User reviews

What Karate Kid Legends attempts is, in theory, an interesting experiment. It tries to pick up the thread left dangling at the end of Cobra Kai, while also tying it to a completely separate reboot from 2010 that never quite earned its place in the franchise. The result is a film that looks like it should have emotional weight but somehow feels like a corporate brainstorm session disguised as a sequel.

The nostalgic pull that once powered Cobra Kai is back, at least in intention. The show began with something rare, a sense of care for its legacy characters. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka were never reduced to sentimental walk-ons. They were fully fleshed-out leads, still shaped by their past but stumbling through the present with a level of emotional realism that surprised people. For a moment, it worked. The first two seasons had a charm that honored the original films without pandering. You could tell the people behind it actually loved the material.

But when Netflix stepped in for Season Three, something shifted. What began as a lean, character-driven revival turned into an overcrowded, hyperactive drama designed to feed on algorithmic success. It became more interested in spinning off plotlines and inflating rivalries than in deepening the characters it started with. The show leaned heavily on Karate Kid Part III, arguably the weakest installment of the original trilogy, and replicated its mistakes on a larger, glossier scale. What should have been emotionally intimate became bloated. Too many characters, too many arcs, and not nearly enough patience.

By the time the show ended, it was clear that the heart of Cobra Kai still resided in the performances of Macchio and Zabka, but the storytelling had been handed over to a different agenda, one that prioritized noise over nuance. The younger audience loved it, but there's a difference between engagement and emotional investment. Reddit may still be debating the motives of every secondary character, but that obsession with quantity says more about the current media landscape than it does about the story's quality.

So when Karate Kid Legends announced itself as a continuation, expectations were mixed. The decision to set the story three years after the series hinted at a deliberate effort to create space, to reset the tone and allow something new to develop. There is one well-placed cameo that acknowledges the past, but otherwise the film steers clear of the show's tangled narrative. This could have worked. The idea of Macchio returning as a mentor in a stand-alone story held potential. A full-length feature could offer emotional clarity that episodic television no longer had room for. This was a chance to return to character, to quiet moments, to storytelling with restraint.

But instead of using that opportunity, the film makes a strange and ultimately misguided decision. It chooses to merge its narrative with the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid, the one starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. That film, while technically competent and commercially successful, was not a continuation of the original saga. It took the brand name, moved the story to China, and replaced karate with kung fu. Will Smith's production company had purchased the rights, and unsurprisingly, his son was cast in the lead. The film had moments of charm but lacked the emotional architecture of the original. It was a different story entirely, built on different values.

Bringing those elements into Karate Kid Legends creates a dissonance that never resolves. The new protagonist, Ali Fong, arrives in New York from China with his single mother. He is already highly skilled in kung fu, which undermines much of the tension that should come from a student's journey. The familiar beats are all here, a school setting, a love interest, a group of bullies, but they feel recycled rather than reinterpreted. When Mr. Han, played again by Jackie Chan, enters the picture, he brings warmth and screen presence, but not the emotional gravity of Mr. Miyagi. That role, once inhabited with deep humanity by Pat Morita, is impossible to replicate, and this film doesn't find a new angle on the mentor figure to justify trying.

Ralph Macchio returns as Daniel LaRusso, and as always, he treats the character with respect and dedication. He remains the connective tissue of the entire franchise. But the script gives him little to work with. He appears not as a natural evolution of the character but as a symbolic nod to nostalgia. His presence feels obligatory rather than essential. The emotional center never quite finds its balance, and what could have been a meditation on mentorship becomes a checklist of familiar tropes.

The film borrows from Cobra Kai's tone without its tighter emotional stakes. It borrows from the reboot without any real thematic bridge. The action scenes are competent but inflated. And the ending, rather than resolving anything, leaves the door open for more, as if the story has become less about telling something meaningful and more about keeping a brand alive for one more round.

This is not a terrible film. It is watchable, sometimes even entertaining. But it feels like a missed opportunity, a film made by people who knew what worked once but didn't know how to recreate it without repeating themselves. It wants to mean something. It just doesn't earn it.

Ralph Macchio, through all of this, remains a figure of sincere affection. He holds onto the character of Daniel with quiet dignity, and for many people of a certain generation, that is enough to keep watching. But if this franchise wants to move forward, it needs to stop looking sideways. The heart of The Karate Kid was never in the fights or the callbacks. It came from how seriously the story was taken. The sincerity, that created. A coming of age movie that looked the characters and the audience in the eye, is what carried this story for forty years.

