The Forbidden Kingdom

The Forbidden Kingdom – Jason Tripitikas is a young man obsessed with Martial Arts movies. He finds a golden staff and is transported to ancient China and finds out that it is his destiny to return the Golden Staff to the Monkey King. Plunged into danger, he is soon rescued by the unusual warrior Lu Yan. Two more warriors join them on their way and Jason is taught how to fight so that he can complete his quest and get back home.

The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) – Director: Rob Minkoff

Rating: 12

Running Length: 104 mins

Starring: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano

Genre: Action/Adventure, Martial Arts

REVIEW: ‘THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM’

‘The Forbidden Kingdom’ sets up a titanic clash of kung-fu legends, long-awaited by fans of the genre. Two of the world’s biggest martial arts superstars, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, work together in a fun, well-made and well choreographed movie which plays to both of their strengths. While Michael Angarano is the likeable Jason, the rivalry between Chan and Li rightfully steals the show. Combined with the gorgeous expansive scenery and gleeful mythical tone, ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’ adds a healthy dose of fun to a sometimes otherwise dour genre.

Director, Minkoff, adds a modern twist to the more traditional stories of ancient Chinese folklore and while an American teenager in China could be an irritating concept, Angarano’s innocent naivety simply adds to the charm of the story. Unfortunately Yifei Liu, who plays Golden Sparrow, doesn’t really bring anything to the group and while the script for every other character is fine, it is baffling and often quite irritating that her character often talks about herself in the third person!

The movie takes us for a fantastic journey through the lore of ancient China and throws in plenty of fun, action, and entertaining dialogue so that the whole package combines into a very watchable adventure.

CONTENT: IS ‘THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM’ SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN

On the whole, The Forbidden Kingdom is a family friendly movie, however there are a few moments which parents may wish to be aware of for younger children.

As you might expect from a martial arts movie, there are several fight scenes involving hand to hand combat. While these scenes can be quite intense they are superbly choreographed by the world-renowned Yuen Woo-Ping (who is probably most well-known for his work on movies such as The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), who manages to make them more exciting than scary.

When Jason first arrives in China, he stumbles out of an old house and finds himself in a small, rural village with children running around and people generally going about their day. This idyllic scene is then interrupted when soldiers ransack the village. During this brief attack, a woman is seen to be taken prisoner and her husband, who tries to save her, is stabbed in the back and killed by the soldiers. Similarly, a later scene shows Jason and his companions coming across another village which has been ransacked by the Jade Warlord’s soldiers. Several bodies are seen hanging from a tall tree and Golden Sparrow says how much she wishes to kill the Jade Warlord and put his head on a spike.

When Golden Sparrow is first introduced, she helps Jason and Lu Yan escape. In doing so, she kills two guards by throwing two small daggers into their throats. This is shown on-screen but as the filming is dark and there is no blood, it is not overly graphic. The three then make their escape on horses and ride through a brothel, however nothing is mentioned in the script and there are no sexual references so children are unlikely to pick up on the setting.

One scene with the Jade Warlord shows him standing in front of several terrified young women. Although nothing is directly mentioned, there is a strong implication of what his intentions are with them.

There are a couple of uses of moderate bad language at the beginning of the movie and a couple of racial slurs. However this is not excessive or particularly shocking, is mostly said by the villainous thugs who are barely a part of the story and we do not feel that these words are intended to be repeated by the audience.

One moment which is a little surprising is when the four heroes are walking through the desert and Lu Yan is trying to summon water. Liquid splashes on him but it is then revealed that the Silent Monk is actually urinating on his face. This is clearly done as a joke due to the rivalry between the two characters but as it is a relatively uncommon thing for western audiences to see, it could come as a bit of a shock!

The death of one of the villains could be quite scary for some children. Their face turns a grey/blue colour, appears to crack like porcelain and they then fall into a fiery lava pit. This moment only lasts a few seconds but the camera shows every detail.

CAN I SEE A CLIP?

VERDICT: IS ‘THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM’ FOR KIDS?

The Forbidden Kingdom is an action-packed movie which will be an exciting and entertaining watch for most adults and children. While some of the themes are rather adult in nature, the movie never gets too serious or frightening and Jason’s warmth and Lu Yan’s comedy keeps everything firmly in the ‘family friendly’ category. We would recommend this movie for children aged 9 and over but would advise that an adult be present for some of the more violent scenes.

• Violence:  3/5 (mostly martial arts style fighting, some swords, bows and arrows and thrown daggers are used)
• Emotional Distress: 2/5 (one of the main characters is seriously injured and there is quite an emotionally charged death towards the end)
• Fear Factor: 2/5
• Sexual Content: 1/5
• Bad Language: 2/5
• Dialogue: 2/5
• Other notes: Deals with themes of fate, not turning your back on your destiny, loyalty, courage and fighting for what is right.

Words by Laura Record