A number of Forbidden Kingdom sequences deliver muscular slaptick. A fight in which Lu Yan uses Jason as one more weapon in his arsenal of defensive moves is vintage Chan.
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04/18/08
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The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
64
%
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Reviews Counted:123
Fresh:79
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.
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,... [More]
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Reviews for The Forbidden Kingdom
It's a long, eye-rolling haul...hampered by lurching exposition and hammy setup.
04/18/08
Pairing Jackie Chan and Jet Li would seem like a slam dunk, but this big-budget martial arts drama, which borrows liberally from The Wizard of Oz, is something of a disappointment.
04/18/08
The Forbidden Kingdom treads its path just right to please genre and action/adventure fans on both sides of the globe.
04/18/08
Kung fu purists may scoff, but escapists with a sense of humor should romp through The Forbidden Kingdom.
04/18/08
This is the long-awaited teaming of superstars Jackie Chan and Jet Li, and it's an occasion to applaud for those who like a few yuks with their kicks.
04/18/08
Top CriticThe long-awaited pairing of the 44-year-old Li and the 54-year-old Chan is a fizzle (they only fight each other once, early in the film) that makes you wish they had met up in their prime.
04/18/08
Where Rush Hour was a cash-in, The Forbidden Kingdom is a deliberate and loving homage.
04/18/08
The film tries to contain the best of two worlds - exaggerated, cartoonish comedy and disconcertingly brutal violence. Like Chan and Li, the two philosophies grind uncomfortably beside each other.
04/18/08
Chan and Li both deliver in their own unique ways, and there's enough action and humor to satisfy even the less enthusiastic martial arts fans out there.
04/18/08
It does not take itself too seriously but it does take the action scenes seriously.
04/18/08
The Forbidden Kingdom may not be a classic martial arts movie, but it's got heart, a certain sneaky charm and more than enough pure fun to make up for that.
04/18/08
The ever-impish Chan is perfectly suited to the wine-reliant wanderer and his agility still impresses at 50 ...a unique blend that offers something for everyone while respecting its origins.
04/18/08
It's too bad that the film isn't actually about Jackie or Jet; rather, it's about a bland, annoying, white kid.
04/17/08
Minkoff and Fusco blur the line between homage and laziness.
04/17/08
Jackie Chan and Jet Li are true artists and watching them together is a real joy.
04/17/08
The Forbidden Kingdom is a movie that has Jackie Chan and Jet Li kicking each other. And that is why it is awesome.
04/17/08
Finally, the martial arts genre gets its own version of "City Heat."
04/17/08
Toto and Scarecrow were dropped from the project after demanding excessive residuals on the back end.
04/17/08
I don't care how tough and talented Jet Li and Jackie Chan are they lost me at Monkey King.
04/17/08
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. 
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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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