Made for boys who like watching kung-fu movies, this fantasy action-adventure is about a boy who loves his kung-fu movies. South Boston teen Jason (Michael Angarano, “Snow Angels”) fantasizes about a martial-arts adventure of his own. He’s a regular at Lu Yan’s Pawn Shop in Chinatown, where he seeks out rare kung-fu videos. In the back room there’s an ancient fighting stick the old proprietor says was entrusted to his grandfather. Defending the ornate staff from thieves one night, Jason falls from a roof and lands in the Forbidden Kingdom. Legend foretells a stranger coming to restore the staff to its rightful owner, although the prophecy does not relate that this stranger’s favorite adjective is “sick.” Jackie Chan and Jet Li play Jason’s mentors on a quest leading through the Gate of No Gate. Jason meets a funny drunk, an impish monkey-faced man and an embittered butt-kicking musician who hurls a mean jade dart. Rob Minkoff (“The Lion King,” “Stuart Little”) directs and John Fusco (“Young Guns,” “Hidalgo”) writes an exercise in juvenile escapism with nothing to say about kung-fu fandom. Aside from a few jokes for insiders, “Forbidden Kingdom” has no lineage in its genre. With Yifei Liu, Morgan Benoit, Deshun Wang, and Collin Chou. 113m. Anamorhpic 2.40 widescreen. (Bill Stamets)
Related Stories
Seeing The Elephant: A Review Of Babylon The boisterous, brawling yet melancholy "Babylon," is a variation on film history, but more drawing for drama. It's gaudy and mean, celebratory and sorrowful.
Heart: A Review of Soul The real world is soulful, too, in Pixar's bountiful life of the mind.
Uncanny Ally: A Review Of M3GAN "M3GAN" sells itself in its first handful of seconds in how it introduces the handiwork of roboticist Gemma (Allison Williams, "Get Out") and her present product, PurrPetual Petz from Funki.
Fine Line: A Review Of Shortcomings It's a season for the comeuppance of a curmudgeon in Randall Park's smart, biting "Shortcomings," adapted by Adrian Tomine from his graphic novel of the same name.
A Drag Getting Old: A Review Of Indiana Jones 5 In the protracted opening couple of reels, a very young, computer-crafted Harrison Ford plays a younger cultural marauder who first encounters the dull MacGuffin of the title.