KK legends, tried to do it but it got lost on the way.

Still, Ralph Macchio, if you're reading this, you'll always be the Karate Kid to me.

Karate Kid: Legends might be the only movie with such a rushed pacing that i still end up recommending, i completely understand why some people might not enjoy it, the pacing really is all over the place, and the story editing moves way too fast, but despite that, Ben Wang, Sadie Stanley, and the rest of the cast brought enough charm and authenticity to their characters that i found myself liking them in a surprisingly short amount of time.

And yes i was desperate with the movie when they trying to get Daniel finally on the screen, but when the time comes, it's a great relief, also lifted by the spark Jackie Chan brought to the film, his portrayal felt like another version of Mr. Han, not quite the same one who trained Jaden Smith in the 2010 Karate Kid remake, but still recognizably Jackie, wise, quirky, and effortlessly entertaining.

Ralph Macchio return as Daniel was brief, but enjoyable enough, there's a fun, short-lived chemistry between him and Jackie Chan, and that alone made parts of the movie worth watching, if only the film had taken a bit more time to develop its story and give these likeable characters more room to breathe, it could've been something really special.

The fighting sequences and choreography are exciting, charismatic, energetic, and fun, there are some genuinely funny moments too, and a fun surprise at the end that left me smiling.

Yes, it's incredibly rushed, and especially after watching the whole saga of Cobra Kai, what a weird timeline and little visit Daniel had during this whole movie, but in the end, i had fun, and maybe even more on a rewatch.

Only the final scene with Johnny (after the fight) was good. The rest felt like a long cinematic from a Need for Speed game. Too rushed, too irrational, too obious and boring, too... American.

A weak scenario, with chinese people speaking English between them - so the brain of the average American viewer doesn't get overwhelmed, listening to a foreign language for more than 10 minutes.

Cliché scenes, typical disney-channel-like smart-ass dialogues, leading to an emotianlly weak, typical "I'm proud of you" moment.

If you are over 13 years old, don't waste your time with it. Watch the original one instead!

Unlike some other reviews, I appreciated that it honored the same clichés of this franchise: moves to a new city, meets a girl, run into trouble with girl's ex, fight it out in tournament. For what this movie offered, I really wish the movie was a bit longer for more character and plot developments without feeling so rushed and choppy. It felt like 2 separate movies compacted into one short movie of only 1.5 hours. Especially the entire second half which felt like a montage throughout to the end. One thing I did not appreciate was the animations with big fonts and vivid colors. It seemed like they were targeting more younger audiences to join the Karate Kid fandom which is fine, but the animations were just too much and felt over-done. Really wish they used Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio better throughout the entire movie. It was a little disappointing to get so little of them in the movie. Did love getting Joshua Jackson though. The final scene before rolling into the end credits was extremely appreciated. Ultimately, the movie was a fun watch and overall enjoyable thanks to the awesome choreographies. The movie was good but it could've been great. If they continue to expand this franchise, which I hope they do, I hope they will put the actors to better use for better storytelling than trying so hard to appeal to a younger audience.

This Karate Kid movie is OKAY but unfortunately, the writers just went with the most classic combination of clichés, some examples without spoilers, just what you can see in the trailer:

-boy moves to a new city -boy is bullied -boy meets girl -girl loves boy -bully is the main boss

Yet, the movie manages itself to not be annoying and extense. The pace is certainly fast, but I insist, there's no character development because everything is just too obvious from the very beginning.

There are some Artificial Intelligence effects involved which really surprised me. This is just getting better and who knows? We might see a spin-off of a young Miyagi sensei one day haha.

All in all, I kinda enjoyed Karate Kid: Legends even though it was one of the most obvious storylines I watched.

PS: The best scene will come just before the credits. Trust me.

Listen, this film has it's flaws. But it does not deserve the hate it's getting right now. Is it the best karate kid movie I have watched NO. BUT it's not the worst either. People are saying this film is HEAVILY flawed. What? Did I just watch the same movie as other people YES. This film is good, just good, it has a very similar story but changed a few things which I liked not ALL of them but yeah. Yes I know they back half is rushed but we know the main character is gonna fight the villain at the end so why spend time for the climax when we know what's gonna happen?

