Karate Kid: Legends (2025)

​“Karate Kid: Legends” stars Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, Ben Wang, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Aramis Knight, Wyatt Oleff, and Ming-Na Wen.  Released on May 30, 2025, the film has a kung fu student joining forces with Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso to compete in a karate competition.

The film is directed by Jonathan Entwistle in his feature directorial debut.  Entwistle is known for creating and directing “The End of The F***ing World” and “I Am Not Okay With This”.  It is the sixth film in the Karate Kid franchise, serving as a direct sequel to the television series “Cobra Kai” and the 2010 remake.  Bullies can be a pain in the ass, especially when you’re at school or transferring to a new one.  They can pick on you based on your differences or just kick your butt for absolutely no reason to make themselves feel good.  Usually, the best way to handle the situation is to report it to an adult…unless one of them isn’t smart enough to take responsibility for a victim’s safety.  But, for moments like this, the way to make them leave you alone is to utilize karate to fight back in a tournament.  

This summed up the 1984 martial arts drama classic, “The Karate Kid,” which chronicled the coming-of-age journey of a teenager named Daniel LaRusso as he learned karate from a seemingly ordinary handyman to confront his bullies.  Regarding its cast, story, and thought-provoking themes, “The Karate Kid” became an instant classic that popularized karate and revitalized Pat Morita’s acting career.  It even spawned a franchise consisting of three sequels, a remake starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, which focuses on kung fu, and a recently concluded television series, “Cobra Kai,” which rekindled the rivalry between Daniel and his adversary, Johnny Lawrence.  However, despite the show concluding the story that began with the first film, that doesn’t mean Daniel’s legend has ended, as the original “Karate Kid” returns once more to assist another young victim of a bully’s harassment in this latest continuation of the iconic franchise.  But this time, he’s getting assistance from Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han, bringing the remake into the original’s universe despite it being seen as a separate reboot.  Are these two branches strong enough to form a sturdy cinematic tree?  Let’s find out.

The story occurs three years after the events of “Cobra Kai”.  It follows Li Fong (Wang), a young Chinese prodigy learning kung fu from his great-uncle, Mr. Han (Chan), who’s now a revered shifu of a kung fu school.  Following the death of his older brother, Li and his mother, Dr. Fong (Wen), transferred from China to New York City to provide a fresh start in their lives.  As Li struggles to fit into the city and his new school, he encounters a karate prodigy named Conor Day (Knight), who continuously harasses him with his underground-style karate.  To confront this predicament, Mr. Han seeks the help of Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), a former karate teacher, to re-teach Li martial arts in preparation for an upcoming tournament.

“The Karate Kid” is one of the franchises that offer intriguing elements to the universe, despite its stories offering diminishing returns, especially in its sequels.  I was on and off with watching “The Karate Kid”, but when I do revisit these movies occasionally, they’re chock-full of fun and charm that convey their themes of bullying, karate, and self-esteem.  I even enjoyed the “Karate Kid” remake, even though calling it “Karate Kid” despite its focus on kung fu was one of the most questionable choices Hollywood has made.  Sure, they’re both styles of martial arts, but their styles and philosophies are far from similar.  Regardless, it’s one of the only films that made me realize Jackie Chan can pack a dramatic punch as effectively as his stunts.  As for “Cobra Kai”, it certainly has its moments, particularly with the return of original stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, as well as the impressive young actors like Xolo Maridueña and Peyton List.  However, by its sixth and final season, I had fallen off the show due to the characters making a few narrative choices that prolonged the confrontation unnecessarily.  Regardless, its refreshing perspective on Johnny Lawrence, relatable themes, and character development in the previous seasons was good enough to consider it a solid continuation of the “Karate Kid” legacy.

This brings me to the latest “Karate Kid” adventure, which unites the nostalgia of the franchise with new blood attempting to continue this legacy.  The term “Legends” partially comes from Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso, who’s been the franchise’s key role since the first film in 1984, so it makes sense that there can’t be a “Karate Kid” without the original “Karate Kid”.  Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han only appeared in the “Karate Kid” remake, which may not be enough to call this character a legend in the franchise.  However, it did grant people’s wishes for a continuation of the remake’s story, although Jaden Smith seemed to have retired from his kung fu days to focus on his music career.  Despite that, I was pretty stoked about seeing Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio grace the screen together alongside the new “Karate Kid”, but what matters is whether its story can perform a crane kick gracefully to warrant this unification.  

