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Artemis is a fun, fast paced book featuring a charming heroine.
Jazz Bashara is smart, funny, sexy and like many of this generation – although the book takes place in the future – a little lost in her ways.
After a series of what some might call (Jazz included) “bad life decisions”, Jazz splits her time between working a legit porter job and as a smuggler of mostly harmless goods into her town, Artemis.
Artemis is the first lunar town, an earth colony of blue collar laborers, its main economies in are tourism, glass and aluminum production.
Through her pattern of making questionable choices, Jazz finds herself neck deep in some big trouble involving the town’s main big shots, the mayor, the aluminum industry and the Brazilian syndicate mob. I can’t wait to listen to the audiobook version narrated by Rosario Dawson, she will be the perfect voice for Jazz Bashara.
As I Brazilian native I was a little bothered by the lack of research into Brazilian surnames and cultural background. It is a huge pet peeve of mine when Brazilians are characterized too much like other Hispanic peoples. Although many shared similarities, our names and language are quite different and the names “Sanchez” and “Alvarez” are Hispanic names that are practically inexistent in Brazil.
Besides the above mentioned and a few tacky, too predictable, unoriginal sex jokes, the book is extremely charming.
Artemis is fun and the plot is very engaging. The dialogues are quick witted and the brainy problem solving echoes Mr. Weir’s debut “The Martian”.
The characters are well rounded or at least, well thought of, the dialogue is funny and the adventure is endless. There’s enough detailed chemistry and space mechanics to satisfy the inner nerd and the touch of romance is just enough to make you cheer for Jazz’s love conquests without being turned off – I am one of those people that get irritated when romance becomes the story’s main purpose. The gentrified, tight community vibe of Artemis juxtaposes well with the bare, unexciting moonscape.
Overall, one of my favorite books of the year and a huge relief. As a big fan of “The Martian”, I had big expectations for Mr. Weir’s new book. It did not disappoint.
Jazz Bashara is smart, funny, sexy and like many of this generation – although the book takes place in the future – a little lost in her ways.
After a series of what some might call (Jazz included) “bad life decisions”, Jazz splits her time between working a legit porter job and as a smuggler of mostly harmless goods into her town, Artemis.
Artemis is the first lunar town, an earth colony of blue collar laborers, its main economies in are tourism, glass and aluminum production.
Through her pattern of making questionable choices, Jazz finds herself neck deep in some big trouble involving the town’s main big shots, the mayor, the aluminum industry and the Brazilian syndicate mob. I can’t wait to listen to the audiobook version narrated by Rosario Dawson, she will be the perfect voice for Jazz Bashara.
As I Brazilian native I was a little bothered by the lack of research into Brazilian surnames and cultural background. It is a huge pet peeve of mine when Brazilians are characterized too much like other Hispanic peoples. Although many shared similarities, our names and language are quite different and the names “Sanchez” and “Alvarez” are Hispanic names that are practically inexistent in Brazil.
Besides the above mentioned and a few tacky, too predictable, unoriginal sex jokes, the book is extremely charming.
Artemis is fun and the plot is very engaging. The dialogues are quick witted and the brainy problem solving echoes Mr. Weir’s debut “The Martian”.
The characters are well rounded or at least, well thought of, the dialogue is funny and the adventure is endless. There’s enough detailed chemistry and space mechanics to satisfy the inner nerd and the touch of romance is just enough to make you cheer for Jazz’s love conquests without being turned off – I am one of those people that get irritated when romance becomes the story’s main purpose. The gentrified, tight community vibe of Artemis juxtaposes well with the bare, unexciting moonscape.
Overall, one of my favorite books of the year and a huge relief. As a big fan of “The Martian”, I had big expectations for Mr. Weir’s new book. It did not disappoint.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Silver Mask in Books
Feb 1, 2018
The Silver Mask is the fourth book in the Magisterium series, which is co-written by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. We dive back into the world with our characters reeling from the events of the third book. That being said, if you haven't read the series I wouldn't recommend diving into this review.
