The Best Movie Ever Made - The Forbidden Kingdom
The Forbidden Kingdom is going to be the best movie ever made in the history of film-making. Well for those interested in martial arts films, it will definitely be the highlight of recent memory. I haven't been keeping up to speed with all the gossip since I first heard about the project quite a while ago. I stumbled upon the trailer just now (with eyes welling with delight), and it looks better than I could have possibly imagined. Seeing Jet Li and Jackie Chan in the same frame is a thrill beyond words. The only thing cooler in this respect would be to meet them in person. The Forbidden Kingdom is a film of destiny. I'm just glad the two genius artists finally decided to come together to make a film. They are not exactly spring chickens. I only wish they didn't wait so long. They could have been making dozens of brilliant movies together, like so many famous Chinese actors collaborate. I suppose the delay makes the film seem all that more epic and worth the wait. April 18th can't come soon enough! Too bad Bruce Lee - the first major martial arts legend - isn't around to make an appearance - to complete the set (pardon the pun).
From the preview, it looks like both Jet Li and Jackie Chan reprise their signature martial arts styles (general, not specific) - ones that have both made them famous and that compliment their personality traits and skills. This is likely thanks to Yuen Woo-ping, who knows how to bring out the best in both of them, having worked with them both extensively. Jackie Chan uses his more loose, freestyle drunken boxing (Legend of the Drunken Master and more than a handful of others), while Jet Li uses his precise, composed master style with perfected motion and posture (as seen in Once Upon a Time in China and a host of other titles).
P.S. For those who have problems with Chinese martial arts films where the characters fly and have mystical abilities... why is that? I respect your view, but I challenge you to think in realms of fantasy, not realistic combat, gravity, and other natural laws. You don't criticize Superman's flight, Gandalf's wizardry, or the characters in X-Men, Spiderman, Chronicles of Narnia, mice and rabbits that walk (on 2 legs) and talk, etc. All these western movies and characters have mystical and magical powers (or gross personification). There is no difference between those and the powers imagined for eastern characters (except eastern is much cooler in my opinion). There is no need to know how or why a master martial artist can fly or skip on water. Just enjoy the imagery, the fantastic dream! It's magical, legendary and epic. It's beautiful, exciting, vibrant and peaceful all in one. Think of these characters like Chinese superheroes. What could be better? The imagery and culture is a million times more rich than most American fantasy. It's like watching a painting in motion. So what, they can fly through the air and control dozens of projectiles with magical accuracy? It's imaginary, make-believe. It's not meant to be "realistic". That is exactly why I enjoy it so much! This genre of film is so far beyond the rest to my taste, that I could hardly care if the rest disappeared. I hope you can enjoy it a little too, even if it's not your type of movie. I know several people who don't like this style of film and have their minds made up already... that's the best argument and defense I can offer to explain my reasons for enjoying it :)