The Forbidden Kingdom

In the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3, the radical turtles find a magic scepter that accidentally transports the fearsome fighting team to 17th Century Japan. The turtles learn some important lessons about watered down Asian philosophies and make some snarky comments while kicking people in the face. In The Forbidden Kingdom, a kung fu obsessed American teen (Michael Angarano) finds a bowstaff in a pawn shop (quite possibly the same shop from Gremlins), which transports him to ancient China, where he meets a snarky kung fu master (Jackie Chan) who teaches him watered down Asian philosophy. Oh yes, face kicks ensue.

Although Forbidden Kingdom does share some similarities with TMNT (unfortunately not the Secret of the Ooze featuring “Ninja Rap” by Vanilla Ice), it bites more from Hong Kong kung fu flicks that have been recently regurgitated for U.S. audiences. Like TMNT, this movie is obviously meant for kids (which screenwriter John Fusco explains in the DVD special features, of course, while performing karate on the beach at sunset) and to introduce some alluring Chinese fables to impressionable young Americans. Jason, the American teen, travels through time and discovers that the bowstaff he found must be returned to its rightful owner: the Monkey King. An entourage of travelers join Jason in his quest, including a silent monk (Jet Li) and a scorned karate babe (Crystal Liu Yi Fei). In a good-natured, but not very effective attempt to find middle ground between Asian and American cultures, they teach him kung fu skills. Don’t worry, Jason will have a chance to practice these skills later on some bullies back home, a la The Karate Kid. These attempts to explain Chinese myths through flashbacks and highly stylized fantasy sequences bog down the film and make it clunky. Directed and written by Americans, The Forbidden Kingdom also seems to lack a genuine sense of understanding of these myths. But then again, it is a movie for kids. Sometimes the comic book version of classic story can be a good introduction for young ones.

For us not-kids, the film does succeed in presenting a view of the real China—the stark deserts, forests bathed in sunlight, and lush rice patties—that is as visually interesting as it is beautiful. The sets and costumes, as with many of the recent contributions to Chinese crossover films, are stunning. The special features of the DVD include featurettes that detail the production. From touring the gargantuan Chinese studio that encompassed many of their ornate sets to traversing the magnificent locales across the country where they shot, these short films are more interesting than the movie itself.

Ultimately, The Forbidden Kingdom will appeal to a younger audience with a familiarity and an existing love for this Hong Kong-styled kung fu film. But for everyone else, this movie moves slower than a turtle (one that is not teenaged, mutant, or a ninja).

—Drew Tewksbury
09.09.08

Legendary martial arts stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li come together onscreen for the first time ever in director Rob Minkoff's time-traveling take on the Monkey King fable that finds an American teen transported back to ancient China after wandering into a pawn shop and discovering the king's fighting stick. Once there, the adventurous teen joins an army of fierce warriors who have sworn to free their imprisoned king at all costs. In addition to appearing as the mythical Monkey King, Li assumes the role of a silent monk, and Chan appears in the role of kung fu master Lu Yan. Famed action choreographer Yuen Woo Ping presides over the fight sequences. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi