The remake of the 1984 hit, KARATE KID stars eleven year-old Jaden Smith, who wowed audiences as Will Smith’s son in THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, and amiable action star Jackie Chan. And while the actors have tremendous onscreen chemistry, the two formed a bona fide friendship well before the movie began filming.
Three months before production was underway, Chan and Smith started training together. Mr. Smith has been a longtime fan of Mr. Chan. “He and my dad are my biggest influences,” said the young actor of his co-star and famous father, Will Smith. While the “karate kid” focused on his fighting skills, Mr. Chan took advantage of a significant decrease in his own fight sequences to highlight his acting talent. Over the years, Mr. Chan has shown an unmatched ability to expertly blend humor with martial arts in his movies, creating exhilarating entertainment audiences around the world throng to see in cinemas.
In the film, Mr. Smith’s character moves with his mother to China where he is bullied by classmates. Mr. Chan, as Mr. Han, takes the young boy under his wing and teaches him Kung Fu, instilling in him useful self-defense techniques as well as stronger self-esteem. The movie’s director, Harold Zwart says that the two lead actors were always hanging out together on the set, “practicing moves or talking by the lake.”
Be sure to check out the Movieguide® review on June 11, 2010.
Source: USA Today 6/04/10
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