The story in “The Karate Kid” is as straightforward as it sounds.  A teenager moves into a new place, falls in love with a girl, gets beaten up by bullies, learns karate from an experienced master, and stands up to the bullies at a tournament; end of story.  This narrative exemplifies a traditional underdog story that critically examines the diverse perspectives individuals hold regarding martial arts amid its sports cliches.  The bullies use it to harm others and bring dishonor to themselves, while others, like Daniel LaRusso, use it to promote peace and positive resolution.  It’s impressive to see people using martial arts techniques for stunts and defeating bad guys.  However, it’s also important to recognize that karate and kung fu can provide respect and tranquility for the mind and soul, especially when dealing with bullying or a tragic incident.  This topic has been one of the main branches that make this franchise as sturdy as a bonsai tree, and its latest installment, “Karate Kid: Legends,” succeeded in understanding this vital assignment.  However, when it comes to the execution of its narrative and pacing, it struck a “been there, done that” nerve, refraining from pulling any sentimental punches.  But that doesn’t make this latest butt-kicking installment any less fun.

So, what do I mean about “been there, done that,” you ask?  Basically, if you’ve seen “The Karate Kid” and the 2010 remake, you’ll know what to expect from “Legends”.  I would even dare myself to say that it’s the 2010 remake in reverse, with Li moving from Beijing to New York as opposed to Jaden Smith’s Dre moving from Detroit to Beijing.  The narrative closely resembled that of the two aforementioned films and other similar sports dramas, resulting in numerous predictable moments within the franchise's established underdog formula.  However, it did offer some differences to help it hold its ground against the other installments, with one being that Li already had experience with kung fu upon moving to New York.  The other is Li using his techniques to train a former boxer-turned-pizzeria owner, Victor Lipani (Jackson), who is also the father of his love interest, Mia (Stanley).  This moment not only provided a refreshing direction in the "Karate Kid" storyline but also emphasized the concept of boxing as another legitimate and valuable form of martial arts.  Besides those elements, though, It’s obviously “The Karate Kid” again with a New York aesthetic plastered all over the place.  It’s a formula that’s been the staple of the franchise since 1984, and it continues to be present here, for better or worse.

Giving credit where it’s due, Rob Lieber’s screenplay did provide some good ideas to keep the film from being a straight-up carbon copy of the original, mainly its themes.  Amid its familiarity, “Legends” examines Li as a troubled teen who’s internally haunted by the death of his older brother, resulting in his trauma and Dr. Fong forbidding Li from practicing kung fu.  This reflects the movie’s profound perspective on martial arts, illustrating that these techniques are not only used as methods of combat but also as pathways for healing from grief and achieving inner peace.  The movie also explores the significance of sharing and understanding cultural traditions, highlighting Li's mentoring of Victor, as well as Daniel and Han’s distinct martial arts methods.  Of course, we can’t forget about the aspects of bullying because let’s face it.  We’ve all grown sick and tired of people harassing others with violence.  These themes were the branches given to make “Legends” into a respectable bonsai tree, but regarding its execution, it may not be robust enough to provide a storytelling balance.

Jonathan Entwistle, known for his work on television, was an unusual choice to helm a film involving martial arts action, especially one featuring Jackie Chan.  While I haven’t seen any of Entwistle’s works, it still left me concerned about how he’ll approach this topic, as television directors for feature films tend to be hit-and-miss depending on their vision.  Unfortunately, upon watching Entwistle’s direction in action, some of my concerns were addressed through his basic and uneven approach to the thematic content, narrative, and violence.  One reason was the pacing, which provided snappy reflexes that were quick enough to block even the simplest of punches.  Clocking in at 94 minutes, the film is fast-paced and swiftly maneuverable, with Dana E. Glauberman’s editing matching the liveliness and kinetic flair of New York City.  While it’s quick enough to grab my attention, it also comes with the cost of its story and character moments feeling rushed and underdeveloped, including Li’s relationship with his mother and Li’s rivalry with Conor.  While Artemis Knight did a suitable job conveying Conor’s bullying nature, the character didn’t quite pose a formidable enough threat for Li to conquer, given his one-dimensional arc.  The pacing also applies to the “Lilo & Stitch” remake, in which both movies focus on keeping the audience’s attention rather than utilizing their fast-paced momentum to tell a good and well-constructed story.  Fortunately, “Legends” got the upper hand by invoking as much charisma and humor as it could into these rushed but heartfelt scenarios.  But, even if that’s the case, its messy pacing didn’t provide the film enough time to explore its story elements gracefully, resulting in its emotional depth whiffing more than they connect with its punches.

