El reino prohibido

I'm writing this review after having read many others at this site and after having seen the film.

It's a blatant tribute to many kung fu movies, and that makes it fun for buffs. However, don't think that it's as deep or serious as "Crouching Tiger," "Hero," or even "Enter the Dragon." It's a coming of age story set in a mythological environment, and so wire-tricks abound.

I enjoyed it though. The fight scenes really are superb and wonderfully choreographed. The scenery is impressive, but at times it feels a bit cliché.

Really, that's what drags the movie down - it's very, very predictable. However, I don't think it was meant to be anything more than a fun pretext for Chan and Li to co-star, and they do a good job. It's worth a watch, or at least a rent.

Watched Forbidden Kingdom yesterday. And I found I really liked it. A lot! I have to admit that I'm a sucker for those zero-to-hero movies and I thought that Michael Angarano did a good job of playing a dorky, wannabe kung-fu fighter. The only thing I thought was dodgy was the fact that the whole movie was in English. It just felt a bit off.

And of course Jackie Chan and Jet Li together on screen? Fantastic. They had one of the greatest choreographed scenes, that were really, really cool. Especially when both of them were fighting together for the staff. I especially like Jet Li's portrayal of Sun Wukong! Jet Li's previous roles were serious warriors, but it was fun to see him act like a cheeky monkey god. And Jackie Chan, he was OK in his own way, but most of the time when he fought he looked sober. Which was odd, considering that he was a master of the drunken kung-fu style.

The movie was great. Initially, we get to know where the journey will head to. It has lots and lots of Kung Fu, Action. It's filled with beautiful scenes and compelling locations. No doubt, the journey is adventures, with a few drops of comedy. However, considering it's predictable it's kinda boring in the middle with way too much of Action, feels a little sleepy. Overall, it's enjoyment, the characters played it incredibly well. Michael, Jackie and the ones on the positive side of coin were good. Recommended. 6.5/10

This movie will be enjoyed by any Jet Li or Jackie Chan fans, certainly. The cinematography is wonderful, with stunning views, excellent use of CGI without overdoing it, and decent acting. Jet Li plays his role marvelously, and the continuity of the various plot themes is fantastic. There are subtleties to this movie that will require multiple viewings to catch! Pros include the acting and scenery, and the way language is dealt with. The only con is that the viewing I attended was a bit rough around the edges, with a couple of minor bobbles in editing and film quality. I'm sure this will be corrected in the final production for the theaters, though! Overall, this is a good action/fantasy movie. For those who like the "chop suey" kung fu flicks, this will be a blast from the past. Jackie Chan shows off his unique style of martial arts, while keeping the laughs rolling. Jet Li is NOT playing the 'baddie' for a change, and has a surprisingly entertaining role in this film. There isn't a lot of wire work in this film, and what is done on wires is done judiciously.

A must-see film for this summer!

I had some pretty high expectations going into this movie. Knowing Jackie Chan and Jet Li were finally going to be going at it together on the big screen was an awesome feeling. The Forbidden Kingdom is really funny. I had no idea it was even going to be a comedy until I saw it. The fight scenes were AMAZING! Jackie and Jet did spectacular acting jobs. Some of the best stuff I've seen in awhile. The worst thing about the movie was the story. It was awful. It was one of the stupidest movies I have ever seen. If it wasn't for the fight scenes and the great acting this would be one of the worst movies ever. If you like kung fu, you should like this film.