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The Forbidden KingdomDirected by Rob Minkoff, 2008 By Alyce Wilson The Forbidden Kingdom is set in mythical times and incorporates figures and elements from Chinese mythology as well as from classic martial-arts films. In it, a teenage martial-arts fan, Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano), enters a magical world. He learns the only way he can return home is by returning a special bo staff to its proper owner. In that respect, this is a hero's quest, where the protagonist navigates a colorful fantasy world full of helpful characters as well as foes who must be overcome. The script is loosely based on the Chinese epic story Journey to the West, which has also inspired many martial arts films. In the beginning of this quest, Jason learns about the Monkey King (Jet Li), a character that dates back to a 16th century fantasy epic. The Monkey King has been frozen into a statue by the evil Jade Warlord (Collin Chou), and only the bo staff can release him and save the kingdom from the Jade Warlord's tyranny. Jackie Chan plays a drunken Kung Fu master, an enduring character from Kung Fu movies, including many early Jackie Chan films. Jet Li doubles as the Silent Monk, a Shaolin Monk given to philosophical teaching and meditation. Angarano, who played the younger version of main character William Miller in Almost Famous, as well as Eliot, the son of Jack McFarland on the TV series Will & Grace, is adept at comedy. However, in this film, he primarily plays the straight man, only occasionally getting to do some physical humor, such as in an entertaining training sequence. As expected, the film abounds in impressive fight scenes, often incorporating humor, although choreographed by Woo-ping Yuen (Jet Li's Fearless, Kill Bill, The Matrix Reloaded), not by Jackie Chan, who usually choreographs all his movies. Nevertheless, the action sequences combine the styles of the two martial artists fairly effectively. Martial arts fans, however, may have wished for more scenes featuring both stars. The Forbidden Kingdom provides an opportunity for martial arts fans to introduce their children to the rich history of martial arts movies in a family-friendly way. Rating: *** (Good) Philadelphia Film Festival 2008
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