The Forbidden Kingdom

A Kung Fu obsessed American teenager, Jason (Angarano) is sent to ancient China to return a magical staff to the Monkey King soon after its discovery in China Town. The problem is, he is not trained in Kung Fu and begins instruction with two masters, the Drunken Begger (Chan) and the Silent Monk (Li). Jason also faces the challenges of Jade Warlord (Chou), who is desperate to kill Jason in order to destroy the prophecy that predicts his end.

'The Forbidden Kingdom' is the first collaboration between the two of martial art legends Jackie Chan and Jet Li. But the collaboration would not be completed without 'the' action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, who is the mind behind the martial arts in 'The Matrix'. Scriptwriter John Fusco manages to use his passion to create an impressive plot line and characters based on various Chinese legends.

The film is fast-paced, and there are enough action scenes to keep the fans happy while the plot is progressing well through them. Despite the fact that the film is in English, everything a Kung Fu movie should have is there. There is also chance to watch Jet Li playing a monkey and Jackie Chan playing an old guy! This is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys action and certainly an excellent choice for the AllNighter.

Jeffrey Choi