The Forbidden Kingdom |  | Actors: Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Michael Angarano, Yifei Liu, Juana Collignon
Studio: Lions Gate
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy Used: $0.94
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Rating:  135 reviews
Sales Rank: 4719
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 104 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.7
MPN: 23833
UPC: 031398101093
EAN: 0031398101093
ASIN: B001BEK8HO
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: September 9, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
FORBIDDEN KINGDOM THE (DVD MOVIE)
Amazon.com
Getting martial-arts superstars Jet Li and Jackie Chan together in the same action film is like a fantasy come true, even if The Forbidden Kingdom is more of a children's movie than an instant kung-fu classic. Yes, Li and Chan square off in a lengthy, acrobatic fight scene that is a lot of fun, though it can't be what such a scene might have been even a decade ago: careful editing now compensates for the 54-year-old Chan's slower moves and reflexes. Still, Chan doesn't disappoint as Lu Yan, a drunken immortal in ancient China who mentors a modern-day American kid, Jason (Michael Angarano), the latter having slipped into the past while in possession of a magical staff that belongs to the imprisoned Monkey King (Li). In order to get back to his own time and help an old friend (also Chan) wounded by thugs, Jason accompanies Lu Yan and a lovely warrior, Golden Sparrow (Liu Yifei), on a journey to return the staff. Along the way, a (mostly) silent monk (Li, again), who has spent his life in search of the staff, joins their mission. He helps Lu Yan train Jason in fighting and adding more muscle to the party as it comes under siege from a violent witch (Li Bing Bing) and pathological warlord (Collin Chou). Screenwriter John Fusco (Hidalgo) and director Rob Minkoff (The Haunted Mansion) have made a slightly chintzy, Western version of a Chinese swords-and-sorcery tale. The gravity-defying, flying-through-the-air-while-fighting choreography looks pretty choppy and graceless compared to, say, the martial arts films of Zhang Yimou. But The Forbidden Kingdom is really aimed at kids, not aficionados of epic fight movies. On that score, the movie aims to please and does so for the right audience. -- Tom Keogh
Beyond The Forbidden Kingdom on DVD 
The Forbidden Kingdom Soundtrack | Stills from The Forbidden Kingdom (click for larger image)
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 135
 More Like the Wizard of Oz than it is Like Drunken Master March 5, 2010
L. Gildart (Somerville, MA USA)
I adored this movie in spite of the cheesy wire fighting. I rented it first to watch with my nine-year-old, who is a junior blackbelt in shotokan karate. We both loved it so much that I ordered it the very next day. It has all of my favorite elements of The Wizard of Oz: beautiful scenery, good magic, a lovely road story, an epic journey, good versus evil, and a very wicked witch (who, unlike the wicked witch of the west, is beautiful).
My son caught some of the similarities, and he loved the story, but he was most amazed by the (non-wired) bo fighting. Jackie Chan and Jet Li - away from the wires - are both incredibly strong and fast. There are obvious moments in the fight scenes in which they are relying on their own skills, and those moments are beyond amazing.
There are treats here for fans of both actors' other work (e.g. Jackie Chan's wine jug), and the movie is interesting and beautiful enough for parents to watch with children who are individuating out of the wonderful Pixar movies. I wouldn't recommend it for very young children, because of the danger and violence, but it was wonderful to have something to watch with my nine-year-old besides a pokemon movie.
 Martial Arts Double Torch-passing (Plus It Is Fun) March 1, 2010
Rev. E. Antonio Hernandez
Jet Li and the great Immortal Jackie Chan bear their respective ages well. Li has had personal problems of monumental proportions, and shouldn't be making movies at all. Chan as I said is Immortal, long live he!
Yet this film is a clear and rather pathetic torch-passing to the lithe and cute Michael Angarano ("Little Secrets", "Sky High")...is he deserving? From what I see in this film, he certainly fares better than Chuck Norris or the later Steven Seagal.