We find Call in the Panopticon, a prison for Mages because his secret was revealed and now the entire Mage-world fears him. He continues to battle against any decisions he feels might push him down the path to Evil Overlord-ness and assure everyone that he is Call, despite the soul inside him. He struggles with doing what he feels is right and righting his world after what happened in the Bronze Key. It's tough to lose someone and just accept it when you believe that you might have the power to do something about it.
This middle-grade book was a little slow to start, though the pacing issues might have just been me as a reader getting back into the story after not inhabiting the world since the last book was released. Personally, though, I feel that the pacing wasn't as swift as it should have been to keep readers engaged, especially middle-grade readers. A lot of the story just revolved around sneaking about, learning more about his abilities and being trapped in a house. It's tough to make a plot exciting when the main characters don't leave the same house for 75% of the book.
The second half of the book picked up more and by the end of the story, it was definitely engaging. It felt like it was leading up to a finale, but there is a fifth book in the series. Once you read the last few pages and the epilogue it will definitely make you wish the next book was written already. Alas, you'll probably have to wait until the end of 2018 to continue. I would recommend this series to middle-grade readers who are looking to get into fantasy without having to delve into the intrinsic magic systems and vast world-building that some series have.
We find Call in the Panopticon, a prison for Mages because his secret was revealed and now the entire Mage-world fears him. He continues to battle against any decisions he feels might push him down the path to Evil Overlord-ness and assure everyone that he is Call, despite the soul inside him. He struggles with doing what he feels is right and righting his world after what happened in the Bronze Key. It's tough to lose someone and just accept it when you believe that you might have the power to do something about it.
This middle-grade book was a little slow to start, though the pacing issues might have just been me as a reader getting back into the story after not inhabiting the world since the last book was released. Personally, though, I feel that the pacing wasn't as swift as it should have been to keep readers engaged, especially middle-grade readers. A lot of the story just revolved around sneaking about, learning more about his abilities and being trapped in a house. It's tough to make a plot exciting when the main characters don't leave the same house for 75% of the book.
The second half of the book picked up more and by the end of the story, it was definitely engaging. It felt like it was leading up to a finale, but there is a fifth book in the series. Once you read the last few pages and the epilogue it will definitely make you wish the next book was written already. Alas, you'll probably have to wait until the end of 2018 to continue. I would recommend this series to middle-grade readers who are looking to get into fantasy without having to delve into the intrinsic magic systems and vast world-building that some series have.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Pretty Girls: A Novel in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Claire Scott leads a seemingly perfect life - she's beautiful and adored by her wealthy husband, Paul. However, Claire's life is shadowed by the disappearance of her eldest sister, Julia, over twenty years ago. Julia went missing while in college and was never seen again. In the aftermath, Claire lost not only Julia, but her other sister, Lydia, as the sisters have been estranged for years. As a result, Claire has clung to Paul and the comfort and security he provides . However, a new tragic event changes everything for Claire - and will eventually lead her to look at everything in her life differently, including Julia's disappearance and her relationship with Lydia.
I really enjoyed this novel - it's engaging and suspenseful: filled with twists and turns. Sometimes you see them coming and other times you don't. It's a quick read, but not a particularly light one - be prepared for a dark read. The book is raw, violent, and even heartbreaking at points. Most of the story unfolds from Julia and Claire's point of view, but we also hear a little bit from their father between chapters. As the novel progresses, we learn not only about the present day mystery (which is captivating) but what happened to their sister, Julia, so long ago.
The book's strength is that it presents not only a compelling and interesting mystery tale, but a chilling portrait of its characters, as well. You get a good look into the lives of Lydia and Claire and their own psychological motivations. It goes beyond a thriller into a story of parenthood and sisterhood. Frankly, as a parent, there are parts of this book that break my heart and made me want to never let my children out of my sight! But, truly, that was what made it so good - it deftly portrayed the evil that can befall them in the world.
Some of the plot points are a bit fantastical and it suffers from the trope where Claire and Paul Scott just have unlimited financial resources, but overall, I found this one fascinating. Definitely a worthy read.