Conclusion: Cinematography - 8 Acting - 6.5 Story - 6 Action - 10 Pacing - 6

That's my thoughts of Karate Kid : Legends.

It was a typical boy meets girl, girl has crazy ex story but it worked well.

I liked the combination of king fu and karate and liked that they also threw in some boxing too.

Jackie chan added some humour to it which was good.

Would have liked to have seen Daniel in it more but overall I was very impressed with the movie. Wasn't sure what to expect after cobra Kai and thought they would destroy the karate kid universe with this new film but I think it stands as a good film to join the universe of Miyagi Do.

Loved the very beginning when it explains the tie between kung fu and karate and loved the end just before the credits....that was a great well thought out touch.

Still felt it would have been nice for some of the cast from cobra Kai to make a slight cameo but the film was very fast paced so not a huge amount of time I guess.

I'll deff watch it again and will deff get the blu ray to add to the collection when it comes out.

I took my dad to see this and overall we both enjoyed it. I guess this is what Karate Kid is, pit main person in a different environment that makes said protagonist new and awkward but with a love interest linked to the bully who will challenge protagonist to some big tournament where main protagonist wins.

So formulaic is the best way to describe this movie but maybe it's about the journey itself. It's about this kid named Li and his mom moves out of Beijing to New York because his mom wants away from Jackie Chan who reprises his role as Mr Han from that other Karate Kid movie.

So when Li gets to New York he finds his love interest at a pizza place of all places after asking about stuffed crust. Believe it or not, his love interest is actually wonderful in this role. Shes very good and full of personality. In fact, both leads are really good.

Then a bunch of stuff happens and then you realize that the trailer you saw of Mr Han and Daniel-San interacting is scarcely absent. I don't even think they even show up until an hour into this movie.

But the characters are very likable. I really like her dad who is the best character in the movie. He has this story about owing money and challenging at a boxing match which is a strange distraction in the film.

But even though I enjoyed the film, I'll most likely forget it existed. It just doesn't offer anything new other than seeing two world collide when Daniel-San teams up with Rumble in the Bronx.

I thought the film was fine. It doesn't leave you with much but I'm glad I saw it. I hope the filmmakers makes a film that gives a good sendoff to the characters. I'd see it.

To talk about this movie, we have to start by saying how amazing it was to see Karate and Kung Fu mixed in just the right way, creating a great film with an original story that manages to please both longtime fans and new audiences alike.

I'd also like to briefly share a personal story. Karate has been present in my family for years, and we gathered on Mother's Day to watch this movie, which made it even more special for me. We're big fans of the franchise, and I'm truly grateful for this film, which I consider just as great as its predecessors.

Speaking of the cast, the new Karate Kid, Li Fong, played by Ben Wang, proved to be a perfect casting choice. He's just as good as the previous protagonists. His story starts out similar to Dre's, but as we get to know him better, we see that it's more moving than we expected. The way he tries to move forward through martial arts is truly inspiring.

When we talk about the cast, it's impossible not to mention Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, who are now tasked with training a new Karate Kid. Seeing them together again made me incredibly happy, and they manage to captivate fans of both the original trilogy and the 2010 movie.

As for Mr. Han, it was amazing to see him again. Honestly, I'd love to learn more about how he became such a great Kung Fu teacher. His relationship with Li Fong is very special, and the story between them adds more depth to the movie than I expected.

Regarding Daniel's return-someone we've seen a lot in Cobra Kai-it's always a joy to see him back. I was genuinely happy, though I did hope he'd have more screen time. Still, seeing him again was wonderful, and especially the scenes where he and Mr. Han team up to train the new Karate Kid-those were so much fun.

About Sadie Stanley, I really liked her character and her relationship with Li Fong. It's sweet, lighthearted, and makes the audience root for them as a couple.

Joshua Jackson, who plays her father, also did a great job. His character is funny and interesting, and his scenes with Li are quite engaging. Speaking of fun characters, Wyatt Oleff's character also stands out, bringing a lot of humor and lightness to the story.

Every Karate Kid movie has had villains that make us really angry, and this one is no different. Connor, played by Aramis Knight, is a very compelling character who gets under our skin, all thanks to Aramis's excellent performance.

Regarding the story and script-it's much deeper than I expected. The way Li Fong overcomes everything is truly inspiring, especially with the help of Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso. On top of that, the fight scenes, as in every Karate Kid movie, are thrilling and incredible. All the professionals involved deserve praise.

