“Karate Kid: Legends” really likes to tell her audience that these are two branches of the same tree. In the universe, it refers to Kung-Fu that Mr. Han de Jackie Chan and Karate that Mr. Miyagi de Pat Morita used to practice. In reality, however, this can also apply to “Karate Kid: Legends” being a story of two films in disagreement with each other. The first film is a fantastic reconstruction of the “Karate Kid” formula and tropes, the holder child becoming a teacher rather than being a student.
This helps Ben Wang is a very good lead. He portrays his character, Li Fong, like a relatable and charismatic outsider with a painful past that you cannot help with us. And yet, he is not completely defenseless, because for the first time, the protagonist of a title “Karate Kid” already has knowledge in martial arts at the start of history. This is a unique character in the franchise. This gives him more confidence, allowing him to form a fascinating mentor-mentor relationship with the owner of the local pizza Victor (Joshua Jackson). As a suite of “The Karate Kid” from 2010, the film makes a funny continuation of Mr. Han’s story, which is the funniest part of the film thanks to his eccentric ways Shifu and his Badass Martial Arts displays (as only Jackie Chan could do it).
The big problem lies in the second film in “Legends”, it is when it unites the two branches of the “Karate Kid” property and brings the world of “Karate Kid” 2010 to that of the original film of 1984 by presenting Daniel Larusso by Ralph Macchio. The meeting of Mr. Han and Daniel was by far the biggest argument for the sale of film marketing, but it is also what is most harmony in the film (and the serious lack of Dre Parker by Jaden Smith).
Daniel Larusso does a little more than a glorified cameo in Karate Kid: Legends
The problem with the appearance of Daniel in “Karate Kid: Legends” is that it seems useless. Fans of “Karate Kids” have spent the last six years watching the character overcome personal problems, finally overcoming his rivalry with Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and helping defeat Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) once and for all on the series “Cobra Kai”. In comparison, its role in “Legends” mainly represents little more than a glorified cameo.
In addition, if you completely delete Daniel, “Karate Kid: Legends” would be a much tighter story and a better film as a whole.
The reason is simple. We only really see Daniel about two-thirds in the execution of the film, how much he joins as a co-teacher in the head of the Big Karate tournament at the end of the film. Even then, Daniel has no connection with Li and not much in terms of wisdom to transmit. (This task is addressed to Mr. Han.) Indeed, each turn of “Karate Kid: Legends”, Daniel is surpassed by his Kung-Fu counterpart with regard to action scenes, charisma and depth of character. The film does not try to explore Daniel’s life outside of him to help teach karate, even less what is happening with him personally at this stage. Mr. Han, on the other hand, has a significant link with Li, being both his great-uncle and Shifu. He immediately recognizes that the martial arts tournament required from the film is not only an economic opportunity to help the friends of Li, but it is also something that Li must do to overcome his feelings of guilt and sorrow on the tragic death of his brother.
If you looked at “Cobra Kai”, then Daniel’s reluctance to train Li and the joy he obtains by broadcasting the teachings of Miyagi appears to be redundant and hollow, since he has already crossed all of this on the six seasons of the Netflix show (who “Karate Kid: Legends” barely recognizes). But even if you have not seen this jewel of a series, then Daniel has still done nothing to note in this film.
It was not necessary to connect the two halves of the Karate Kid franchise
Thus, Daniel has no prior connection with Li, and “Karate Kid: Legends” makes little effort to create a sensible bond between them, which means that Daniel and Mr. Han together in the same redundant film. Apart from certain fun moments when the two bicker about the best technique (which fans of “Karate Kid” have already seen a lot of “Cobra Kai”), the film is not winning anything by giving Li two teachers.
The first act of “Kara Kid: Legends”, where we see it teaching an old boxer of kung-fu movements and becoming a teacher rather than staying a student, is engaging and inventive. Even when we have to face another karate tournament, the Li background frame with his brother makes his journey convincing (not to mention, it’s simply fun to see Mr. Han being an eccentric badass of Kung-Fu). But do we really need to link the two halves of the “Karate Kid” universe together? Absolutely not. Apart from a cameo too bread at the very end of the film (undoubtedly the funniest scene of the whole film), there are no real links with “Cobra Kai” or even a recognition of the way in which the franchise “Karate Kid” has grown since 1984.
If the only connective tissue is that Daniel has made a brief trip of a week in New York at a random moment without affecting something else, why should fans of the two halves of the “Kid Karate” franchise be careful? Macchio is a good actor and has proven throughout “Cobra Kai” that there can be more to the character of Daniel Larusso other than his past as a former outsider. Unfortunately, we see none of this in “Karate Kid: Legends”.
“Karate Kid: Legends” now plays in theaters.
