The 2010 Karate Kid was technically a remake, but now it’s a sequel, as this new high-kicking martial arts drama marries it to the original franchise by the simple expedient of sticking Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan in the same movie. Hey, we’ll take it.
How to watch Karate Kid: Legends in New Zealand
Karate Kid: Legends is currently screening in New Zealand cinemas.
What is Karate Kid: Legends about?
Sticking pretty close to the established formula (ain’t broke, right?), Karate Kid: Legends sees teenager Li Fong, newly arrived in New York City from Beijing with his doctor mother, run afoul of a karate-kickin’ bully. But he’s no n00b—his uncle is Mr Han (Jackie Chan), a revered kung fu sifu.
Mr Han dutifully fronts up in NYC to train Li for the mandatory climactic tournament, but here’s the thing: it’s a karate tournament, not a kung fu tournament. No worries, Mr Han has a solution: bring in original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) to upskill the kid’s head-kicking skills. You know how these things go, and you’re either already in the bag or not.
The cast of Karate Kid: Legends
Jackie Chan is Mr. Han, reprising his role from the 2010 film; Ralph Macchio is Daniel LaRusso, back from the original trilogy and the Cobra Kai Netflix series; Ben Wang is Li Fong, with Marco Zhang as a young Li Fong; Sadie Stanley is Mia Lipani, Li’s love interest; Joshua Jackson as Victor Lipani, Mia’s father, which makes us feel older than seeing a middle-aged Ralph Macchio, tbh; Ming-Na Wen is Dr. Fong, Li’s mother; Aramis Knight is Conor Day, Li’s rival; Wyatt Oleff is Alan, Li’s tutor and friend; Shaunette Renée Wilson is Ms. Morgan, Li’s teacher in New York; Tim Rozon is O’Shea, a loan shark Victor owes money to, and also Conor’s sensei (uh oh…). Plus, Pat Morita appears as Mr. Miyagi in archival footage, and William Zabka gets a cameo as Johnny Lawrence.
Karate Kid: Legends trailer
Why we’re excited about Karate Kid: Legends
Fory years ago an entire generation watched Ralph Macchio crane-kick William Zabka in the head, and we’ve never been quite the same. We’re just migrating geese following an impulse we can’t hope to understand—an ancient instinct that compels us to watch yet another bullied kid mop the floor with his oppressor.
