"Forbidden Kingdom" not at all forbidding

[cathyr19355]

Tonight, the usual suspects (me, esrblog, pmat, and shakati went to see "The Forbidden Kingdom," the new Chinese martial arts fantasy with both Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

Because the spoiler tolerance of my friends varies wildly, I'm not going to say anything about the plot. I will say that Li and Chan turn in relatively unexciting chop socky in this one, but do better acting than I've seen either of them do in a while. The movie was filmed in China, so you get great, genuine, mountain scenery along with the usual leaping and destruction of property. Unlike "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," there is a lot of genuine magic involved. And a *much* happier ending.

It's more fun than most of the reviews suggest. Just go and see it. And if anyone wants a plot synopsis, just comment and give me a means of e-mailing you privately.

Comments

[brandyeileen.livejournal.com]

In keeping with your anti-spoiler bent, I will say that it is fairly fluffy, but tasty fluff. I had a lot of fun watching it and while it is certainly not cinema grande, I would gladly chow down some popcorn while watching it, again.

[terriwells.livejournal.com]

Oh man I'm so glad to hear this! I saw some reviews and thought about seeing it, but it looks like I'll have to see it on my own. My local bf wasn't that interested in seeing it (he only sees movies in the theater if they're really good AND would lose something if he waits to see it on DVD at home) and he said one of his friends had seen it and said it sucked. It sounded to me like the movie would be fun if seen in the right frame of mind. Maybe I'll find a place that's playing it during the week.

[cathyr19355.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what you said. :-)

[cathyr19355.livejournal.com]

To enjoy it, you have to have some enjoyment of martial arts movie cliches (or at least tolerance thereof) and some enjoyment/tolerance of the type of silliness that pops up in Jackie Chan's comedies. If you do, you'll enjoy the movie for what it is--and damn the critics, some of whom don't understand martial arts movies or Jackie Chan comedies.

[terriwells.livejournal.com]

lol sounds like fun. I've seen a Jackie Chan movie and gotten a kick out of it (pun intended); meant to see another one when I saw the trailer in the theaters. I may yet rent the DVD of that one. I've seen "Hong Kong Hustle," or shuffle, or whatever that one was called; I finally started enjoying it when I realized it was a parody. ("I surrender! I didn't know the Lion's Roar could be amplified!").

[cathyr19355.livejournal.com]

Then you'll like it, because Chan kind of dominates the movie--though that may or may not have been his intent.

[zacheryogle.livejournal.com]

Oooh also, some of you have asked to see some of my short films from film school. I'm working on getting the first one up this week.

[eriksollenberg.livejournal.com]

” I’ll admit, it’s a movie that was on my “must see” list, but I just hadn’t found the time to get to the theatre to see it.

[cathyr19355.livejournal.com]

It may well be out on DVD soon. Good luck!