The Karate Kid (PG) (2010)

A sequel worthy of the original, this heartwarming tale of one youngster’s triumph over bullies hits the spot for summer family entertainment. Twelve-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) makes an unwanted move from Detroit to Beijing, China, when his mother gets a work transfer. Leaving his home, neighborhood and friends behind, Dre is obviously a very unhappy fish-out-of-water in China. To add to his misery, his older, larger classmates are out to get him. In Dre’s case, going to a new school can be quite literally painful as he is constantly getting roughed up by a gang of martial arts students. Dre’s plight is tempered only by his attraction to a young, musically talented female classmate, Mei Ying. Unfortunately, her mutual feelings toward him only fuel the bullying and the threatening behavior becomes unrelenting. With no one to turn to for advice in this strange land, his situation seems hopeless.
Enter the humble, reclusive handyman at Dre’s apartment house, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) who takes the American boy under his wing and teaches him the skills and attitudes that he needs to become a confident young man. Jackie Chan plays the role well. His slapstick, comic moves are put on hold as he gently, but firmly mentors his student in the ways of life as well as the moves of karate. There just has to be a big tournament as a finale to all of the sometimes tedious instruction, and there is. The build-up is done well and I can practically guarantee that you will be cheering for Dre to win!

If the story isn’t enough to hold your interest, the cinematography will certainly fill in the gaps. The shots of busy Beijing and the Chinese countryside, including The Great Wall of China” are interesting and sometimes breathtaking. Rating: 3 (out of 4)