I really enjoyed this novel - it's engaging and suspenseful: filled with twists and turns. Sometimes you see them coming and other times you don't. It's a quick read, but not a particularly light one - be prepared for a dark read. The book is raw, violent, and even heartbreaking at points. Most of the story unfolds from Julia and Claire's point of view, but we also hear a little bit from their father between chapters. As the novel progresses, we learn not only about the present day mystery (which is captivating) but what happened to their sister, Julia, so long ago.
The book's strength is that it presents not only a compelling and interesting mystery tale, but a chilling portrait of its characters, as well. You get a good look into the lives of Lydia and Claire and their own psychological motivations. It goes beyond a thriller into a story of parenthood and sisterhood. Frankly, as a parent, there are parts of this book that break my heart and made me want to never let my children out of my sight! But, truly, that was what made it so good - it deftly portrayed the evil that can befall them in the world.
Some of the plot points are a bit fantastical and it suffers from the trope where Claire and Paul Scott just have unlimited financial resources, but overall, I found this one fascinating. Definitely a worthy read.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Greenfield in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Jack Clayton is retiring from the police force and dreaming about a calm life in retirement. All that changes when he meets Officer Yolanda Tilden, a young hotshot officer on the force he's just left. Once a prospective FBI Detective, Yolanda had to leave the FBI after getting injured and she's not happy about it. Jack's former boss, Chief Varner, convinces (tricks?) Jack into coming back for a special assignment to work with Yolanda for thirty days as a mentor. At first, the set-in-his-ways Jack and the angry Yolanda clash, but eventually the two work together on a drug case and start forming a true partnership.
Full disclosure - I only read this book because the author is a friend of a friend, and my friend bought the book for me. I knew the author wrote the book in his spare time, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.
The first part of the book wasn't my favorite. It lagged and was totally unrealistic (let's completely solve the drug wars in 48 hours!), but did a good job of setting up Jack and Yolanda's friendship and partnership. The writing can be a little stilted at times (must Yolanda say Jack's name every time she speaks to him?), with a few typos. Still, as I thought about it, the plot certainly wasn't any more outlandish than the New Adult romances that are all the rage right now.
Things certainly improved with Part 2, and I found myself staying up late to find out what happened. Part 2 sets up what appears to the "Cold Case Series" that Krammes writes (he has several books after this one). I really enjoyed Part 2 and found the plot to be engaging and interesting. While Jack and Yolanda's relationship is still a little far-fetched, the two are rather endearing at times, and amusing. The mystery portion was interesting and very solid. Overall, it was a fun book and Part 2 probably pulled it to a solid 3 to 3.5 stars. I look forward to reading the next one, since it's basically set in my hometown!
Full disclosure - I only read this book because the author is a friend of a friend, and my friend bought the book for me. I knew the author wrote the book in his spare time, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.
The first part of the book wasn't my favorite. It lagged and was totally unrealistic (let's completely solve the drug wars in 48 hours!), but did a good job of setting up Jack and Yolanda's friendship and partnership. The writing can be a little stilted at times (must Yolanda say Jack's name every time she speaks to him?), with a few typos. Still, as I thought about it, the plot certainly wasn't any more outlandish than the New Adult romances that are all the rage right now.
Things certainly improved with Part 2, and I found myself staying up late to find out what happened. Part 2 sets up what appears to the "Cold Case Series" that Krammes writes (he has several books after this one). I really enjoyed Part 2 and found the plot to be engaging and interesting. While Jack and Yolanda's relationship is still a little far-fetched, the two are rather endearing at times, and amusing. The mystery portion was interesting and very solid. Overall, it was a fun book and Part 2 probably pulled it to a solid 3 to 3.5 stars. I look forward to reading the next one, since it's basically set in my hometown!
