Karate Kid: Legends (2025) review

Having spent time learning kung fu with his great-uncle Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) in Beijing, Li Fong (Ben Wang) is forced to relocate to NYC with his physician mother (Ming-Na Wen) where he immediately meets and becomes close to pizza girl Mia (Sadie Stanley, who looks like a young Jennifer Lawrence), her debt-ridden father Victor (Joshua Jackson) and finds a new enemy in cocky fighter Conor Day (Aramis Knight), who's the reigning champ of the Five Boroughs Tournament.  It's a by-the-numbers entry in the Karate Kid franchise - except with a Pro-China message - where its respective moves are telegraphed well in advance (literally and physically) and it shoehorns in multiple legacy characters, including Pat Morita (via stock footage), Chan, Ralph Macchio (as Daniel-san) and there's also a William Zabka cameo (as Sensei Lawrence).  Gen Z fans who enjoyed the campy Cobra Kai series on Netflix might find it a nice add-on to that (now finished) show - it even uses splashy video game-like graphics for the "big fight" - although those who remember the original (which I saw in the theatre!) will most likely not be impressed.