'Karate Kid' back with a bang

“The Karate Kid” is the perfect example of how to remake a franchise.

A retread of the iconic 1980s movie, this story follows the same plot line but adds the twist of being set in China. This does mean there’s no karate in “Karate Kid,” just kung fu, but my doubts on this score were settled by the overall quality of the picture.

Jaden Smith is the best child actor I have seen in this generation. He has much of the skill of his parents, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, but at a much younger age. He plays his role with depth and subtlety rarely seen in a 12-year-old, with none of the awkwardness characteristic of that age.

With Jackie Chan guiding this film’s martial and philosophical aspects, I left the theater with no complaints about this movie. An excellent martial arts film, an inspiring coming-of-age drama, and a touching date movie, this film hits all the right notes and didn’t leave me wanting more.