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Movies / On DVD / The Forbidden Kingdom
The Forbidden Kingdom

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The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

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Reviews Counted: 122

Fresh: 78

Rotten:44

Average Rating: 6.1/10

Consensus: This hotly-anticipated pairing of martial arts legends Jackie Chan and Jet Li features dazzling fight scenes but is weighed down by too much filler.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for sequences of martial arts action and some violence.

Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release:2008

Box Office: $25,040,293

Synopsis: East meets West and kung-fu legends collide as Jackie Chan and Jet Li square off in the fists-a-flying, family-friendly FORBIDDEN KINGDOM. Based on the classical Chinese novel JOURNEY TO THE WEST,... East meets West and kung-fu legends collide as Jackie Chan and Jet Li square off in the fists-a-flying, family-friendly FORBIDDEN KINGDOM. Based on the classical Chinese novel JOURNEY TO THE WEST, the film begins in modern-day Boston. There, while teenage kung-fu flick enthusiast Jason (Michael Angarano) is buying bootleg DVDs from his favorite shopkeeper, Old Hop (Chan, aged by prosthetic makeup), he is drawn to an ancient golden staff. When a local bully forces weakling Jason to help rob Old Hop, Jason escapes with the staff and is magically transported to ancient China. He is soon rescued from the forces of the Jade Warlord by Lu Yan (Chan), a raggedy wanderer whose wine-guzzling ways conceal his kung-fu mastery. Yan reveals the truth of the staff, and that Jason is the fabled Seeker who must return it to the Monkey King (Li) to prevent the warlord's evil plans. The two are joined in their quest by a kung-fu master, Silent Monk (Li), and a beautiful orphan (Liu Yifei) who harbors her own personal vendetta. Despite their differences, the two masters teach Jason the ways of the kung-fu warrior. And when Lu Yan is gravely wounded by the warlord's sexy assassin, Jason must bring his newfound skills and courage to bear if he is to save one world and return to his own. Choreographed by action impresario Woo-ping Yuen (THE MATRIX, KILL BILL) and shot on location in China, FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is an appealing family adventure about the importance of working together and the value of believing in one's abilities. [More]

Starring: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano, Crystal Liu

Starring: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano, Crystal Liu, Collin Chou, Liu Yifei, Li Bing Bing, Ye Xiaokeng

Director: Rob Minkoff

Director: Rob Minkoff
Screenwriter: John Fusco
Producer: Casey Silver
Composer: David Buckley
Studio: Weinstein Company

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Release:

Sep 9, 2008

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Reviews for The Forbidden Kingdom

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Kung fu fever and fluff mix it up with hordes of floating knights in shining armor with bad attitude, and just a little heavy on the dressing, courtesy of the costume department.

Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | comment Comment
09/09/08
Prairie Miller
NewsBlaze

Think of it as a kung fu fairy tale almost anyone can appreciate.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
08/28/08
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

The first onscreen meeting of screen legends Jackie Chan and Jet Li is possibly reason enough to see this fantasy, whose extravagant martial arts sequences are choreographed by Woo-ping Yuen, whose signature was inked in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
07/18/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile

... despite falling prey to some of the anticipate problems, it ultimately emerges victorious, perhaps wobbling a bit, but only in the giddy manner of the drunken master played by Chan.

Full Review Source: ESplatter | comment Comment
07/04/08
Steve Biodrowski
ESplatter

Fans of either martial artist will probably find enough to enjoy out of this, and will even like it more if they like 80's fantasy films.

Full Review Source: Sin Magazine | comment Comment
06/08/08
Austin Kennedy
Sin Magazine

Fueled by Jackie Chan and Jet Li, this enjoyable romp has plenty of kick.

Full Review Source: Atlantic City Weekly | comment Comment
06/05/08
Lori Hoffman
Atlantic City Weekly

An unapologetically old-fashioned fantasy ... solid enough entertainment for grown-ups, but something that many kids will absolutely adore.

