THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is the much anticipated martial-arts fantasy boasting two of Hong Kong’s greats Jackie Chan and Jet Li.  I have grown up with the martial-arts Golden Harvest, Shaw and Cathay Organization flicks and the many references to the old classics (Jackie Chan reprising his drunken Master roles; numerous references to characters like Cheng Pei-Pei’s SB’s Golden Swallow films; the witch from THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR) bring up fond memories.  Imagine my surprise then when I got a screening at 10 a.m. on a Saturday morning.  Directed by Rob Minkoff (the two STUART LITTLE films), THE FORBIDDEN KINGDON is not that bad a film but it is catered towards teens.

The hero of the piece is a bullied teen (who undoubtedly kicks his antagonists’ buts at the clichéd ending) by the name of Jason (Michael Angarano).  His fondness for kung-fu brings him into contact of the legendary staff of the Monkey King (a still recognisable Jet Li in appropriate garb and make-up) though an old video store owner (Jackie Chan barely recognisable here.) The rest of the story is predictable and sometimes boring fare in which Jason undergoes training to save the world or rather, to save THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM.  Don’t expect too much gore or violence.  Minkoff tones all the fights down in a family suited film.  The romantic sub-plot between Jason and the Chinatown girl, the golden sparrow (YiFei Liu) is unnecessary.

The result is a film with a plot that no one really cares about.  The fight choreography is good enough, the camera placement appropriate, the CGI mildly impressive and the actors do their utmost best with the dismal script by John Fusco (he penned Disney’s HIDALGO).  One would expect more from the writer of THUNDERHEART, which he did a while back in 1992.  Rent any old Shaw Bothers videos (try THE GOLDEN SWALLOW and COME DRINK WITH ME – both Cheng Pei-Pei features with references in this film) for a better more exciting time.