The Forbidden Kingdom (PG-13, 2008)

Shy teenager Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano) might not seem like the most likely person to be fated to return a centuries-old golden staff that once belonged to the mythical Monkey King (Jet Li), who was turned to stone by the evil Jade Warlord (Collin Chou). But Jason finds himself in that very situation when an elderly shopkeeper (Jackie Chan) entrusts him with the task ... after Jason betrays the old man, who winds up getting shot. In no time, a guilt-ridden Jason is transported back to ancient China, where he meets up with two kung-fu masters -- Lu Yan (Chan again), whose elixir is wine, and the Silent Monk (Li, also in a double role) -- who must teach him how to vanquish the Jade Warlord, free the Monkey King, and go home. Is Jason up to the task?

Its plotlines are circuitous to say the least, but THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM is pure fun (there's a message somewhere about "learning the form but seeking the formless," but it's almost unimportant). The fighting sequences are exhilarating, especially those that pit Chan against Li. Seeing Chan in action, it's clear that the pure martial arts genre is the best showcase for his talents; in his sidekick movies, he doesn't get to unleash his prowess as extensively as he does here. Angarano also holds his own, and the villains are deliciously over-the-top, especially Li Bingbing, who plays the devious, white-maned Ni Chang.

But anyone who's expecting Kill Bill-style action will be disappointed. Though the fighting moves on display here are legit, there's little gore. Arrows cartoonishly pierce skin but don't draw blood (which is good if you plan on taking kids to see it). The film could also have done with less forced banter; the "witty" repartee isn't really all that witty. And the film's present-day bookends, though they inject Forbidden Kingdom with some semblance of a frame, are forgettable throwaways.