THE KARATE KID Trailer Wax Off!

By now, most people are aware of the upcoming and unnecessary remake of The Karate Kid. It stars Will Smith’s precocious brat Jaden Smith as “Dre Parker” (instead of Dan-yo-san), and Jackie Chan as someone named “Mr. Han” (instead of Mr. Miyagi). Further emphasizing the disparity between the original and remake, the film is set in China and involves a group of Chinese kung-fu students rather than an American karate class.

So why not simply call it The Kung-Fu Kid, and be done with the controversy?

I guess they decided to stick so closely to the original film in order to incorporate lame and referential humor like the flyswatter joke included in this new trailer. I really have no problem with remakes if the source material needs to be revised, or if the subject matter can be re-tailored to fit a modern concerns in a meaningful way. Some original films didn’t have the money or technology to fully realize their potential, and cry out for modernization. A film like Nosferatu or The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari cry out for a modern interpretation, and their stories could still resonate with modern audiences.

But does the original Karate Kid warrant such a revisit? Ralph Macchio was fine as Daniel, and Pat Morita became an icon as Mr. Miyagi. The original story was well told, and it doesn’t have the kind of layers that would warrant a revisit. Basically, the film is being remade as a vanity project for Smith’s limber, gymnastic son. It’s pretty clear even from the trailers that Chan lacks Morita’s gravitas and mystical energy, which was a vital component of the original film. And I have very little faith in director Harald Zwart (ever think about changing your name?), who directed masterpieces like The Pink Panther 2 and Agent Cody Banks. Yikes … presumably he got the job because he was cheap cheap cheap.

Here’s the trailer. If it’s not embedded here (due to the bizarre embedding rules of Obsessed With Film), then you can see it over at the official site.