Karate Kid: Legends (2025)
Karate Kid: Legends swings back into the ring with a fresh face, a few old friends, and a story that’s as familiar as your favourite takeaway order. The film follows Li Fong, a kung fu prodigy uprooted from Beijing to New York, where he’s forced to navigate a new school, a budding romance, and the not-so-small matter of a local karate champion with a chip on his shoulder. With the help of his former master Mr Han (Jackie Chan) and the legendary Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), Li sets his sights on the Five Boroughs Tournament, hoping to find his place and maybe, just maybe, heal some old wounds. Don’t worry—no spoilers here, just the promise of a few well-placed kicks and a dash of nostalgia.
The film’s historical and cultural context is a bit of a patchwork quilt, stitching together the legacy of the original Karate Kid films, the 2010 reboot, and the Cobra Kai series. There’s a genuine attempt to bridge East and West, kung fu and karate, old and new. The opening nod to the origins of Miyagi-Do karate, tracing its roots back to a Chinese ancestor, is a clever touch, even if it feels a tad rushed. The movie wants to honour its past while carving out something new, but it sometimes trips over its own feet trying to do both.
Plot-wise, you won’t find many surprises. Boy meets girl, girl’s ex is a menace, and there’s a tournament looming on the horizon. The subplot involving Li’s family tragedy and his mother’s struggle to keep him away from martial arts adds some emotional heft, but it’s resolved so quickly you might miss it if you blink. The film’s biggest misstep is its pacing. At just 90 minutes, it’s all montages and quick cuts, barely giving the characters room to breathe. The final tournament, which should be the emotional crescendo, feels like it’s on fast-forward. You’re left wanting more—more time with the characters, more weight to their choices, more space for the story to land.
The themes of mentorship, redemption, and finding your own path are all present and accounted for, but they’re painted in broad strokes. The tone is warm and earnest, with a few splashes of humour courtesy of Jackie Chan, who still knows how to steal a scene with a raised eyebrow or a well-timed pratfall. There’s a sweetness to the film’s message about family, friendship, and second chances, even if it sometimes gets lost in the shuffle.
When it comes to acting, Ben Wang as Li Fong brings a likeable earnestness to the role, even if he’s saddled with dialogue that’s a bit on the nose. Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio are the real drawcards, and their scenes together have a lived-in charm. Chan’s Mr Han is equal parts wise and weary, while Macchio’s Daniel is as endearingly awkward as ever. Joshua Jackson, as Victor Lipani, injects some much-needed energy, especially in his scenes with Sadie Stanley’s Mia. Aramis Knight’s Conor Day is your standard-issue bully, all sneers and swagger, but he’s missing the layers that made Johnny Lawrence so memorable. Ming-Na Wen, as Li’s mother, does a lot with limited screen time, grounding the film’s more melodramatic moments.
Direction by Jonathan Entwistle keeps things moving, sometimes a little too briskly. The fight choreography is sharp and kinetic, though the decision to throw in video game-style graphics during some of the early bouts is a head-scratcher. It’s as if the film is trying to be hip with the kids, but ends up feeling a bit try-hard. Thankfully, the big fights are shot with more restraint, letting the action speak for itself. The cinematography is serviceable, with a few nice flourishes—Li’s rooftop training sessions, for example, have a lovely sense of place, even if the New York skyline looks suspiciously clean.
Production design is solid, if unremarkable. The pizzeria where much of the action unfolds is cosy and lived-in, and the tournament arena has just enough glitz to feel important. Special effects are minimal, which is a blessing—this is a story that works best when it stays grounded. The use of colour is mostly muted, save for the occasional splash of red or gold during the tournament scenes, which helps them pop.
Editing is where the film stumbles most. The story zips from scene to scene, rarely pausing to let a moment land. The sheer number of montages is almost comical—by the third training sequence, you might start to wonder if the editor was paid by the cut. Dialogue is functional, with the occasional zinger, but there’s little in the way of memorable lines. The banter between Chan and Macchio is a highlight, though, and you can tell they’re having fun.
The soundtrack is a mix of old-school anthems and contemporary beats, but nothing really stands out. It does the job, but you won’t be humming any tunes on your way out of the cinema. Visual effects are used sparingly, mostly to punch up the action, and they’re never distracting.
What resonated most was the film’s heart. Even when the story feels rushed or the characters undercooked, there’s an earnestness that’s hard to resist. The best moments are the quiet ones—Li and his mother sharing a meal, Mr Han and Daniel reminiscing about their own journeys, Mia encouraging Li to keep fighting. These scenes hint at a deeper, richer story that’s just out of reach.
On the flip side, the film’s worst habit is its reluctance to slow down. With so many new faces and old favourites jostling for attention, nobody gets quite enough time in the spotlight. The final act, in particular, feels like a mad dash to the finish line, with emotional beats landing only because the music swells and the camera lingers for half a second longer than usual.
If you’re a fan of the franchise, there’s enough here to make you smile—a few clever callbacks, a couple of cameos, and the simple pleasure of seeing Chan and Macchio share the screen. If you’re new to the world of Miyagi-Do, you might find yourself wishing for a bit more depth, a bit more time to care.
All told, Karate Kid: Legends is a serviceable addition to the series. It’s got heart, a few laughs, and some well-staged fights, but it never quite rises above the level of a pleasant diversion. If you’re after a breezy, nostalgia-tinged martial arts flick, you could do worse. Just don’t expect to be swept off your feet.