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Karate Kid: Legends (2025)


Karate Kid: Legends follows a new student stepping into the martial arts world with Jackie Chan returning as Mr. Han, trying to pass the torch once more.

Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, best known for The End of the F**ing World*, the tone is strangely uneven. The movie can't decide if it wants to be a heartfelt coming-of-age story or a legacy sequel cash grab. The choreography is passable, but the film lacks the grit and discipline that made earlier entries resonate. It feels more like a corporate product than a passion project.

Jackie Chan, who once balanced comedy and heart in Rush Hour and The Karate Kid (2010), phones it in. The charm and wisdom he brought to Mr. Han over a decade ago are gone. He looks bored, says his lines like he's checking boxes, and barely engages with the story. It's a disappointing return for one of martial arts cinema's biggest legends.

Ben Wang, best known for American Born Chinese, plays the new Karate Kid. He’s got presence, but he’s not a martial artist, and it shows. The fights lack weight and precision. His emotional arc doesn’t feel earned, and you can sense the editing team working overtime to mask it. He’s not awful, just miscast for the demands of the role.

Sadie Stanley from Kim Possible and The Goldbergs plays the love interest, but there’s nothing behind the eyes. She’s undeniably beautiful and carries herself with confidence, but the romance feels tacked on. There's no chemistry, no buildup, and no real payoff. Just a subplot that takes up space.

The movie never finds its rhythm and feels more like a streaming filler than a worthy continuation of the Karate Kid legacy. Result: C-

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