The other is the martial arts action, which was one of the main reasons why “Karate Kid” is still popular, even in today’s times.  With the film being as fast-paced as Li’s kung fu, it made sense for the violence to be just as swift as the movie’s narrative flow.  Unsurprisingly, the action scenes were just as entertaining and engaging as the previous installments, mainly due to the martial arts choreography and Jackie Chan’s amusing stunt displays.  Sadly, the only things holding them back from greatness were the rapid-fire editing and zoom-in shots that made some of those scenes a bit disorienting.  I understand that “Karate Kid” was supposed to be a family-friendly franchise, but I should also remind you that “Legends” is the first installment to receive a PG-13 rating, with the previous movies having PG ratings.  So, it should be okay to display the action fully without cutting away the impact multiple times with the editing, but I guess they didn’t get the memo.  I also think that I became so attached to action scenes being made through still framework and little to no editing that I’m starting to see other movies using shaky cam and snappy editing as inferior.  I wouldn’t say that Entwistle’s feature directorial debut was a complete disaster since he handled the charismatic and stylish appeal of its presentation pretty well, especially the Five Boroughs Tournament with its videogame-like graphics.  However, regarding everything else involving its thematic narrative and emotional heft, he still has some more training to complete if he wants to rise to the next level of cinematic direction.

Much of the film’s enduring charm and enjoyability stemmed from its cast, which included some familiar faces as well as some new talent entering the ring.  Ben Wang was chosen to be the next “Karate Kid” after appearing in several supporting roles in film and television, as well as in the main lead role in the “American Born Chinese” series, which I still haven't watched yet.  I’ve only known Wang from the Disney+ movie, “Chang Can Dunk,” where he plays the protagonist’s best friend, Bo.  So, I could say it’s enough for me to see if Wang was up to the task of carrying this legacy for Daniel LaRusso, especially since the film’s focus is solely on Li instead of the real “Karate Kid”.  Fortunately, he managed to pull off a suitably compelling crane kick to my heart, and I mean that in a good way.  Embodying the appeal and heart of Li’s character arc through his acting skills, Ben Wang effectively portrayed the new kung fu student in a manner that parallels Ralph Macchio's portrayal of Daniel in the 1984 film.  His endearing performance as Li was enough for me to keep a close eye on his rising career, as he’s set to star in the upcoming film adaptation of “The Long Walk” this fall.  Jackie Chan also delivered a performance that’s as charismatic and fun as his previous roles, particularly in his portrayal of Mr. Han.  However, I still prefer his version of Han in the 2010 remake due to Chan’s surprisingly good dramatic chops.  Of course, I can’t forget about the one and only Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso.  Despite only appearing in the movie’s second half, Macchio still manifested the heart and soul of the original “Karate Kid” through his performance and irresistible chemistry with Chan to compensate for his half-baked arc.  Seeing Chan and Macchio together was more than enough to excuse most of its narrative trappings and pacing issues, providing some feel-good and even amusing entertainment in the process.  Also, stay for the mid-credit scene for another nostalgic treat.

Overall, “Karate Kid: Legends” crane-kicked its way to the enjoyability charts despite not reaching the similar heights of the karate-infused legacy it carries.  With a new young lead and a fresh director at the helm, there was plenty to be concerned about whether this branch was capable enough to hold the franchise together.  Fortunately, upon watching “Legends”, some of my concerns gradually dissipated due to how surprisingly enjoyable it turned out despite its flaws.  Granted, it’s not a perfect continuation of the “Karate Kid” legacy, falling just shy of the storytelling quality that originated from the original and even the first couple of seasons of “Cobra Kai”.  However, it still delivered enough moments of compelling charisma and heart in its cast, fast-paced action, and themes to honor some of the franchise’s traditional underdog elements.  The direction toward the pacing and average screenplay could’ve been more firm in the film’s emotional grasp.  Besides that, it’s a tolerable follow-up that punches more in its entertainment values than it does in its “been there, done that” narrative.

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