Aarcflick

The newest addition to the popular franchise, following 2010's Karate Kid, modernizes the original plot with two novel elements. First, it combines kung fu with boxing, as Li trains a much older Victor Lipani (Joshua Jackson), a pizzeria owner and former boxing champion. It then evolves into a fighting style that fuses kung fu and karate. This setup leads to engaging training sequences, made even more exciting by the return of Master Han (Jackie Chan) from Li's Beijing dojo and Sensei Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) from the Japanese Miyagi School, once led by the late Nariyoshi Keisuke Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita). At 95 minutes long, the narrative moves at a brisk pace, which can sometimes feel a bit frantic as it juggles multiple threads: Li's budding romance with Mia (Sadie Stanley), her father Victor's training, and her preparation for the final showdown with her ex, Conor (Aramis Knight), the undefeated champion of the Five Boroughs Tournament. Kung fu ...