Following some first official images, Columbia Pictures has released the first trailer for The Karate Kid (formerly titled The Kung Fu Kid), the remake of the classic ’80s movie. The film stars Jaden Smith (son of megastar, Will Smith) as Dre Parker who, because of work pressure for his single mother, moves to China and soon thereafter comes up against a bully. His misfortune catches the eye of Mr. Han (read: this new version’s Mr. Myagi), played by Jackie Chan. Mr. Han then teaches young Dre karate, presumably in order to defend himself.
There’s been much negative fan reaction to this Karate Kid remake, some people citing Jaden Smith playing the lead role as their problem, others just generally hating the idea of remaking such a classic movie that a lot of people hold dearly from their childhoods (myself included). This trailer starts out alright, but the further it gets into it, particularly when that annoying and cliched rap music kicks in, the more it looks very “blah” to me.
I won’t say anymore for now, check it out for yourself, courtesy of Yahoo below.
You can watch the trailer in HD over at Yahoo.
Well, I must admit it doesn’t look as wretchedly awful as some (myself included) were expecting it to be – but it doesn’t completely squash my apprehensions about it, either. I hate that they’ve thrown in a hip-hop feel (whatever that means 
) and the more grown-up (since The Pursuit of Happyness) Jaden Smith doesn’t have the instant likability and charisma to pull off the role, particularly to make those few lines he utters in that trailer seem cool, something I imagine was the intention.
Perhaps the biggest mistake made about this project (apart from giving the it the greenlight ) was getting Harald Zwart to direct it. Why’s that? Well, he was responsible for the Pink Panther sequel with Steve Martin, as well as Agent Cody Banks with Frankie “Malcolm in the Middle” Muniz (ouch on both accounts). Of all the directors they could have chosen, I have no idea why they went for Zwart. It’s almost as if they wanted to give themselves a challenge!
Anyway, enough from me, what are YOUR thoughts on our first proper look at The Karate Kid remake? Does the trailer inspire confidence that it may be decent? Or does it confirm previous suspicions that it’s going to suck, muddying the legacy of the original Karate Kid?
The Karate Kid is set to kick its way into theaters on June 11th, 2010.
Sources: Yahoo (thanks to Cinemablend)
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I think I need to have a looking at The Karate Kid remake. People love the classical one. So the remake needs time testing. business directory |jobs|latex mattress
Remakes are pointless, at least with the originals, other generations have a glimpse of the past, with the soundtrack and the way things looked back then, etc.
if you want the current generation to watch karate kid, then just buy them a dvd of the original or make them watch it on tv, or record it on your vhs.
why the hell hollywood makers have to remake it with a completely inaccurate title and misleading story? they spend millions of dollars making crap, what a waste of time and money, they should just feed the world with food instead of crap incorrect movies. Are they really so stupid?
I can imagine all the karate masters from Japan cringing from the thought of this movie. Before you are quick to make any smart comments again you should study the differences between gung fu and karate. kiai and chi are what you should look at also. The makers of this movie to me seem so ignorant, it’s pathetic. Poor Mr. Miyagi.
Why why why?!!!! Hollywood is full of retards trying to gain their fame by remaking classics like The Karate Kid. Wish people would boycott these remakes so the classics are left as they are.
That’s is a really dummy comment.
I'm sorry, we can't say “vibe” relating to hip-hop now?
Do me a favor, lose the condescending, self-important speech. I'm pre-judging the movie because they took what was supposed to be the “Kung-Fu Kid” and screwed over a setimental classic by swiping it's name, making it “Karate Kid.” Maybe while reading my comments, you should take off your “racist” glasses and try and comprehend them.
You are exactly what's wrong with America: We have to love and like everything now, or some wannabe intellectual in his mom's basement thinks he's smart enough to talk down to you. I'll take somewhat racist over being a fake kiss@ss any day.
And tell you what, slick: Let's just see how well this movie does…I'll bet you that stupid “V” you accentuate your paragraphs with that it fails miserably.
seems like a lot of u boys might ought to put on your hoods and burn a cross or two. your opposition to this film appears a bit racist, and old school.
the original karate kid wasn't Oscar material either.
I would bet that Will Smith's son could easily kick your ass.
Now go watch your Miley Virus porn.
Good, insightful, original input.
Moron.
I think that this is a GREAT way to give the NEW generation a little taste of the Original Amazing Movie that the Actual Karate Kid was… I just hosted an event with today children and we watched the original movie and out of 63 people the parents couldn't get there kids to even stay and watch the rest of it I only had 12 stay…sad but today's generation needs this new version to really get pumped and see how bullies are taking an effect and how martial arts does help! so shame on all of you for being bi-est your kids will love the heck out of this movie!
why is this movie set in china and starring a chinaman. it should be called kung fu kid not karate kid. bloody ignorant fools. karate is japanese and the differences from kungfu are massive. hollywood has gone gaga!
This movie is racist in its name alone. Karate is from Japan. Kung Fu is from China. I guess its all the same as long as they have slanty eyes. This movie justifies America’s insensitivity towards other cultures. Some people might say that it’s just a movie but I think it sends the wrong message to kids that everything Asian is Chinese. I can’t stand that fu**ing mentality that good chunk of American’s have (not just the toothless rednecks).
Brian,
Go see the movie and you’ll see that it’s very respectful of the Chinese and their culture.
Vic
This is not a remake… in the originals with Mr. Miyagi(japanese man) he is teaching Karate. in this movie with Jackie Chan (chinese man) they are in china and he is teaching the kid kung fu…
I just gotta to say that Karate Kid rocked ass. I loved it, in every scene you would laugh and have a great time. Jaden Smith did an amazing job, and you see how young he is? And everyone who’s going on and on about how young he is, well why not make sequels so he’ll see an older version of him?( And plus I loved the movie so much, it just can’t end like that) Every single person who thought that the bully Cheng couldn’t be taken seriously because he was so young, need to step back into your memories and remember when you were 12 and had a bully. Yeah they could have been 4 feet tall, but it didn’t matter. A bully is a bully no matter what outward apperances are, and Cheng was so scary I could cry. Cheng wanted to Kill. The problem with adults(good thing I won’t be one for another couple of years) is that you think that all movies beside cartoons are made just for you. I can’t tell you how many of you guys were watching this movie…without your children. Back to the point, if you looked deeply into the movie, you idiots you would know that it hinted that if you were bullied, you needed to tell someone, that hope is not a bad thing, to have a choice on whether to give up of not, and etc. And the movie is only called Karate Kid in Amereica and going to be called Kung Fu Kid in China and Japan and Best Kid in some other place(I think Korea) And you guys need to stop being so quick to judge a little kid. And what really bothers me is when people think that all Americans are the same, and can’t tell the difference between people of Asian decent. Well it’s time you get off your high chair and look around, it isn’t just people from Asia who are sometimes always mistaken to be from China. Look at people who don’t see the variations between “black”. It makes me so mad when people from different places always think that “their people” are always subjected to cruelty and other bad things. Look around it’s happening to everyone! Thankyou for reading to the end of my rant.
OMG YOU ARE SO RIGHT,