‘Forbidden Kingdom’ preview

On April 18th, Jackie Chan and Jet Li will once again fight their way into the American box office, this time together. THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM marks the historic first onscreen pairing of these two screen-fighting legends in what looks to be an epic martial arts adventure that has it all.

I’m genuinely excited about this film. It looks gorgeous and the fantasy-tinged action from Yuen Wo-ping and his stunt team appears as dynamic as ever. I especially have strong faith in screenwriter John Fusco (HILDAGO) to have adapted “Journey to the West” into an accessible and entertaining adventure film that maintains respect for the source material and Chinese culture, while moving into a fresh and modern direction.

The film actually came about as a result of Jet Li’s relationship with Fusco, a long-time kung fu enthusiast who has trained with Li for a number of years. Part of their aim with this movie has been to shed new light on Chinese martial arts by taking elements of “Journey to the West” and restructuring them into a contemporary story that would register with a wider audience. Ultimately, viewers should not see this as simply a commercial exploitation of Chinese storytelling but as a whole new adventure with underlying themes supported by Li’s martial philosophies. In recent statements made by Li it is clear that he had a vested interest in this film, unlike his recent disappointing pairing with Jason Statham in WAR, a film he admitted to mentally writing off as a failure even during production.

The biggest gripe so far by genre fans is the presence of a Caucasian actor, New York native Michael A. Angarano, in the hero role while Li and Chan are relegated to mentor characters. I wasn’t initially keen on this idea either but having seen the trio in action I think it works very well. Fusco is playing on the dreams of many fans in the west. Honestly, how many of us have not projected ourselves into Jackie Chan or Jet Li’s kung fu shoes at one point or another, to dream of being a kung fu hero in China surrounded by exotic beauties? Kung fu movies have played a similar role to superhero comic books. They often provide us with an escape, to vicariously live the life of a martial arts master using his or her skills to battle injustice and evil. As an adult, it’s easy to forget and become fixated on the accuracy of a martial arts technique being performed or the way in which someone we idolize is portrayed.

Watching scenes of Jackie Chan doing his latest drunken master routine (see video clips below), it struck me that he’s now beginning to enter the phase of his life that the late, great Simon Yuen was in during SNAKE IN THE EAGLE’S SHADOW and DRUNKEN MASTER. This means that there is no reason for Chan or Li to turn their backs on the genre as they continue to age but rather to change their roles to suit their ages. In this way, THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM provides a perfect opportunity for them. The fantasy theme gives license for wirework to be used more liberally while the pressure is off of them to carry the film. It may be a little premature to say this but I hope this is the direction their careers continue to follow.

An intriguing aspect of THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is the alternate look at “Journey to the West,” a 16th century literary classic from Chinese scholar Wu Chengen. It’s a mythical story of how the mischievous Monkey King, along with his friends Pigsy and Sandy, are tasked with protecting a monk who travels to India to bring back Buddhist scriptures. The story was famously put into the MONKEY GOES WEST film trilogy by Shaw Brothers beginning in 1966 and later adapted by Stephen Chow for A CHINESE ODYSSEY (1994), a two-part comedic take on the legend. There have also been other film versions and numerous TV series, the most famous internationally being the Japanese-produced MONKEY series which ran from 1978-1980 and was aired in the U.K.

In this latest rendition of the legend, Fusco introduces a new fantasy twist, a sort of “Brooklyn Yankee in the Jade Emperor’s Court.” While scouring a pawnshop in New York’s Chinatown for bootleg kung fu movies, Jason (Angarano) makes a discovery that sends him back to ancient China. Jason is tasked with freeing the fabled warrior the Monkey King, who has been imprisoned by the Jade Emperor (Wang De-shun). He is joined in his quest by kung fu master Lu Yun (Jackie Chan) and a band of misfit warriors including Silent Monk (Jet Li). Jason’s only hope of succeeding in his mission and getting back home is in learning the true precepts of kung fu.

Talented screen-fighting star Collin Chou (MATRIX RELOADED) is the Jade Warlord, presumably a warrior in the Jade Emperor’s employ. There are also two fighting beauties, the Golden Sparrow, played by Crystal Liu Yifei and Ni Chang (Li Bing-bing), a white-haired female with talents akin to THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR.

Director Rob Minkoff’s THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is coming out in a year filled with high-profile adventure films from INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL to another Jet Li movie, THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR. Yet, it’s the only one with Jackie Chan and Jet Li trading blows for the first time and that alone makes this one worth watching. I have a feeling that viewers will discover a few more reasons before the curtain closes.

Check out these preview clips of THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM.

Respect Your Teachers

Drunken Master Fight

Cherry Blossom Battle

Escape on Horseback

Tags: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, upcoming, Videos