The Martial Arts Kid

Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future Is The Martial Arts Kid a knockdown, drag-out fight flick in which Don "The Dragon" Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock lay waste to gang bangers and drug dealers? Nope. It's more accurate to describe it as a family film in which an ordinary teen discovers the meaning of the martial arts.

However, because I'm a few years past being a teenager, it wasn't the movie's portrayal of the trials and tribulations of teen life in the 21st century that appealed to me most. What I really enjoyed was the way the movie paid homage to the men and women who helped spread the martial arts in America. Both in front of and behind the camera, the stars were out in force.

Wilson and Rothrock may have retired from competition decades ago, but they still can throw down — and they get a few chances to do exactly that. Among other encounters, Wilson takes on martial artist T.J. Storm, and Rothrock dispatches some baddies on the beach. The man who choreographed those close encounters is veteran martial artist, actor and stuntman James Lew, perhaps best known for his work in Big Trouble in Little China.

Another martial arts veteran contributed her expertise to the making of the movie: Cheryl Wheeler served as co-producer. You probably recognize her name. She's a former Black Belt columnist and WKA kickboxing champ who's done stunt work in scores of movies — including fight-doubling for Rene Russo in Lethal Weapon 4, which featured one of my favorite male-on-female fights.

As I mentioned, Wilson and Rothrock are center stage in The Martial Arts Kid, where they're surrogate parents for troubled teen Robbie (Jansen Panettiere). Yes, critics fired a few shots at Wilson and Rothrock's performances in the early years of their acting careers, but their skills have improved substantially. In fact, their scenes with Robbie are among the most engaging parts of the movie.

I also loved the film's nods to history. I'm talking about things like Rothrock's character hailing from Scranton, Pennsylvania, the city where the star actually grew up. And things like the dojo her character co-owns hosting seminars with real martial arts luminaries like Pete "Sugarfoot" Cunningham, Gerry Blanck, Christine Bannon-Rodrigues, Olando Rivera and Jeff Smith. And details like using old competition photos of Rothrock to adorn the walls of said dojo.

The positive messages that run through The Martial Arts Kid make it perfect for youngsters who are in the martial arts, as well as those who should be. But there are plenty of gems that make it fun to watch even if you're a generation removed from that target audience.

— Robert W. Young Editor-in-Chief, Black Belt magazine

These types of movies always make me wonder. First of all you go in to these no names with low expectations so that's a good safe guard. They get so much yet they ruin all their hard work with lazy acting pieces and poor acting cues. So much of this movie was a surprise one min only to be undone by the next scene. Some great training one on one moments with don the dragon Wilson. The lead actor Robbie showed a lot of promise.

This movie was bad even at made for TV standards. The acting is atrocious, the story line predictable and every single character lacks substance.

This film is very entertaining. It is a story that many people will relate to, not just martial arts fans. Although people who are into martial arts will probably relate best to the moves in the film, there are many different things that everyone will relate to and enjoy.

There is a range of genres in Martial Arts Kid. Of course, since the subject is about martial arts, there are some great action-packed scenes. However that isn't the entire story. There is a bit of romance, which plays out smoothly and there is a sense of comedy in a few scenes - not too much to make the film a joke, but not so little that it is too serious.

The story starts when a troublemaker named Robbie moves to a new town to live with his uncle and aunt because his grandmother refuses to deal with him getting in trouble all the time. In this new town he starts getting bullied. At the same time, he decides to start learning martial arts in his uncle's dojo. He learns to fight - not to beat the bully up (and become a bully himself), but to defend and stand up to the bully.

At the beginning, the acting seem a bit fake. The emotions feel forced and, a few times, the dialogue also feels forced. However, later in the film it becomes very natural and smooths out. The film is labeled as a bully film, which I think is a wrong label. It is a nice action- packed film with lots of good messages and morals. But, I don't think it is a bullying film. The story addresses bullying but doesn't really concentrate on it enough to make it a bullying film. Some of the shots are just spot on and perfect.

My favorite scene is when he first learns that his uncle and aunt are martial arts black belts. They are at the beach getting something from the car when a man with a knife comes up to them. Robbie tries to be brave and stand up to him but, when his aunt sees the knife, she does some amazing martial arts moves and takes him down. Robbie just stands there in awe.

This film has a little bit of mature content, mostly when they are fighting. So I recommend it for ages 11 to 18. I give it 4 out of 5 stars because, in the beginning, the acting feels a little fake. However the story is entertaining the whole time and the direction is perfect too.

Reviewed by Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

This film helps bring to light bullying. It hs some mature fight scenes and I recomend this film to kids 10 and up. With some of the tradgedies that happen in schools tied to bullying this is a film to watched.