The Forbidden Kingdom

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of science fiction, and typically think highly of films regarding the "Final Frontier". However, a genre that rivals and perhaps surpasses the realm of space in my aesthetic hierarchy is that of martial arts / samurai type movies. I greatly admire the Akira Kurasawa - Toshiro Mifune collections and am such a fan of Jackie Chan that I have been known to frequent a certain Honolulu eatery devoted to the actor. From Bruce Lee to Jet Li, I will watch pretty much any kind of authentic kung fu flick. That being said, it is then no small wonder that I was overjoyed to discover that two of my favorite kung fu stars would be sharing the stage in an action feature. This was quite the pleasant surprise for me, as I had long been disappointed by Hollywood's continued failure to make any of my "dream teams" a reality. As you might expect, I, like many in the theater Friday night, had quite high expectations of the film. You will be pleased to find out that we were not disappointed. Of course, when I say "we", I am in fact referring to those of us who had come to see the Jackie Chan / Jet Li masterpiece. I heard some derisive comments from some exiting after the show, and inwardly laughed at the foolishness of those who could not appreciate the magnitude of the cinematic genius they had just witnessed. I take this moment to comment on this strange phenomenon of the uneducated patron of the arts. Going to see a movie or play without having some knowledge of what it is about, or a general idea of the background of the story and the legacy of the stars is complete foolishness. If you go to the theater simply on a whim, then you have no one to blame but yourself if you come away disappointed. It is something akin to walking into a library and picking a book off the shelf at random-being critical of a work you have no knowledge about is equally as ridiculous. Anyone who would claim that "The Forbidden Kingdom" is not a work of art is simply displaying an uneducated approach to literary criticism. First off, you can not watch this movie with a false sense of expectations; it is not a sweeping romance or a pretensious work of drama. To be sure, the overall plot is one of drama, with the story of a boy undertaking a journey towards manhood, to confront his own fears and shortcomings. Thinking of it in this way, the main plotline is something of a mix between "A Conneticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" and "The Neverending Story". However, the overarcing story is somewhat inconsequential; indeed, it can be thought of as merely a backdrop, an canvas on which two master artists create a glorious tapestry. The boy has a task to complete and a girl to win, to be sure, but the audience is never really given a reason to think of him as a serious lead; rather, he provides comic relief throughout. We laugh at his bewilderment at having been thrown through time, chuckle at his being the brunt of all the physical humor, and snicker at his akward attmepts to impress his would be girlfriend. No, it is the elaborate visuals that impress the most, whether it be the beautiful scenery, the perfect timing and interactions between Chan and Li, the imaginative costumes, and most of all, the intricacies of the dance-like flow of the martial arts. That's pretty much all I have to say about the film, save that I think it will be the best movie of the year. The only other movie that may be close to its level of greatness is the upcoming fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series. No other picture really has much of a shot at this point.