THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM
US, 2008, 113 minutes, Colour.
Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Michael Angorano, Yifei Liu, Collin Chou.
Directed by Rob Minkoff.
Kung Fu Panda would have martial arts appeal to children’s audiences. The Forbidden Kingdom has a similar kind of story but is geared towards the teenage audience (and is not as funny!).
There is huge marquee value in having Jackie Chan and Jet Li together in a Kung Fu movie and they live up to their appeal. Jackie Chan is not as young as he used to be and, while he does get into the action, and vigorously, he plays the master role this time. Jet Li did announce his retirement from these films a year or two ago, but obviously he has been persuaded to come out fighting one more time.
After a prologue with Li as the Monkey King, the Great Sage, clashing with foes, we are in South Boston where a group of vicious toughs are threatening young Jason (Michael Angareno) and assaulting the old Chinese man who owns a shop with souvenirs, combat DVDs and so on (Jackie Chan again). Then, suddenly, we are in a very picturesque China, mountains, valleys and deserts where a bewildered Jason cannot communicate with anyone until he encounters a drinking warrior who turns out to be an immortal (Jackie Chan). They team up with a monk warrior (Jet Li) and a young girl out for vengeance against the war lord who has killed her parents.
Jason has to do lots and lots of backbreaking training – with both master and monk training him. Eventually, they reach the war lord’s kingdom and battles, many battles (with athletic martial choreography) ensue. There is also a female villain, young but with white hair (which itself is at times quite lethal).
A PG action film and a chance to see Chan and Li together.
1.The appeal of the martial arts? The tradition of Chinese and Hong Kong martial arts films? The two stars? Working together? Drawing on Chinese myths and stories?
2.The target audience, the young audience, able to identify with Jason? For Chinese audiences, Americans, worldwide?
3.The beauty of the Chinese locations, the mountains, villages, the deserts? The interiors of palaces? The contrast with Boston, the slums, the streets, the shop? The musical score?
4.The title, the focus on the Monkey King, the Jade Emperor? The Jade Warlord? The Immortals? The adaptation of the Chinese stories to the present – and to the American sensibility?
5.The opening, the introduction of the Monkey King, the fight? Jason waking? At home, his room, the martial arts posters, going to the shop, the DVDs, old Hop? Encountering the bullies, their confrontation, hitting him? Persuading him to go to the shop? The robbery, the shooting? Blaming himself? The importance of the golden staff and old Hop wanting him to get it back to its rightful place?
6.Jason, waking up, his robes, in China, difficulties with language, the encounter with Lu Yan, drunk, drunken kung-fu style? The battle? The talk, the journey?
7.The encounter with the silent monk? His mission? Accompanying them on their journey? The monk and Lu Yan, antagonism?
8.The confrontations, the pursuing soldiers, the fights and the choreography of the stunt work?
9.The training of Jason, arduous, repetitious, the role of the monk, the role of Lu Yan, the role of Golden Sparrow? Ultimate success?
10.The two masters, their clashing, beginning to understand, becoming friends, Lu Yan and his drinking, the silent monk not drinking?
11.The Golden Sparrow, her story, the death of her parents, her motivations, joining them on the quest, her intentions for revenge, the discussions about vengeance?
12.The white-haired witch, her mission, the attack, the fights, wanting the elixir of life? The clash with Jason and fighting with him? The clash with Lu Yan? The entanglement of her hair, over the side of the wall, the falling to her death?
13.The staff, Jason and his concern, going to the palace on his own, captured by the Jade Warlord, the confrontation, his being set up to fight the white-haired witch? The choreography of the fight?
14.The build-up to the clash, the battles, the Monkey King and his being restored, the Jade Warlord and his death?
15.The appearance of the Jade Emperor, the Monkey King, Lu Yan becoming one of the Immortals?
16.The return to Boston, the ambulance, old Hop going to hospital, the young girl (the same actress as the Golden Sparrow), her looking at Jason? The confrontation with the bullies, Jason and his skills, the others running away, the collapse of the main bully? Jason and his sense of achievement and his future?