So it's no exaggeration to say that this film is just as grand as the previous ones. It brings back nostalgic elements that longtime fans will appreciate, but also introduces fresh originality that can captivate even those who aren't fans of the franchise.

Finally, I'd like to thank everyone involved once again. I sincerely hope there will be future projects that are just as epic as this one. Thank you once again for being part of such a special moment in my life.

This movie is given a lot of criticism from its quick pacing, but the movie felt a lot longer than it was. Li Cheng is a great character and this film does a great job of setting a foundation of what is to come.

This film was fast paced, had great visuals, great music, and was just an overall fun movie.

Conor was a decent villain, but nothing special. He was your typical bully and the fight between him and Li was inevitable.

Some of the story lacked elements and this film could have benefited from an extra 20 minutes. Daniel LaRusso wasn't implemented properly in this film and he barely did much in the little time he had after getting introduced in the second half of the movie.

I will need to warn you that you should LOWER your expectations and not see this in theatres, The movie is 1 hour and 34 minutes long, the SHORTEST movie in this entire franchise. And you can absolutely feel how short the movie is, The most dissapointing is how wasted Ralph Maccio's character Daniel LaRusso is... because he geniunely felt like a cameo just like Tobey and Andrew in Spider-Man No Way Home. Atleast the acting in this movie is pretty fine in my opinion.

The story also doesn't help with it literally just the most average story cliches you could ever think of, LIKE COME ON ATLEAST PICK CLICHES THAT ARE BETTER THAN DISNEY CLICHES. They also barely spent enough times to develop some of the characters with how short the runtime is, They tried to make emotional scenes but it just didn't hit because we didn't feel connected with them at all because of how short we spent time on them.

This could've gotten like 5.5/10 for me, but one thing HEAVILY made the movie worse somehow, which is the movie's editing, WHO MADE THEM?????? Because the transitions are literal powerpoint transitions where it made me just dizzy with how often they used it in the entire film, The editing during the finale also made it worse, i get what they we're trying to do. But instead it made the fighting less impactful.

The only redeeming qualities are the fighting choreography's, They are geniunely cool as hell but just super sad they are pretty short aswell.

Overall a 5/10, Its watchable but you'll most likely forget it in a couple of weeks if you're a cinephile, but just normal audiences probably a month.

I am not really the biggest Karate Kid fan, I have seen Cobra Kai and the first one but thats it. But watching the promotions and trailers I was kinda hyped for it cause I had not really seen a good one except Cobra Kai and the first one. Watching Karate Kid: Legends was kind of a mistake, It was pretty dissapointing.

To start off I liked the choreograph and the action. I liked the new karate kid he was not annoying but genuinally fine. It felt more as a nostalgic, fan-service type of movie which I definently expected. It could have been a great Karate Kid movie, but it just was not executed well. The characters were wasted and the writing was messy and all over the place. There are more issues but my and your attention span is lower than a goldfish so I aint writing it.

In conclusion: I give it a 6.0/10 could have been better...

This movie delivers a good dose of nostalgia while attempting to carve out its own path, though not always successfully. The characters, both new and returning, are undeniably charming. It's genuinely a pleasure to see familiar faces back in action.

The action sequences are surprisingly well-executed, boasting a decently done style that feels both modern and respectful of the franchise's roots.

Where the film stumbles is in its plot. While the main story unfolds exactly as you'd anticipate from a Karate Kid movie, a huge, wholly new subplot arrives almost entirely out of nowhere. This unexpected diversion nearly derails the movie, feeling jarringly out of place. On one hand, it's refreshing to see such a predictable franchise attempt something genuinely different. However, its resolution is incredibly abrupt, as if the filmmakers suddenly remembered they had to get back to the main plot, leaving the intriguing new elements feeling underdeveloped and rushed.

This rushed feeling extends to the film's overall pacing. At only 90 minutes, Karate Kid Legends is far too short. With so many new characters to introduce and returning characters to give their due, the movie feels like it's racing through its narrative. This is heavily emphasized by the sheer number of montages, which, while efficient, contribute to the sense of a story being told in fast-forward. The last 30 minutes in particular feel like a mad dash to a conclusion you've seen coming since the opening scene.