Full Review Source: The Cinema Source | comment Comment
06/03/08
Michael Dance
The Cinema Source

If The Forbidden Kingdom missteps, it's by assuming that its digitally enhanced stunts are more impressive than they are and, therefore, lavishing more attention on the kinetics than the story.

Full Review Source: Paste Magazine | comment Comment
06/02/08
Robert Davis
Paste Magazine

Welcomed doses of slapstick and winking humor are sprinkled throughout rescuing the film from the occasionally heavy but never overbearing exposition.

Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah) | comment Comment
05/25/08
Bruce Bennett
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

When I say the movie is cheesy, I am talking provolone, American cheese, Swiss cheese; cheesy.

Full Review Source: WJFK-FM (CBS Radio) | comment Comment
05/17/08
Kevin McCarthy
WJFK-FM (CBS Radio)

Yeah, it's a dopey kid's movie, but -- significant detail -- one that feels like it was actually written for kids ... Also, whenever things threaten to get too schlocky, this amazing villainess with a magic bullwhip shows up.

Full Review Source: The Stranger (Seattle, WA) | comment Comment
05/15/08
Andrew Wright
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

It would be little without its superb martial arts sequences, so its good to report that the movie isn't just filled with them, but that each fight was choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping.

Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | comment Comment
05/13/08
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

The story, which should be forbidden, keeps coming back for more. Whenever the plot pops up, from predictable love scenes to the villainess who hates men for no reason to the crypto-Confucian lines, you keep wishing for the next fist to fly.

Full Review Source: Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada) | comment Comment
05/08/08
Brian Gibson
Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)

Plenty of fun action sequences, but one wants more from a movie that contains this promising line: 'Summon the witch. The one born of wolves.'

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
05/06/08
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

(Minkoff) botches the film's fantasy elements, saturating these segments with cheesy effects.

Full Review Source: Charlotte Weekly | comment Comment
05/02/08
Sean O'Connell
Charlotte Weekly

Jason's relationship with Golden Sparrow stays pretty locked in first gear, such that the movie might attend to kung fu%u2014sort of.

Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
04/30/08
Cynthia Fuchs
PopMatters

All the martial arts movies have become clichés. This film is worse than stupid. Enough!

Full Review Source: Tolucan Times | comment 4 Comments
04/27/08
Tony Medley
Tolucan Times

Fortunately, Minkoff has one talent many of his American predecessors have lacked: When Chan or Li is fighting, he knows how to hold the camera still.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
04/27/08
Dan Lybarger
eFilmCritic.com

These two fighters may be turning into grandpas, thanks to the "Viagra" of wire work and other special effects, both men are still able to pull off some very entertaining fight sequences.

Full Review Source: Sean the Movie Guy | comment Comment
04/24/08
Sean McBride
Sean the Movie Guy

I'm totally in the target audience for this film, having long been a fan of both actors as well as the genre itself. But the fact is that this thing just didn't work for me, and I'm completely frustrated by that.

Full Review Source: Aisle Seat | comment 1 Comment
04/24/08
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat
 
 
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Latest News for The Forbidden Kingdom

September 09, 2008: Kung fu fever and fluff mix it up with hordes of floating knights in shining armor with bad attitude, and just a little heavy on the dressing, courtesy of the costume department. Opens in new window
More...

May 01, 2008: Box Office Preview: Iron Man Launches Summer Movie Season
A hero flies into North American multiplexes aiming to kickstart what should be an explosive summer movie season. Paramount's Iron Man is first up to bat this year and is ready... More...

April 24, 2008: Box Office Guru Preview: Odd Couples Invade Multiplexes
Two new buddy comedies enter the marketplace during the final weekend of the spring box office hoping to cash in on what business is left in the last week before Iron Man flies... More...

April 20, 2008: Box Office Guru Wrapup: Chan and Li Rule Box Office Kingdom
Audiences were fired up for the first-ever showdown between martial arts legends Jackie Chan and Jet Li as their new fantasy actioner The Forbidden Kingdom opened at number one... More...

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