'Karate Kid: Legends' Review: Delivers a Punchy Comeback – Even If It’s Rough Around the Edges
- Jack Ransom
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
By Jack Ransom - May 29, 2025
The sixth feature film in the franchise. Karate Kid: Legends sees kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) relocate to New York City, he attracts unwanted attention from a local karate champion (Aramis Knight) and embarks on a journey to enter the ultimate karate competition with the help of Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio).
It’s been a mixed bag going through The Karate Kid films over the past week to prepare for Legends (first film aside, I found Part II - 2010 remake all decent to average). With Cobra Kai wrapping up last year and lega-sequels being all the rage, it was inevitable that the series would kick its way back onto the big screen. Thankfully, despite clearly being karate chopped in the editing room, this was a lot of fun and might even be my favourite of the franchise!
What Does 'Karate Kid: Legends' Add to the Franchise?
Sure, it goes through The Karate Kid tick boxes: single parent and child move to a new home, kid starts getting bullied, taps into his skills to fight back… you know the drill. However, Legends unexpectedly (and welcomely) also flips this dynamic on its head after Li befriends (and falls for) Mia (Sadie Stanley) and learns of her father’s financial woes, where he takes it upon himself to retrain her father ready to return to the boxing ring.
Clocking in at just over 90 minutes makes this the shortest film in the series. It speed runs the introductions and jumps right into Li connecting with Mia. The pair’s growing bond never feels rushed and they are actually written how teenagers would talk which is a miracle in Hollywood. It only really begins to hit the accelerator and the post-production trims begin to show in the final act where the prep for the tournament is a whirlwind of montages, sped up days and a hasty introduction to the return of LaRusso.
Stylistically this is more akin to the remake and Cobra Kai (from the snippets I have seen of it). It’s got a glossy sheen and the grittiness is injected into the fight sequences. There are a couple of bangers here: with Li laying the smack down on some thugs in an alleyway, the fast paced final rooftop showdown and of course, plenty of montages. The soundtrack is a barrage of remixes that can get quite overwhelming, but they aren’t too egregious.
Ben Wang’s Li is a likeable protagonist and channels the good spirit and snark of Karate Kid’s past, he’s also nails the heavier more dramatic beats that are smattered throughout. Both Chan and Macchio are supporting players here (with both prominently featuring in the final third), they are clearly enjoying spouting words of wisdom and bickering over which is better kung fu or karate, as well as the film effortlessly making them look like the best-of-the-best of their respective martial arts. Joshua Jackson and Sadie Stanley are a great father/daughter duo and their chemistry with Wang is strong. Lastly, whilst he may not be as memorable as previous antagonists Aramis Knight’s ruthless and brutal portrayal of Conor makes him an intimidating foe.
Is 'Karate Kid: Legends' a Worthy Addition Despite Its Flaws?
Karate Kid: Legends was a pleasant surprise that balances feeling like a fresh take on the material whilst paying homage to the past. The characters are my favourite of the franchise and the fight sequences are swift, chaotic and grin-inducingly cool at times. The shorter
runtime does lead to some choppy pacing and the soundtrack is a mixed bag, however this is still a tonne of fun.
'Karate Kid: Legends' is out now in cinemas
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