The Forbidden Kingdom Review

I'm not saying that this movie won't have fans from all age groups, but it will definitely strike more of a chord with a younger audience than it did with me. 

My husband was interested in checking out the afternoon matinee of Forbidden Kingdom starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li.   I'm not generally a huge fan of martial arts movies, but I did thoroughly enjoy the magnificence of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and the intrigue of Hero, so I thought I would give the film a chance.  Boy, was that a mistake.

Although there are some similarities between all three of these films (stylized fight sequences, beautiful scenery, noble quest) the maturity, artistry, well-developed characters, plot pacing, and seamless editing were decidedly absent in Forbidden Kingdom.  This is a movie that focuses on cartoonish, one-dimensional characters, predictable storytelling, and comic touches that were more goofy than funny.  The so-called "Monkey Prince" was especially juvenile and tiresome to me.  However, I will say that there were a couple of patrons who laughed hysterically at his scenes, so perhaps I just have a limited sense of humor.

I couldn't help but enjoy Jackie Chan's infectiously happy personality, but it was not enough to ameliorate the tedium I felt through most of the movie.  The movie has a very slow start and by the time they picked up the pace I had pretty much checked out mentally. 

There is definitely a fan base for this type of movie, and it really is harmless fun for all ages.  I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to my friends, but I would recommend Forbidden Kingdom to anyone looking for a (very) light hearted movie-going experience or to anyone who is a martial arts fan.