Ultimately, Karate Kid Legends possesses a nice and charming soul, a warmth that harks back to the original films. However, this inherent charm isn't followed through on almost any aspect. The film hints at deeper emotional beats and intriguing new directions but consistently pulls back, leaving you wishing it had committed more fully to its own potential. It's an enjoyable watch for fans, but one that leaves you wanting more substance beneath its familiar surface.

First thing remember this isn't 1984 and this isn't the original film. I wanted this movie to be a great film. Sorry in my opinion it's just a good one. I can remember going to a matine' showing of the original movie with friends, and leaving the theater convinced each of us could pull off the 'crane kick'. Does this movie have that kind of moment? No not in my opinion. It has the usual moments in a movie like this. The defeat, the training, then THE FIGHT. Ralph Machio and Jackie Chan worked very well together in this film. The usual comedic moments from Chan and the moments from Machio that reminds us of why we liked the original. Since the movie is streaming now grab your favorite soft drink, some popcorn 🍿 with extra butter, maybe some Junior Mints and enjoy.

Excellent movie. Maintaining the feeling from the original but with a modern take. I highly recommend it. It had people cheering in the end. I think the performance were wonderful. Each actor excelled with their character's especially Jackie Chan. I feel he steals the show with a humorous charming role. Very similar to another character from the first karate kid. I didn't want to leave my seat and I didn't want it to end. If I had a flaw from the movie is that it was too short. I wish they flushed these wonderful character's out more. That is really the only flaw I can say. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a great movie. I'd actually say go see it twice that's how good it is and that's exactly what I am going to do.

We have a new version of cinema's most famous martial arts saga.

After the success of "Cobra Kai," it seemed like a truly unnecessary addition to the franchise, and unfortunately, it turns out to be just that.

It's the same story we saw in the original and 2010 films, but with flatter characters and a couple of fun cameos.

We have the story of a boy uprooted from his country and trying to connect with a new place, and everything that entails.

Flat, predictable, without unforgettable characters, with choreography that I quite liked, and an attempt to create a style that sets it apart from the other films.

I think the only interesting thing is Ben Wang's acting and physical performance, which I think he does quite well, but after that, we don't get much more. Ming-Na Wen's character is insufferable, Joshua Jackson's is cliché/stereotype, the Jennifer Lawrence clone is forgettable, and Aramis Knight is an NPC who kicks and is evil for no reason.

The film's most interesting features are the rare but enjoyable moments featuring Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, and the amusing final cameo.

This film clearly won't go down in history and is likely to be forgotten over time.

There is no relationship building between the characters, it's like the director thought "let me take all the cliches and make this predictable garbage". Should not count as a Karate Kid movie. I do not remember a movie that has ever been so rushed. Don't know why haven't they used a different director, there was a lot of potential but, sadly it was all wasted.

The emotional stakes are nonexistent, and every scene feels like it's checking off a box rather than telling a story. Even the choreography-something you'd expect to shine-felt uninspired and repetitive. Fans of the original deserved much more.

Last night me and my wife went to see this in the theater, and we both really liked it. I've been a big fan of the karate kid franchise for a long time, she only recently got interested in it with Cobra Kai but it's a series that we both really enjoy. So for me expectations were a little high going in, and though it wasn't exactly the movie i was hoping for, I cant say I walked away disappointed. First lets address the elephant in the room. If your only going with this movie for Daniel and or Mr Hahn, you might be let down. While they are in the movie they are not the focal point. Much like in the original KK we followed Daniel, in this one we follow Lee and his story. The movie also has 2 different plots going on, almost as if someone had two different ideas for a kk movie and they decided just to mesh them together. One of those plots is highly predictable. If you seen the original Karate Kid or the remake or the first season of Cobra kai you know almost exactly what's going to happen but there were a few extra elements thrown in. While i can see this all bothering someone else, I thought it all worked really well. I thought Lee was an interesting character, I liked his friendship/romance with the main girl and his relationship with her father. The fighting was straight up badsss and very well shot and choreographed, i really liked the fusing of Kung fu and karate. I thought the story flowed pretty well and the editing was very well done. Some of the dialogue/acting was a touch cheesy but for the most part it was pretty good. All in all, if you're a karate kid fan, you know what to expect going in, and you're willing to have an open mind, this is an easy recommend for me.

