Forbidden Kingdom [Blu-ray] [Import]

Finally, here we have it, the pairing of the two biggest martial arts heroes of our generation, Jackie Chan and Jet Li. They star in this fantastical tale of a South Boston teenager who somehow gets transported into a time portal back into ancient China, where he is sent to deliver a mystical staff.

The action scenes are great and the scenery is breathtaking. Although the kid is a horrible actor, Chan and Li do a fine job. There are also a number of pretty women in this movie with great kung-fu skills. I must say the cheese factor in this movie is extremely high, for example we have Chinese people in ancient China speaking English amongst themselves, using 20th century slang. Oftentimes the dialogue is very stiff and the cheese factor reaches insurpassable levels during some fight scenes such as when a girl uses her floor-length hair as a fighting weapon. Overall, a very enjoyable movie, if you can stand the cheese.

I like Jackie Chan movies. Forbidden Kingdom does not disappoint - lots of action, humour, lessons, ancient history, equal an entertaining story. Sure appreciated the great price and speedy delivery. It's a keeper.

I love it! it is a great action/martial arts film, with amazing fight scenes. As I said many times, I love shows and movies that are set in Asia, and China's becoming my favorite country.

The film is about a South Boston teenager named Jason Tripitikas, who is a fan of Hong Kong cinema, and who after a night of peer-pressure from the local bully was magical transported to ancient China, by a staff who just happen to be the fabled staff Ruyi Jingu Bang that belonged to the legendary Monkey King. He was then rescued from armored soldiers by the inebriated traveling scholar Lu Yan, who is surprisingly alert and agile when drunk.

Later that night, seated in a teahouse, Lu Yan tells Jason of how the Monkey King wreack havoc on a banquet the Immortals held to celebrate the Jade Emperor's forthcoming 500-year period of meditation. The Jade Emperor took a liking to the Monkey King and decided to award him a heavenly title, much to the chagrin of the Jade Warlord, who was the Emperor's general. The Emperor then left the Jade Warlord in charge of heaven before retreating to his long meditation. The Warlord challenged the Monkey King to a duel to display their fighting and magical abilities. After tricking the Monkey King into setting aside Ruyi Jingu Bang, the Warlord struck him with a spell that would turn him into stone, whereupon the Monkey King threw the staff far off beyond the Warlord's grasp. Lu Yan ends the tale by stating a prophecy in which person known as the "Seeker" will find the staff and free the Monkey King. So the "Seeker" happens to be...Jason! Poor Jason, he's thinks this is all a wacky dream, but Lu Yan is going to help him out, along with a young girl and a silent monk hand, they set out on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King, and get Jason home.

So overall, I would say this film is an excellent film with an excellent musical score.