'The Karate Kid' is Worth Seeing

June 24, 2010


What with mixed reports about the film from various Asian American blogs, plus having already been wary over recent Hollywood remakes of movies with Asian characters or Asian themes, I dismissed The Karate Kid as another Hollywood rehash I'd avoid financially supporting and stayed away from the film's opening weekend.  However, I became intrigued when people familiar with my stance (cynical) toward Hollywood remakes of Asian-related films assured me the film wasn't what I assumed. I guardedly checked it out for myself, and to my own surprise, enjoyed it. Jaden Smith is just as charismatic as his father (if not more), and Jackie Chan shows off some dramatic acting chops that some probably didn’t even know he had.

Due to mixed reports about the film from various Asian American blogs, as well as having already been wary over recent Hollywood remakes of movies with Asian characters or Asian themes, I dismissed The Karate Kid as another Hollywood rehash I would avoid financially supporting and stayed away from last week’s opening weekend.  However, I became intrigued when people familiar with my (cynical) stance toward Hollywood remakes of Asian-related films, assured me the film wasn't what I assumed. I guardedly checked it out for myself, and surprisingly enjoyed it. Jaden Smith is just as (if not more) charismatic as his father, and Jackie Chan shows off some dramatic acting chops that some probably didn’t even know he had.

I was a huge fan of the original. I’ve seen it enough to the point where I know much of the dialogue and scenes by heart. I like the remake even more. There are enough reviews of the film out there now that so there is no need to do another here. To read some reviews about the remake, click here for an amusing Disgrasian (warning - filled with spoilers) recap of the film itself, and here for 8Asians' take on why they enjoyed the film. Here I’d like to provide some counterpoint to some recent online commentary, as well as put this film into context relative to other films and media issues.

One could argue that the Karate Kid remake goes back to some of the original roots of American cinematic martial arts. Bruce Lee was one of the first, if not the first, entertainers to have black protagonists in his films, with characters that didn't ask the actor to have to play some sort of ridiculous caricature or demeaning or subservient archetype. For many Black Americans, it was the first time they saw a strong, powerful, positive black image in American entertainment. Jeff Yang writes here that Blacks were instrumental in promoting martial arts in America. Black Americans have consistently been avid supporters and fans of Asian martial arts and films, long before white America ever caught on. Martial arts were found in many of the Blaxploitation films of the 1970’s, but the past 40 years of American cinema have been more of a white appropriation of martial arts culture, without including significant black actors despite strong support from that community, through martial artists like Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, and Jean Claude Van Damme. What has happened to martial arts is similar to how jazz, blues (precursor to rock n’ roll), soul, and hip hop were co-opted and appropriated (in varying degrees and over decades), from black originators, into white American culture. Though I enjoyed the original Karate Kid, one could argue that it contributed greatly to the appropriation of martial arts by white suburban America.

I was a huge fan of the original. I’ve seen it to the point where I know much of the dialogue and scenes by heart. I like the remake even more. There are enough reviews of the film out there now that you don't need another. See Disgrasian for an amusing recap (warning -- filled with spoilers), or 8Asians for a positive review. Here I’d like to provide some counterpoint to some recent online commentary, as well as put this film into context relative to other films and media issues.

One could argue that the Karate Kid remake goes back to some of the original roots of American cinematic martial arts. Bruce Lee was one of the first, if not the first, entertainers to have black protagonists in his films, with characters that didn't ask the actor to have to play some sort of ridiculous caricature or demeaning or subservient archetype. For many Black Americans, it was the first time they saw a strong, powerful, positive black image in American entertainment. Jeff Yang writes here that Blacks were instrumental in promoting martial arts in America. Black Americans have consistently been avid supporters and fans of Asian martial arts and films, long before white America ever caught on. Martial arts were found in many of the Blaxploitation films of the 1970’s, but the past 40 years of American cinema have been more of a white appropriation of martial arts culture, without including significant black actors despite strong support from that community, through martial artists like Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, and Jean Claude Van Damme. What has happened to martial arts is similar to how jazz, blues (precursor to rock n’ roll), soul, and hip hop were co-opted and appropriated (in varying degrees and over decades), from black originators, into white American culture. Though I enjoyed the original Karate Kid, one could argue that it contributed greatly to the appropriation of martial arts by white suburban America.

Some critics point to Will Smith's possible motivations as driven by nepotism, to revive the Karate Kid franchise for his own son. While this may or may not have been a factor behind his decision to produce the movie, I wonder how many Asian Americans realize that Will Smith helped fund/produce Saving Face a few years ago, a well-made progressive Asian American film (and one of my favorites). He also starred in I Am Legend, a film based on a fictional white protagonist. 

