TL;DR – Elevates what could have just been a very paint-by-numbers legacy film by filling it with joy, fun, and, importantly, compassion.

Post-Credit Scene – There is more after the end title card.

Disclosure – I paid to watch this film.

Karate Kid: Legends Review –

One of the most prevalent shifts in media in the modern era has been the rise of the Legacy Film. This is when you take some old story, bring back the old cast, and then attempt to hand the franchise off to a new generation. Now, to be fair, sometimes they work really well, but other times they can be a complete mess. However, today, we are looking at a franchise that is trying this for the third time, which is both fascinating and a bit concerning if they can’t make it work.

So, to set the scene, Li Fong (Ben Wang) lives in Beijing and loves kung-fu. He is trained by his great-uncle, Mr Han (Jackie Chan), but mostly in secret because his mother, Dr Fong (Ming-Na Wen), does not want him fighting after the death of her eldest son. But Li often goes and trains in secret, well, what he thinks is secret. But it is time for a massive change for the Fong family as Dr Fong takes a job in New York. A fresh start for all. But the past has a habit of not staying in the past.

Now, right from the start, I do need to make it clear that the weakest part of the film is probably its narrative. That is because I think I have watched this film multiple times in the past. From the second they land in New York, you can probably chart how the rest of the film will go with stunning accuracy. There are no real surprises, no major twists, other than the second act disaster does not happen to Li personally. This usually would be a deal breaker for me. However, there is something here, something in how they made the film that elevated everything and brought this very paint-by-numbers story to life.

The first way they elevated the story is in the casting. Jackie Chan is always a delight, and while he is not engaged in much of the action this time around, his wit and comedic timing are still on full display, and it is always a delight to see. Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) creates a perfect balance for Chan as you get that slight clash but also respect for the different training methods. If you have watched it, think The Forbidden Kingdom as a good baseline. Also, the one big surprise for me going in was the double act of Joshua Jackson & Ming-Na Wen. They are always such solid performers, so the moment I saw they were in this, I knew there would be a solid foundation.

So much of this film has to be driven by Ben Wang, and I was so glad that he was up for that challenge. You honestly care about him throughout the movie because you connect with that struggle, and you understand that pain and how paralysing it can be. I loved the bond he made with Joshua Jackson, which was one of the interesting shifts in the narrative. Also, the relationship sub-plot with Mia (Sadie Stanley) did fit where they were pitching this film. Oh, and shout out to Alan (Wyatt Oleff) for winning the best surprise wingman of 2025.

Now, when you go into a film starring Jackie Chan, there is a sort of expectation when it comes to the action, even in his Western films that do tend to curtail him a bit. But here, I honestly liked everything that we got. There is a particular fight scene in an alley, where I knew his Stun Team was involved just from the flow of the fight and some of the twists. The big difference between Jackie Chan and a lot of modern action films and action film stars is that he is not afraid to get hit in his action scenes. If there is never any doubt, then why bother? But here, even though I knew how the film would end, there was still just that little bit of doubt, and that came from the quality of the action and the skill of the stunt team. I also liked the overlay framework they used in the fights, which was suggestive of fighting video games without completely overwhelming the visual style.

Finally, while the casting and action were fantastic, there was also just this clear undercurrent of fun that permeated the film. From the moment we arrived at the kung fu school at the start, you could feel the joy coming from the film. It is the script, it is the performances, and it is also the action. Even for a movie that deals with some serious topics at times, there is a comradery that always holds everything together. Importantly, every actor gets their moment to be funny, but not just by dropping gags, which is the norm in American films like this. It is the performances and the framing and it elevates everything.

In the end, do we recommend Karate Kid: Legends? Yes, we would. Look, there are many reasons I can recommend this film, but they all distil down to one point: it was fun, and that is not something I can say about all films, even those who want to be comedies. Have you watched Karate Kid: Legends? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked Karate Kid: Legends, we would recommend to you Hundreds of Beavers.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Karate Kid: Legends
Directed by – Jonathan Entwistle
Screenplay by – Rob Lieber
Based on – The Karate Kid by Robert Mark Kamen, The Karate Kid by Robert Mark Kamen & Christopher Murphey, and Cobra Kai by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg
Music by – Dominic Lewis
Cinematography by – Justin Brown
Edited by – Dana E. Glauberman
Production/Distribution Companies – Columbia Pictures, Sunswept Entertainment & Sony Pictures Releasing
Starring – Ben Wang, Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, Joshua Jackson, Ming-Na Wen, Sadie Stanley, Wyatt Oleff, Aramis Knight, Tim Rozon, Pat Morita, William Zabka, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Mustafa Bulut, Yankei Ge &  Anthony Baniaga
Rating  – Australia: PG; Canada: PG; Germany: 12; New Zealand: na; United Kingdom: 12A; United States: PG-13