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Revenge of the Dwarves in Books
Mar 19, 2018
Too epic for its own good
I loved the first Dwarves book: the world-building, the adventure, the characters and the interactions were all superb. The story, while being far from original, was very enjoyable and engaging. In the follow-up, War of the Dwarves, cracks started to appear, showing such an ambitious storyline was just too big for one book, with Heitz being prone to focus on every intimate detail of a scene (while being enjoyable it does take the attention away from the overall story somewhat), meaning some important events/hints are glossed over.
This trend continues here, where the scope just seems to be a bit too big and squeezed in. We don't really have any sight of a large-scale assault from the orcs and trolls on the defences of the land, these are mentioned briefly as backstory, while the focus is on Rodario the actor trying to find his friend, while getting his end away left, right and centre. The dwarves play less of a key role for large parts of the book, as so much is needed from Rodario/Furgas' storlyline that we leave the dwarves entirely for large sections of the book.
The translation of this third book also seems lower quality than before, where some parts seem to be google-translated and don't really scan all that well in English. Compared to how well this was carried out on the first book, this is something of a let-down.
Overall, the story itself is strong (the 13 diamonds, one of which contains a massive store of magic, scattered throughout the kingdoms start to be stolen by strange creatures/machines) but the narrative tends to wander a little looking for humour where there really is no need for any (or the payoff is never worth it).
With only 2 books to go, I think the gap between them is going to grow as I find myself less keen to dive straight into the next one, and I haven't bought the 4th one yet (though I have the 5th from Netgalley to review!). And whether I will then read the Alfar prequels after that remains to be seen (though they are sitting on my kindle).
This trend continues here, where the scope just seems to be a bit too big and squeezed in. We don't really have any sight of a large-scale assault from the orcs and trolls on the defences of the land, these are mentioned briefly as backstory, while the focus is on Rodario the actor trying to find his friend, while getting his end away left, right and centre. The dwarves play less of a key role for large parts of the book, as so much is needed from Rodario/Furgas' storlyline that we leave the dwarves entirely for large sections of the book.
The translation of this third book also seems lower quality than before, where some parts seem to be google-translated and don't really scan all that well in English. Compared to how well this was carried out on the first book, this is something of a let-down.
Overall, the story itself is strong (the 13 diamonds, one of which contains a massive store of magic, scattered throughout the kingdoms start to be stolen by strange creatures/machines) but the narrative tends to wander a little looking for humour where there really is no need for any (or the payoff is never worth it).
With only 2 books to go, I think the gap between them is going to grow as I find myself less keen to dive straight into the next one, and I haven't bought the 4th one yet (though I have the 5th from Netgalley to review!). And whether I will then read the Alfar prequels after that remains to be seen (though they are sitting on my kindle).
Sheridan (209 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Shadow Of The Tomb Raider in Video Games
Sep 27, 2018
Graphics are incredible (2 more)
Gameplay is flawless
Story is engaging and interesting
A Visual Masterpiece
I'll do my best not to gush too much, but holy mother of - this game, you guys - this game is utterly phenominal. The graphics, oh wow! The trees, the water, Lara's hair! It's all totally on point. Amazing all round, I spent the first ten minutes just looking around because let me tell you the graphics are just beautiful. The gameplay is similar to the other two Tomb Raider games but with a few new interesting ideas, the skill tree gives you a bunch of great perks that *really* help when you get further into the story. The collectibles are interesting and at some stages challenging to find, I honestly can't remember whether or not Rise of the Tomb Raider had the GPS caches but they've done away with that idea in SotTR and gone with Survival caches which are great for upgrading. They've also got a new idea where you find monoliths which give you a rare survival caches if you can solve the riddle ;) Another new feature are Crypts which are like mini challenge tombs, once you complete it you recieve an outfit which you restore at your base camps, and wearing those gives you extra game perks (they're also pretty which is fun too). The challenge tombs are great fun and give you perks in your skill tree, you can't get unless you complete them, so it's worthwhile doing them. Once you've finished the game, you have the option to have another crack at it in New Game +, you keep all your skills, outfits and weapons (at the moment I'm a bit of the way through this with the game on 'One with the Jungle' which is the hard setting). The story is really interesting and based on Mayan legends, which I won't spoil for you, needless to say it's fantastic :) TL;DR: It's f**king phenominal, get it, you won't be disappointed :)
Kelly (279 KP) rated The Magicians: Book 1 in Books
Nov 22, 2018
Harry Potter for grown ups
Contains spoilers, click to show
I was a fan of this book long before the TV series of the same name, and a firm believer that the book in this case is better than the screen. Unlike the TV series, the book comes across more intelligently and the characters are a lot more relatable. Lev Grossman uses popular fantasy books such as The Chronicles of Narnia and the Harry Potter series for ideas for this novel, but adapts these childhood fantasies to an adult level.
