So the big question, for me at least, is where does this new movie fit in with the rest of the 'Karate Kid' franchise? Apparently this new movie takes place in the same universe as 'Cobra Kai' but simply happens at another time, not sure when. As for the 2010 'Karate Kid' remake with Jackie Chan, it seems as if that story is now also in the same universe, but presumably at another time again. So all these stories are occurring within the same universe at different times, it's up to someone to provide a timeline. Of course we all know the 2010 remake has been reconned into this when really it was supposed to be an entirely different franchise kickstarter.
Back to this new entry, what have we got? Well, it's the same old generic stuff, I'm afraid. Although it's hard to try and come up with something original for sure, but come on! So in Beijing, this kid, Li Fong (looks like a Hobbit), is moving to the US with his mum for a new job. Upon arriving within the US Fong quickly starts to become acquainted with American life. He gets to know the local area and meets a girl with whom he falls for. Alas this girl has an ex who doesn't like the fact she's now seeing another guy, despite the fact they've broken up. In a shocking twist that no one saw coming, the ex starts to bully Fong, which eventually forces him to enter a local martial arts competition to defeat this guy once and for all (although he really didn't need to). Luckily for Fong, his great-uncle Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) turns up to help him train, and for no reason whatsoever, so does Daniel LaRusso, because Karate Kid Cinematic Universe baby!
Okay so there's a bit more to this admittedly. Mr. Han runs a Kung-Fu school in Beijing where Fong trains, so they both know each other and Han arrives in the US to help due to lack of communication from Fong. Han drags LaRusso into the fold because he wants to train Fong in both Kung-Fu and Miyagi-Do karate. And of course Han knows Mr. Miyagi as their families go way back to a time when Han's ancestor taught Miyagi's Kung-Fu.
So here's the issue. Firstly, this plot is exactly the same as the original 'Karate Kid' movie from back in 1984 and pretty similar to the 2010 remake. This virtually feels like a soft reboot. Heck, they even have yet another dojo run by some maniac who is training the main bully character to be some kind of emotionless killer. We also don't get any background info on this guy and why he's like he is. He's just a low-key NYC mobster type, with thugs on hand, and he runs a dojo enabling him to create future thugs?
Secondly, there are sub-plots in this movie that are completely pointless and feel like padding. Fong's new girlfriend Mia works at a pizzeria run by her ex-boxer father. This guy owes money to the local New York thug who runs said local Kung-Fu dojo (where the bully also trains). To pay back this debt Fong agrees to train him so he can fight in one match against the thugs' opponent. He loses, gets injured badly (in typical 1988 'Bloodsport' fashion), and that's that, end of sub-plot. I'm not even sure if the money ever got paid back.
The fact that Mr. Han travels all the way to LA just to get LaRusso to come and train Fong also seems kinda ridiculous. It just screams of nostalgia bait in order to drag the LaRusso character back into the franchise. I'm not even really sure why Han needed to come to America in the first place! Just because he wasn't getting any calls? Really? Speak to his mother maybe?
Lastly, Fong's mother hires a personal tutor for him at one point, not a teacher, someone the same age (oddly). But yet again this little plot addition seems completely pointless. There is no reason for this character at all, he literally adds nothing, a truly bizarre decision. Plus there was also this tiny backstory about Fong's brother getting killed after a competition, in revenge, by his opponent. This being a rather weak way in giving Fong some emotional baggage for crucial scenes; but in the end it just felt unnecessary and terribly cliche. And speaking of pointless, there's a Johnny Lawrence cameo right at the end which is once again, you guessed it, completely pointless. Clearly it's just there for the 'Cobra Kai' watchers. It also looked weirdly as if Lawrence and LaRusso were partners living together in this one scene.
So end of the day this was...fine (shrugging emoji right here). Half the plot is cliche, the other half is pointless and goes nowhere. The REAL question is now, will the new character Conor Day get his own redemption TV series as Johnny Lawrence did? Karate Kid Cinematic Universe baby!
5/10
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