Forbidden Kingdom-What Do You Think?

[HeavenShallBurn]

I've been seeing some trailers over the last couple days for a fantasy/wuxia-comedy called Forbidden Kingdom starring Jacky Chan & Jet Li.

Trailers here

Don't really know what the plot is supposed to be about. But what with the telekinetically flung swords, attacks that smash the landscape flat and such it seems fairly interesting. If you dump the fate and destiny crap that movies seem to adore it could probably turn into a decent campaign arc.

 

[Krug]

Well I'm not too optimistic but hope the action scenes will be good...

 

[Brown Jenkin]

I read an interview with Jacki Chan about this. They wanted to do a version "Journey to the West" but rewrote parts of it so make it more a fantasy movie where the myth was more divorced from reality than they would have liked because it was believed western audiences wouldn't apreciate the original story as written.

 

[Ranger REG]

I've been seeing some trailers over the last couple days for a fantasy/wuxia-comedy called Forbidden Kingdom starring Jacky Chan & Jet Li.

Trailers here

Don't really know what the plot is supposed to be about. But what with the telekinetically flung swords, attacks that smash the landscape flat and such it seems fairly interesting. If you dump the fate and destiny crap that movies seem to adore it could probably turn into a decent campaign arc.

What do I think?

Feels weird. The lips are actually in-synch. Thank goodness for the Digital Age.

Kinda like the casting of Jet Li and Jackie Chan in the movie. I was hoping that Sammo Hung would also be included.

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

I'll probably go see this one for the same reason I watch most wuxia flicks.

To enjoy the fight sequences. If there's actually a decent story being told at the same time, then that's just an added bonus

 

[WayneLigon]

Don't really know what the plot is supposed to be about. But what with the telekinetically flung swords, attacks that smash the landscape flat and such it seems fairly interesting. If you dump the fate and destiny crap that movies seem to adore it could probably turn into a decent campaign arc.

It's about a teenager from our time travelling back to ancient China to join a group of people looking to free the imprisoned Monkey King (a big-time figure in Chinese myth). IMDB says it's a mash-up of various characters from Chinese myth and pulp fiction (such as the white-haired assassin woman).

Fate and destiny for an asian-themed adventure is practically required It's a huge component of most asian-themed and -produced films. That's why so many of them have a downbeat ending; I wouldn't expect that from this movie, per se, since I'm pretty sure it's a Hollywood film and not an import.

 

[Darth Shoju]

All I know is that the special-effects look pretty good and it has both Jackie Chan and Jet Li in a wuxia fantasy-flick. Count me in!

 

[frankthedm]

Looks good to me. I just worry there will be too much downtime in the movie like most other wire-fu movies.

 

[Mallus]

It's a fun movie what it is: an American-directed wuxia family film. Chan and Li are good together, the fights and the effects are nice, the story is suitably nutty, and there are even a few flashes of wit.

It's a got a very old live-action Disney vibe to it, or perhaps medium budget 80's high concept action comedy --it's not really funny, but neither was Eddie Murphy's The Golden Child-- and I'm mean that in the least pejorative sense possible. I liked it.

 

[Chimera]

While I dearly love Jackie Chan and have a lot of respect for him in many ways, I'm starting to wonder about the cumulative effects of repeated blows to his head. Or if he's trying to work some angle vis the Chinese people and be seen as more Chinese and less western.

In the past, he's said that he doesn't understand the western movies he's made, doesn't get the humor. He just does them for the money. The Rush Hour movies being the biggest ones that he doesn't understand and doesn't understand why they even make money.

Lately, I saw an article where he speaks about this movie in the same vein, saying that he doesn't get it, doesn't get the humor, doesn't understand why people would like it.

So OK Jackie, which is it? Are you playing your Chinese audience, or are you just losing it mentally?