Quentin, the main character within the novel is not your usual hero, being the high achieving teenager who could never quite best his peers, is fixated by a Narnia style story from his child hood (Fillory), which he could never quite overcome. The narrative shares Quentins journey from joining a magical college, making friends to early adulthood and finding that Fillory is real.
Despite the obvious links to other stories, Lev Grossman intelligently uses his story to explore a range of issues such as sexuality and depression, making his characters more relatable to the reader. The villains and events in the story are a lot more sinister than you might expect from a tale that combines so many of our childhood favourites, demonstrating Grossmans clever use in adult emotions. All of this succeeds in engaging the reader even further.
Although this was a book I enjoyed reading from start to finish, I did find the pace was a little fast at times, speeding from one time period in Quentins life to another. I realise that this is because Lev Grossman is portraying the events happening over the course of Quentins late teens and early twenties, but It did become a little frustrating as a reader.
The end of the plot was bitter sweet and did not follow the typical ‘all live happily ever after’ ending that you would expect from this type of tale. Ultimately the book ends on a cliff hanger and left me wanting to know more about what happened next. To me this makes the book a success.
Quentin, the main character within the novel is not your usual hero, being the high achieving teenager who could never quite best his peers, is fixated by a Narnia style story from his child hood (Fillory), which he could never quite overcome. The narrative shares Quentins journey from joining a magical college, making friends to early adulthood and finding that Fillory is real.
Despite the obvious links to other stories, Lev Grossman intelligently uses his story to explore a range of issues such as sexuality and depression, making his characters more relatable to the reader. The villains and events in the story are a lot more sinister than you might expect from a tale that combines so many of our childhood favourites, demonstrating Grossmans clever use in adult emotions. All of this succeeds in engaging the reader even further.
Although this was a book I enjoyed reading from start to finish, I did find the pace was a little fast at times, speeding from one time period in Quentins life to another. I realise that this is because Lev Grossman is portraying the events happening over the course of Quentins late teens and early twenties, but It did become a little frustrating as a reader.
The end of the plot was bitter sweet and did not follow the typical ‘all live happily ever after’ ending that you would expect from this type of tale. Ultimately the book ends on a cliff hanger and left me wanting to know more about what happened next. To me this makes the book a success.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Lately I’ve been doing a lot of reading, but the books haven’t been grabbing and holding my attention, and always left me wanting more. Then I saw a BookTuber that was raving about how excited she was to read The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza. She showed her ARC and talked all about the premise of the book and I know immediately that I had to read it. I had never read anything by Shaun David Hutchinson before, but now I definitely know I need to read more of his work.
Hutchinson doesn’t take long to get into the action of the book and the pace doesn’t slow down until it’s over. In the beginning, we met Elena and she explains all about how she was born of a virgin birth. She works at Starbucks and on the day, she is going to finally talk to her crush Freddie everything goes downhill. See, Freddie gets shot by David Combs and Elena heals Freddie and saves her life. At the same time a beam of light comes down from the sky and David Combs disappears. Coincidence? I’ll never tell… You need to read the book to find out.
The characters were phenomenal and relatable. I don’t have anything directly in common with any of the characters, but I loved them so much. They were quirky, genuine, and loveable. The character development throughout the book helped to move the story along and unravel all the pieces. Each of the characters were critical to the story in their own way. They didn’t always seem like they were playing a roll, but it was mandatory for each of them to be there. Each character also learned a lesson which is amazing to see in YA fiction, as I feel it’s something that seems to be lacking lately.
