Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Remake has new stars, new country, but same winning spirit.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Karate Kid (2010)
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 90 parent reviews
Parents say the film features intense martial arts violence and bullying, which some felt was excessive for younger viewers, while others appreciated its positive messages about resilience and standing up to bullies. The acting received praise, particularly from Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, but concerns arose about language and mature themes that may not be suitable for all children, making it essential for parents to assess their child's maturity before watching.
- intense violence
- positive messages
- strong acting
- mature themes
- parental guidance
- age recommendations
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 131 kid reviews
What's the Story?
In THE KARATE KID, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) moves with his widowed mother, Sherry (Taraji P. Henson), from Detroit to Beijing, where he has to learn a new language, acclimate to a new school, and deal with a completely different culture. Early on, Dre shows an interest in Meiying (Wenwen Han), a driven young violinist, but his flirtation brings him face-to-face with a crew of kung fu students who taunt Dre and beat him up at every possible turn. It turns out that they all belong to a competitive kung fu studio led by Master Li (Rongguang Yu). Just when Dre is about to be attacked once more, he's saved by his apartment complex's maintenance man, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who hesitantly agrees to train Dre for a kung fu competition where he'll face all of his nemeses.
Is It Any Good?
Both faithful to the spirit of the original and incredibly entertaining, this remake is sure to make viewers clap and hoot throughout many scenes. The Karate Kid boasts stellar performances by Smith, who channels his father Will's intensity and charm, and Chan, who remains in his martial arts element while getting to show some dramatic acting skills. They might not share some of the lively banter that made Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita so lovable in the 1984 original, but Dre and Mr. Han's friendship is believable and strong enough to carry the story.
The movie, even with its unnecessarily long run time of nearly two and a half hours, proves that Smith is a natural-born entertainer. He's funny and at ease and nails tween angst. The rapport between Smith and Henson as mother and son is realistic, and Dre's flirtation with Meiying is adorable. The actors who play the villains deliver perfect performances, and Master Li becomes a slick version of John Kreese's "No mercy!"-spewing karate teacher. It's hard to compare Chan's "take off the jacket"/"put it up" bit to Mr. Miyagi's "wax on!"/"wax off!" But the franchise's hallmark––cross-generational, cross-cultural friendships––makes this underdog story hard to resist.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Karate Kid starts off as a fish-out-of-water story. How is Dre even more of an outsider than the 1984 original's Daniel? What are the cultural differences that make it difficult for Dre to fit in? Do outsiders always meet with bullying, or are there ways to make it easier to get along?
What do Dre and Mr. Han teach each other? Is it believable that an older man and a 12-year-old would become best friends?
While the first Karate Kid movie explored class, this one deals with race and culture. Do they challenge or reinforce any stereotypes? Kids: How do you treat people from different backgrounds, or those who are new in town?
How do the characters demonstrate courage and integrity? Why are these important character strengths?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 11, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : October 5, 2010
- Cast : Jackie Chan , Jaden Smith , Taraji P. Henson
- Director : Harald Zwart
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage , Integrity
- Run time : 132 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : bullying, martial arts action violence and mild language
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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