It seems to me that some of the biggest opponents of the Karate Kid remake are white commentators who don’t like it precisely because it writes out the white protagonist and the white Cobra Kai characters (which developed a cult following from the movie) -- characters they identified with and remembered fondly while growing up. If that's the case, I think this remake serves as a nice foil for white America possibly to empathize more with why Asian Americans have been so angry over the likes of Dragonball, Speed Racer, The Last Airbender, and an upcoming Akira remake.

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Alvin Lin

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Alvin Lin was born in Taipei, Taiwan and hails from New England. He blogs about Asian American pop culture, film, music, literature and politics, as well as relevant news around the world. He also writes for Imprint Talk. Alvin has degrees from Cornell and MIT.

Comments

Comments

I totally agree, but you forgot to add techno music originated from blacks too. However, it's extremely popular mostly with non-blacks in the United States and Europeans. It has expanded into other genres and sub-genres such as jumpstyle, acid techno, trance, vocal trance, progressive trance, euro trance, pop trance hard trance, etc.
Oh boy. You wrote, "I see other people of color like Will Smith ... as allies." What war are you fighting that you need allies? Is the chip on your shoulder really that heavy towards white people that you are spouting off about black people being the most responsible for the propagation of martial arts in America? What about the Asian characters in those Blaxploitation films that were just as cheesy and stereotypical as ridiculous caricatures that black people were cast in. Let's talk about your theory on the absence of people of color in martial arts films in the last 40 years. Michael Jai White, Wesley Snipes, and Billy Blanks are Black movie stars that are martial artists. They are popular as performers and such without choosing to be tied to every martial arts role that comes their way. On the other hand, Chuck Norris and Steven Seagal are popular martial artists that hapen to act (and badly, by the way). They are tied to playing in corny martial arts roles and films, and no one ever comments on their "awesome" acting skills...they comment on their martial arts skills. One last thing. Can you explain to me what you expect from Hollywood adaptations of Japan-amation projects like The Last Airbender that feature characters drawn to look like big blue-eyed white people?!

Michael Jai White is an avid martial artist but is hardly a 'popular performer' or a movie star; he plays one-episode TV guest roles and barely has a career. Billy Blanks created the Tae Bo aerobics workout.  These are hardly popular or well known movie or TV stars. Norris, Seagal, Van Damme aren't the greatest actors but were/are given broad exposure in film and television. Your weak examples actually prove my point. The Jeff Yang article did a good job covering how American martial arts were really originally embraced and promoted by Black Americans, if you take the time to read it. Also, The Last Airbender is an American-created television program, not a Japanese program, and none of the characters have blond hair or blue eyes. In fact, they are clearly based on East Asian and Inuit people and cultures.

You all are the Fu**ing problem.. why does everything have to be about race asain white black orange purple pink yellow who cares about race and the color of your skin. I cant take it anymore. To think that people didnt like the movie because it wrote out the "white protagonist its simply ignorance. suck my balls u f**k
One more thing. I couldn't help but notice that when he was trying to impress his love interest with his dancing, he was dancing to what sounded like late 1990s song, like NEXT or K-CI & JO-JO, or one of those late 90s groups.
I can't seem to finish can I. I also saw the film TWICE, and this is coming from someone who hasn't seen a film since Michael moore's "Captalism" last year. i'm not a big fim person to begin with, so me paying to see any film twice is almosr impossible. But I did it for this film. It taught me a lot inmany areas like parenting, how to handle bullies, and even how a hot-water switch can save the planet.
I agree Alvin. Im Afro Amero and was a very young kid in the seventies. The Asian martial arts scene heavily influenced those blaxploitation. I know this from actually lving in the era. For example," Cleopatra Brown and the Casino Gold" was a blaxploitation film that primarily had a Afro Amero and Chinese cast, most of the movie was made in Hong Kong. Later in the 90s, Wu Tang Clan brought it back. Jeff Changs article was right on point. I recommend that movie, it was good considering the time and the type of film it was, along with Jim Kellys, Hot Potato.  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072791/  
  Haha. Hilarious video with Ralph Macchio. (The Karate Kid!).   http://bit.ly/aoYXqK  
Alvin Lin, much respect on this piece, I enjoyed it very much. More than enjoyed it, I agree with what you had to say. So many people want to act like ethnicity doesn't play a part but as a Black woman martial artist, it's evident in the dojang as well as in media. From customers, (some) electing to train with non-Blacks based on color and not experience, stereotypes have manifested as the norm even in my beloved training and stomping ground within the martial arts sector. For those that don't want to recognize the disparity, Spike Lee said it best, "WAKE UP!" Acknowledging and discussing this is the only way to get beyond the bull-ish. I too was nervous about seeing the Karate Kid and only saw it a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it immensely. Maybe Kung Fu Kid would have been a more appropriate title :) Keep reppin' and writin' Alvin Lin, Jeff Yang and a nod to "Agreed". I only wish I knew Hypen and Mr. Lin existed earlier. I'm a fan. :)