The Movie Guru: ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ a delight, while ‘Fountain of Youth’ flawed but entertaining

‘Karate Kid: Legends‘

If you have any fondness for the original Karate Kid movies, you need to see “Karate Kid: Legends.”

Instead of re-creating an empty shell of a classic property, someone in the creative team actually bothered to study why the original movies were so emotionally satisfying. The new movie has all that same emotional satisfaction in a plot that delightfully riffs on the original without copying them. It addresses the karate/kung fu divide and seamlessly bridges it, while giving us some delightful banter between Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio. Best of all, our new Karate Kid Ben Wang is absolutely delightful. I’d be happy to follow this kid through two more movies.

Wong plays Li Fong, who moves from Beijing to New York following his mother’s new job. His mom wants him to stop kung fu because of the death of his older brother, but circumstances and a new friendship lead him to start teaching kung fu to an older former boxer. Things snowball from there, naturally leading to a big tournament with huge stakes. 

While there are some familiar beats, it won’t feel like a copy. Fong’s connection to the older boxer (Joshua Jackson) is fun, and his brother’s death has emotional implications that can be felt throughout the entire movie. The tie back into the original movies is simple and cleverly done, and while fans may recognize certain beats, their timing grows organically out of the story rather than serving only as a reference.

Not only is “Karate Kid: Legends” a great movie, it should be a lesson for anyone trying to resurrect a classic franchise. Don’t just copy the original – figure out why we cared about it in the first place.

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Grade: Four stars

‘Fountain of Youth’ (Apple TV+)

Entertaining and well-made aren’t always the same thing.

Despite its scattered charms, the new streaming movie “The Fountain of Youth” can’t qualify as well-made. Fans of old-fashioned action adventure movies will still find it entertaining, however. From a fun lead performance by actor John Krasinski to a few unexpected tweaks to the classic formula, you’ll stay engaged until the end credits roll. It may not be the best action adventure movie you’ve ever seen, but sometimes we just need a little more adventure in our lives.

The plot is completely ridiculous, but even fans of the genre will note that’s pretty standard for these types of movies. Here, two estranged siblings who grew up with an adventuring dad end up looking for the Fountain of Youth together. The brother (Krasinski) has gotten so into it that he’s stealing paintings as part of his latest quest, while the sister has a son and a respectable job at a gallery. Will this new adventure make their relationship stronger or separate them for good?

The most entertaining element of the movie is Krasinski, who gives the classic rapscallion character a delightfully nerdy edge. He’s clearly having a ton of fun, and manages to transmit that feeling to the audience. He and Portman are believable siblings, and both do a good job capturing the complexities of their relationship. Krasinski also manages to land the big emotional moment at the end, which is vitally important.

Sometimes, the best part of an adventure is the people you’re traveling with.

Grade: Two stars

Jenniffer Wardell is an award-winning movie critic and member of the Denver Film Critics Society. Drop her a line at themovieguruslc@gmail.com.