Angarano plays a strange little teen who likes 'kung fu' movies, and is acquaintances with an ancient, played by Jackie Chan, who happens to sell/rent Chinese dvds from his old curiosity shop. Kid stumbles into room, finds the Monkey King's staff, gets his little white butt transported back to ancient China, meets YOUNG Master Chan (a Taoist Immortal who never really got his chance) and also meets a Buddhist monk (Li) who turns out to be a 'facet' of the Monkey King.
Action ensues, and I must say that Chan, Li and Angarano are satisfying enough...why bitch endlessly about the camera tricks? Can you people spell "INSURANCE"?? Hollyweird don't like real martial arts in film anymore! Even Chan's latest ouvre, "Jackie Chan Presents Wu-su", has clever tricks to hide the inexperience of the young fighters. I shan't spoil the storyline further. Watch it yourself. I won't spill the magic beans.
The fact is, "Forbidden Kingdom" is something we never see nor will be likely to see again: TWO, not one, great martial arts stars are passing their torches to this terrific American kid. Go and do likewise, they are telling him, make buku bucks and many kick-butt films. Angarano, I can tell, he's up to it man!
This kid is going to be the new Chuck Norris.
One thing: do not expect to see the proper original story of the Monkey King here. The Monkey King is a great and famous Chinese Buddhist fable. Some believe the Monkey King was a real-life Buddhist cleric who could fight monkey style, or who loved monkeys, or something along those lines. He's a Zen riddle.
Is "Forbidden Kingdom" a good film? Well, I liked it and I ought to know. It has everything: clumsy fight scenes that could have been better, weird dubbing for Jet Li who nevertheless does his own speaking parts, corny and poorly filmed story arc. They come much, much worse than this.
What I really want to know is boiled down to two things: WHY did Chan and Li wait til NOW to do something together? And, why did they annoint Angarano in the first place? I love this kid, but right now lacking experience he is not yet martial arts hero material. Ah well, neither was Chuck Norris in the beginning. (Remeber Norris got his start as the bumbling idiot who got beaten up by Master Bruce Lee.)
Watch, all fans: get this great film because I think the answers lie in its future. It's fun, Chan is fun, Li is fun in his usual sourpuss fashion, and Angarano is fun, fun, fun--and I don't just say that because I think he's cute.
The Forbidden Kingdom January 2, 2010
Arnita D. Brown (USA)
Based on the Chinese legend of the monkey king, an American teen discovers the king's legendary stick weapon in a pawn shop. He is transported back in time to ancient China, where he joins a crew of warriors fighting to free the imprisoned king. This movie works on many levels, it is a great action movie with very well done kung fu action scenes involving Jackie Chan and Jet Li, two of the greatest kung fu movie stars in the past couple of decades. In the midst of all of this is a great deal of fairly well done comedy. Very satisfying none the less.
Overall, a great martial art movie! December 29, 2009
S. Pei (SLC, UT)
A lot of low rating reviews are too picky. They pick out a single thing in the movie and say the whole movie is bad. I was surprised by a well rounded fantasy story mixed in with Chinese folk-tale. You simply can not compare it to the Chinese movies. Those tend to be darker with complex relationship and usually the fighting and killing are ruthless with body parts getting ripped apart. Maybe that is why reviewers are saying this is more family friendly. Overall, the story was well thought out. The kung fu fighting scenes were intense and top quality. All actors did very well in portraying their characters. I never watched it because I heard bad reviews from critics when the movie came out. Finally saw it. And I was thoroughly entertained. In terms of showing it to kids, there are still some spots of violence that are not for kids. I probably would limit this movie for kids at least 14 years old. One more thing. The bonus features are fantastic. I have the single disc version and it has quite a long list of bonus features. Make sure you watch all the bonus features!
Forbidden Kingdom December 28, 2009
William Martin (ILLINOIS, USA)
Lots of action and it makes you laugh as well. I would recommend seeing this one. It is very entertaining and lots of fun to watch.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 135
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