We enjoyed this more than we were expecting to. The presence of Taraji Hanson will uplift anything. Though here - as in the first version - the mother character is quite sidelined, and when you think the bond between a single mother and only son must be quite a strong one, you can't help feeling this could have been used more in the story - she would have hated him fighting for one thing.
The point of difference here is that we're in China - thus there's a couple of picture postcard Forbidden City / Great Wall bits thrown in for local colour. (And, consequently, that the featured martial art is kung fu rather than karate.) A genuine co-production though, plenty of Chinese cast and crew and the distinction of contemporaneous English and Chinese credits at the end. Rather long, like the original.
Jaden Smith (Will's son, also The Pursuit of Happyness), Jackie Chan, Wenwen Han, Rongguang Wu, Zhenwei Wang (Smith's rival, his debut). Han is playing Chopin's Nocturne in C Sharp Minor on her violin (well she isn't actually playing it herself, though is apparently a violinist).
Best moment: woman doing crane stance with cobra at dizzy height. Liked the folk tale too of the lovers separated by a waterfall.
Action scenes well choreographed and edited, nicely photographed by Roger Pratt. Music: James Horner. Eclectic music track includes Gorillaz' Dirty Harry (Schtung Chinese New Year Remix).
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