply linear plot of a romantic boy (Jaden Smith) who likes a young girl, but he has to fight over her with a bully who beats him silly at the beginning. But he learns kung fu from a master (Jackie Chan) and returns to beat the bully and becomes the hero of his sweetheart.
The film was shot in Beijing, China, from July to October last year and released last Friday.
The film cost $40 million and made over $19 million in its first weekend at the box office and definitely would rake in more millions from China, Japan and South Korea where Jackie Chan is a mega super star and can actually pull more millions of moviegoers to the cinemas and make Jaden a martial arts super star and his parents richer than ever before.
The new Karate Kid has mixed reviews as reported by the CNN and compared to the first one made in 1984 and the sequels. Apparently Mr. and Mrs. Smith have financed this remake to give their darling son wider wings to soar like an eagle to greater heights in Hollywood. And thanks to Jackie Chan.
The Story
Twelve-year-old Dre Parker could’ve been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying — and the feeling is mutual — but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre’s feelings make an enemy of the class bully, and kung fu prodigy, Cheng. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.
Directed by Harald Zwart
Produced by Jerry Weintraub
Will Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith
James Lassiter
Ken Stovitz
Written by Screenplay:
Christopher Murphey
Story:
Robert Mark Kamen
Starring Jackie Chan
Jaden Smith
Taraji P. Henson
Music by James Horner
Cinematography Roger Pratt
Editing by Kevin Stermer
Studio Overbrook Entertainment
JW Productions
China Film Group
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s) June 11, 2010 (2010-06-11)
Running time 139 minutes
Country United States
China
Language English
Budget $40 million
Gross revenue $56,000,000