Review of The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) by Tom R — 10 Aug 2012

(5 Stars) The Forbidden Kingdom is the Jackie Chan/Jet Li collaboration we've all been waiting for. It's epic and wonderful. The fight scenes are very engaging, eloquently choreographed, and never let up; they're easily the best part of the movie, but there's also a good story to back it up. The American main character (Michael Angarano) is likable; you would think they would make him a shrieking buffoon who doesn't know what he's doing, like Sam Witwicky from the Transformers films. But we're on the ride with him and he doesn't spend the movie mugging at the camera or failing to be cool. Jackie Chan as the drunkard Lu Yan and Jet Li as the Monkey King are very funny. Their first fight scene is amazing and it's not even the climax of the film.

There are a couple twists near the end of the movie that were simple, but I love that. You could argue that the story is also simple, but it's an homage to the simply-told kung fu action cinema with its gravity-defying fight scenes and references to ancient Chinese culture. Actually, it's more of a love letter to the genre. The soundtrack is epic and I love looking at this film... whether it's a warlord's castle or the beautiful Chinese countryside, I can't get enough of the alluring visuals. Few movies make me want to watch it again after I've seen it, but The Forbidden Kingdom is one of them. I hope they make more of Jackie Chan/Jet Li movies. I remember being so excited when they announced this film and that excitement held up even as the credits rolled. It's one of my personal and beloved favorites.