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Karate Kid: Legends

Action. Drama. Comedy After a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn't want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren't enough. Li's kung fu teacher Mr. Han ... [+]
Media Author Review
United States
rogerebert.com
"Impressive and exasperating in its determination to squeeze every previous iteration of this story (...) Yes, there is an incredibly difficult finishing move. Every Karate Kid movie has one. When Li decided the time was right to use his, I cheered like everyone else. There’s a reason why this tale keeps getting retold: it’s foolproof. (...) Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)" 
United Kingdom
The Guardian
"It’s warm, it’s breezy – it’s a burst of summery family fun that is sure to inspire long looks back at the old movies and Cobra Kai episodes (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)" 
United States
The Hollywood Reporter
"Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio Return for a Messy and Uninspired Addition to the Franchise (...) the plot is just awful" 
United States
Variety
"It’s a film that’s unapologetically basic and wholesome and, at 94 minutes, refreshingly stripped down. " 
United States
IndieWire
"In the pantheon of unnecessary legacy sequels, it’s hard to come up with a film that gains less from its connections to the work it’s tied to than 'Karate Kid: Legends'" 
United States
IGN
"A misguided attempt to maintain an unrelentingly high energy from start to finish that ends up making it feel emotionally hollow because it almost never takes time to slow down and breathe (...) Rating: 6 (out of 10)" 
United States
New York Post
"'Legends' is the latest in a long line of terrible 'Karate Kid' movies. A passing of the torch, such as it is, to the next inferior rip-off. (...) Rating: ★ (out of 4)" 
Canada
Toronto Star
"[It] feels at times like four or five different movies being chopped-and-screwed together, albeit at an enjoyably fast pace, and with a minimum of narrative drag (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 4)" 
Canada
Exclaim!
"Miyagi's legacy deserves better than this (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 10)" 
Canada
Screen Rant
"Wildly Entertaining & Charming, Legends Proves The Karate Kid Franchise Has Not Yet Lost Its Spark (...) Rating: 7 (out of 10)" 
United States
ReelViews
"It has all the earmarks of something made by a fan primarily for fans, but it feels rushed and unfinished with storylines that are compressed and ultimately left feeling only half-finished (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 4)" 
United States
Vulture
"I can’t imagine anyone remembering [this film] four decades from now. Or next week" 
United Kingdom
Empire
"'Karate Kid: Legends' doesn’t quite live up to the promise of its Cobra Kai-meets-Mr Han marketing. But for breezy feel-goodness, you’ve come to the right dojo." (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)" 
United States
Common Sense Media
"It's not perfect, but this is still a feel-good crowd-pleaser that blends themes from earlier installments with two times the mentors and a charming new martial artist at its center" 
United States
The Wall Street Journal
"Instead, it’s more like an outline whose details the filmmakers never got around to filling in" 
United States
Collider
"'Karate Kid: Legends' marks a very strong addition to the relatively early careers of a promising filmmaker a movie star who has the potential to be the best... around. (...) Rating: 7 (out of 10)" 
United States
San Francisco Chronicle
"[It] is steeped in nostalgia, which helps paper over a formulaic script and the strange reality that its domestic scenes are more effective than its fight action (...) Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)" 
United States
Rolling Stone
"Everyone [who is not a fan] will just feel like tempted to sweep the legs of everyone trying to cash in on a recently revived franchise and wring it dry" 
Canada
Screen Anarchy
"[Ben] Wang makes for a winning lead, carrying the heavier exposition-laden moments and the lighter ones with virtual ease" 
United States
AV Club
"[It] is actually an enjoyable little film" 
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