Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- sincere
- uplifting
- inspirational
- family movie night
- kids movie afternoon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the remake a sincere, well-made, and satisfying family martial arts drama, even if it lacks the power of the 1984 original.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dre learns kung fu from Mr. Han while confronting bullying, insecurity, and the pressure of tournament competition.
Dre moves from the United States to China and must navigate an unfamiliar language, school, and social environment.
Mr. Han emphasizes self-defense, peace, and control instead of violence and bloodshed.
Dre's training culminates in a kung fu tournament where his growth is tested against Cheng and the bullying group.
Films like The Karate Kid, and why
The Karate Kid
shared martial arts training, coming of age conflict, mentor student bond, and uplifting family-friendly tone
Kung Fu Panda
shared fish out of water premise, disciplined mentorship, youthful rivalry, and accessible action drama
Billy Elliot
shared child protagonist, martial arts instruction, bullying conflict, and warm inspirational atmosphere
Movie Details
- Director
- Harald Zwart
- Release Date
- 2010-06-10
- Runtime
- 140 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (6727)
Cast
- Jaden Smith
- Jackie Chan
- Taraji P. Henson
- Wenwen Han
- Zhenwei Wang
- Yu Rongguang
- Wu Zhensu
- Wang Ji
- Tess Liu
- Xu Ming
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Karate Kid about?
- A newly transplanted American boy finds confidence, friendship, and a code of peaceful self-defense under the guidance of a troubled kung fu master in China.
- What is The Karate Kid like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Karate Kid as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Karate Kid violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Karate Kid as mild.
- What did critics think of The Karate Kid?
- Critics broadly found the remake a sincere, well-made, and satisfying family martial arts drama, even if it lacks the power of the 1984 original.
- Which films are like The Karate Kid?
- Films with a similar feel include The Karate Kid, Kung Fu Panda, and Billy Elliot.
- How long is The Karate Kid?
- The Karate Kid runs 140 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Karate Kid?
- In United States, The Karate Kid streams on Netflix.
