The Foreboding Kingdom
I had the distinct displeasure of watching The Forbidden Kingdom this past week. The displeasure is that I had such high hopes for it... I mean, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and Yuen Woo-ping working together on the same flick... wow. Well, ugh.
So, let's look at the major elements:
The last scene in which I referenced The Wizard of Oz was something like this... he's learned fighting from two ancient masters, saved a land from evil domination, and gets told by the Jade Emperor that he could have anything he wants. His reply is, "I just want to go home".
I found myself thinking... just click your ruby slippers together three times, Dorothy...
So, let's look at the major elements:
- A white kid gets something of mystical value from a Chinatown pawn shop (Gremlins)
- He's transported to a mystical land (The Wizard of Oz)
- He has to learn martial arts from a wise Southeast-Asian teacher (The Karate Kid, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Kill Bill, etc)
- There's a scene which Jackie Chan is guiding him through the fighting (Rush Hour)
- A whole bunch of very well choreographed and well shot fighting (anything by Yuen Woo-ping)
- A person he cares for is mortally wounded, and needs an enchanted drink of immortality to save him (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)
- His love interest dies tragically near the end of the movie (The Matrix Revolutions)
- He completes his mission, and is transported back to his own land (The Wizard of Oz)
- He stands up to and defeats a bigger opponent by using his (now) superior martial-arts skills (The Karate Kid)
The last scene in which I referenced The Wizard of Oz was something like this... he's learned fighting from two ancient masters, saved a land from evil domination, and gets told by the Jade Emperor that he could have anything he wants. His reply is, "I just want to go home".
I found myself thinking... just click your ruby slippers together three times, Dorothy...
I looked at the movie briefly again, more to let a friend see the martial arts of Jet Li and Jackie Chan towards the beginning of the film, and noticed something that I'd not before... when the Jason Tripitikas character is being harassed by the bully referenced above, the pawn shop owner is referred to a couple times by an ethnic slur. I positively just don't get it. Imagine a parent of Chinese-American decent taking their kid to see the flick, and having to deal with that.
Awful, simply awful.
Hey bro, love this post...very funny and very informative. You always keep me laughing, and learning, with every post you make. I miss you since you are so far away but at least this allows me to feel closer to you!
Posted by Aram Sohigian on May 24, 2008 at 12:02 AM HKT #
Speaking of movies that fail: The new Indiana Jones movie is supposed to be quite bad. It sounds as if there is no story line or character development. Then again, this is a George Lucas movie and we saw how limited the character development was in the last 3 Star Wars films. I wonder if anyone has ever lost move ability to write character development than Lucas did between the first 3 Star Wars movies and the last 3. On top of that, the acting was very bland and boring.
Alternatively, I watched La Vie en Rose and found it to be amazing and moving. It had great character development, a great story line, and great acting. It didn't need special effects (other than makeup) and we need more movies like this. Hollywood movie companies seem to part of the dumbing down of America and I refuse to be involved in it.
Posted by Aram Sohigian on May 25, 2008 at 12:33 AM HKT #
Actually, Indy was great! I smiled or laughed all the way through it. Just the right amount of new stuff, whilst paying homage to the old. Fantastic. I'd definitely see the next one.
Posted by Robs on June 03, 2008 at 08:55 PM HKT #