Respectable remake of the classic film of the same name, The Karate Kid is an entertaining, fun film for the entire family. The movie was enjoyable, but there were many things that I didn't like. The choice of the lead actor being Jaden Smith was questionable and I found him more annoying than anything. I personally feel that another actor could have played his part. I mean really, the kid's acting is horrible. A performance that really stood out for me was that of Jackie Chan, I really am not a fan of his work, and he was wonderful here. He finally was able to make a good film after a few years doing bad ones. The fight scenes are great, very well done and intense as well. Although the film suffers from the usual remake aspects, such as not being able to capture the essence of the original, this is still a good flick, and it is very entertaining, but the original is far better. The direction is good, but never great, and the plot does leave a lot for improvement. I really liked the fact that the film was set in China, and it added an authentic flavor to the Karate Kid, which is what stands out the most about the film. Overall this is a fun, worthwhile film that succeeds just enough where most remakes fail. Even with all its flaws, the film does have an important message, standing up for yourself, and it makes you feel good as the lead character gets even by defining himself and defeating his bully in a karate tournament. Even with Smith's annoying performance, the film has enough good elements to make it worth seeing.

Jaden Smith proves that he can act in this modern remake of the 1980's classic film. With an unusually dramatic (but excellent) performance from Jackie Chan, and an always fantastic Taraji P. Henson, The Karate Kid will please fans of the original and newcomers alike. The cinematography is superb, showcasing rural and modern China. By the end, The Karate Kid had me nearly on my feet cheering. A worth remake of the original, and a riveting, suspenseful crowd-pleaser.