|
The Forbidden Kingdom****
I HAVE another confession this week. I love kung fu movies! So I may be a bit biased about The Forbidden Kingdom which stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li, well directed by Rob Minkoff. It’s fast paced, wall-to-wall action, excellent special effects (SFX) and stunts all the way through, with a script that injects many humorous moments. A young man working in a shop in Boston, USA, witnesses a robbery by a gang of punks who beat up the elderly owner. The gang then threatens and beats up the young man who can’t defend himself, even though he’s still clutching a curious staff he’d been admiring in the shop and fancies himself as a kung fu fighter. While lying semi-conscious on the ground the young man goes through a "portal" and finds himself in ancient China, still with the staff. Great interest is shown in him and the staff and he’s told the story of the staff, and that he’s been chosen to return it to its rightful owners. He’s also told about the legend of the Monkey King, who is the joker in the pantheon of the Chinese gods and the Jade warlord, who is a real "baddie". Another "baddie" turns out to be a witch who wears one of the worst wigs I’ve ever seen. A sort of greyish-lavender, it does not fit properly and shows the actress’s real hair underneath. The film’s hairdresser should be shot! The young man sets out on his journey and meets all sorts of adventures along the way. This is where the story becomes complicated and I had to concentrate hard to unravel it all. Unfortunately Chan who had a hand in the scripting went a bit overboard. The story in unnecessarily complex in places. The film is fun to watch but Jet Li (The Monkey King) has become decidedly pudgy and is no longer the beautiful, athletic young man he was although his comedy timing is good and his acting has improved. I award four stars as I’m taking one off for that atrocious wig and convoluted story. By Susan Hains
 |
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form