135 min | PG-13 | May 30, 2025 | Sony Pictures Releasing
Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio team up to train a new kid. Ben Wang is the breakout. The film delivers exactly what nostalgia promises and nothing more.
Franchise continuations that unite separate timelines are built on fan service. Karate Kid: Legends brings together Mr. Han from the 2010 reboot and Daniel LaRusso from the original films to train Li Fong, a kung fu prodigy forced to compete in a karate tournament. The premise is thin. The execution is professional. The film understands its job is to make fans happy and newcomers feel included.
Ben Wang plays Li Fong and emerges as a genuine star. He brings martial arts skill and emotional depth to a role that could have been just an excuse to get Chan and Macchio on screen together. Wang holds his own against two legends and creates a character worth following. Jackie Chan plays Mr. Han with the same quiet dignity he brought to the 2010 film. Ralph Macchio returns as Daniel and the film gives him actual character work instead of just cameo moments. The chemistry between Chan and Macchio is the best thing in the film.
Jonathan Entwistle directs with competence but no vision. The film hits every expected beat. The training montages. The tournament structure. The lessons about honor and discipline. The martial arts sequences are clearly staged and well-choreographed. Wang, Chan, and Macchio all do their own fighting and it shows. But the whole thing feels calculated to deliver nostalgia without risk or surprise.
The film serves its purpose. Fans of the franchise will find what they are looking for. Wang’s performance suggests he has a future beyond this franchise. The film itself is functional entertainment that will fade once the nostalgia wears off.