Karate Kid: Legends relies mostly on the charm of its supporting characters (the cute Sadie Stanley and likeably middle-aged Joshua Jackson) to carry what mainly feels like a last-minute cash-in on the fading geriatric charm of Jackie Chan (looking like my Grand-Aunt Doris) and Ralph Macchio (looking mostly completely exhausted) to prop up the charming but somehow forgettable Li Po (David Wang) into the usual 'out of place kid fights bully/wins girl' scenario. The fight moves are spectacular but the pacing is incredibly disjointed even for such familiar material. I enjoyed the themes of being haunted by grief, and losing my keys in the seat between screenings to reflect on my life in the lobby certainly helped that feeling, but the appearance of a certain comforting Cobra Kai regular at the end made one especially feel a more measured, less frenetic tribute to the legacy of both the Karate Kid mythos and Mr. Chan's warm, longtime presence in films had been missed.

"Karate Kid: Legends" is a messy addition to the entirety of the Karate Kid franchise beyond butchering the characters and spitting on the source material. The means in which the writers tie Mr. Han from the 2010 remake to Mr. Miyagi from the 1984 classic are so demanding of the audience that the entirety of the movie that isn't a derailed side story feels shoehorned. Aside from the sins this movie commits against its predecessors, the production is just sloppy. From the direction and acting to the cinematography and editing is all wrong in one way or another. The only things that this movie doesn't do wrong are things that are nearly impossible for theatrical releases to get wrong.

One should know by now what to expect going into a Karate Kid movie. Kid gets bullied, gets close to the bully's girlfriend, enter a tournament and ultimately win. Sure, it's formulaic, but it's a feel-good story full of fighting. Classic summer cinema. Slightly two-dimensional, not super deep, but decent enough character development to keep me interested.

I agree with other reviews that it is too quick and the pacing could have been better. It feels more like a spiritual successor to the 2010 Karate Kid than to the Daniel movies. Han is more or less the trainer with Daniel brought in for the assist. It was cool how they were able to tie together what was originally supposed to be a reboot into the main universe.

Balance-wise, I think the mid-movie storyline could have been much shorter to get the point across when it comes to Li's struggles, and should have focused more on the training and tournament. That's really my only issue.

Yes, we get it, it's not Cobra Kai. It's not a TV show where storylines can last 10 hours over the course of a season.....and that's okay.

And as always, I currently give any movie an extra star when "the message" isn't trying to be shoved down my throat.

There is only one major issue with this film, and that is that the third act feels incredibly rushed. Every major issue stems solely from the fact that it needed to be twenty minutes longer. That being said, I have a phenomenal time watching this and will definitely go again! The characters were fun and engaging, particularly Ben Wang as Li Fong. He carries an energy and charisma essential to the position, and is clearly an excellent martial artist. He carries the weight of the entire movie well, although Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, while relegated to supporting characters, bring their usual heart and soul, and we get a moderately sized new supporting cast in the form of Ming-Na Wen, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, and Wyatt Oleff, who each bring something unique and charming to their parts that made me care about each of them.

Technically, the film is wonderful. The lighting and sound design stuck out to me the most, very realistic but with enough pop to make the shots and fight scenes sing a symphony for your eyes and ears, on top of the actual symphony that is the beautiful film score by Dominic Lewis. The fights themselves are fantastic, three specifically make an awesome showcase of Ben Wang and the stunt team's skills and have the Classic Jackie Chan flair, even if a couple of the faster fights are slightly harder to follow visually at times. As for story, I appreciated the choices they made as a framework, such as starting with a character that is already proficient in martial arts, unlike his two predecessors, and the idea to give him prior trauma beyond the prerequisite "dead dad". They also do a good job of setting up the need for him to fight in the final tournament, however...

The film is so short that the ending is fairly abrupt. Don't get me wrong, it is still fairly satisfying and the very last scene is perfection itself, but there is not much time to really soak in the story or give the characters much time to come to terms with the situations they find themselves in. There are several montages, and the last third feels like one long one until the final confrontation. The villains also leave something to be desired. While Aramis Knight's Conner feels like a definite threat, as does his sensei O'Shea, and their animosity with the heroes does carry hight stakes, some of that threat wanes towards the end as we just don't get to explore them much.

Nevertheless, the film has my recommendation. It's no masterpiece, and the one big problem it has, time, is a BIG one, speaking of it solely as a piece of film. But it was fun, energetic, funny, heartwarming, beautiful, and with just the right hit of nostalgia to make you cheer at a couple parts. So with all that in mind, go buy a ticket and have a great time.