Shaun David Hutchinson is an absolutely amazing writer and the way he weaves a story with the written word makes your want to curl up in his books and become one of his characters. His writing style is delightful, thought provoking, and engaging. I can’t wait to read more of his books and look forward to seeing what the future holds for such a talented individual.
Hutchinson doesn’t take long to get into the action of the book and the pace doesn’t slow down until it’s over. In the beginning, we met Elena and she explains all about how she was born of a virgin birth. She works at Starbucks and on the day, she is going to finally talk to her crush Freddie everything goes downhill. See, Freddie gets shot by David Combs and Elena heals Freddie and saves her life. At the same time a beam of light comes down from the sky and David Combs disappears. Coincidence? I’ll never tell… You need to read the book to find out.
The characters were phenomenal and relatable. I don’t have anything directly in common with any of the characters, but I loved them so much. They were quirky, genuine, and loveable. The character development throughout the book helped to move the story along and unravel all the pieces. Each of the characters were critical to the story in their own way. They didn’t always seem like they were playing a roll, but it was mandatory for each of them to be there. Each character also learned a lesson which is amazing to see in YA fiction, as I feel it’s something that seems to be lacking lately.
Shaun David Hutchinson is an absolutely amazing writer and the way he weaves a story with the written word makes your want to curl up in his books and become one of his characters. His writing style is delightful, thought provoking, and engaging. I can’t wait to read more of his books and look forward to seeing what the future holds for such a talented individual.
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated 127 Hours (2010) in Movies
Jun 23, 2019
127 Hours is based on the true story of Aron Ralston, a mountain climber who was trapped under a rock for five days only to amputate his own arm to survive. Directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later) and starring James Franco (Pineapple Express, Spider-Man), 127 Hours sucker punches you with its ability to be both absorbing and compelling.
The first thing to notice about 127 Hours is that it contains excellent editing. The opening credits illustrate this to a certain extent, but the best example comes at the peak of Aron's struggle once he's trapped and fighting for his life. His delusions begin overlapping with his memories as the screen is divided into three separate vertical segments representing how desperate and how dangerously close Aron has come to the brink of insanity.
127 Hours looks spectacular, as well. The desert is a mostly dry and bleak place that no one would want to visit, but it's shown in a light here that makes it makes it look both appealing and beautiful in a way that almost makes you forget that it lacks civilization. The film does an incredible job of making you feel like you're right there in these crevices with Aron without giving the overbearing sensation of claustrophobia. Captivating cinematography makes even the most simple things like a dripping faucet and air bubbles settling in a water bottle appear like more of a spectacle than they really are.
James Franco is also quite impressive. He is the only one on-screen for the majority of the film and has no one to play off of but himself. Events of his life flashing before his eyes and the decisions he should've but didn't make, Scooby Doo hallucinations, and premonitions of the future on top of his uphill battle to survive aren't only incredibly engaging but arguably some of the best scenes in the film.
127 Hours is enthralling, incredibly powerful, and easily one of the best films of the year. James Franco delivers what is quite possibly his strongest and most intriguing performance to date while Danny Boyle adds another visually brilliant and superbly written film to his repertoire that is a potential award winner.
The first thing to notice about 127 Hours is that it contains excellent editing. The opening credits illustrate this to a certain extent, but the best example comes at the peak of Aron's struggle once he's trapped and fighting for his life. His delusions begin overlapping with his memories as the screen is divided into three separate vertical segments representing how desperate and how dangerously close Aron has come to the brink of insanity.
127 Hours looks spectacular, as well. The desert is a mostly dry and bleak place that no one would want to visit, but it's shown in a light here that makes it makes it look both appealing and beautiful in a way that almost makes you forget that it lacks civilization. The film does an incredible job of making you feel like you're right there in these crevices with Aron without giving the overbearing sensation of claustrophobia. Captivating cinematography makes even the most simple things like a dripping faucet and air bubbles settling in a water bottle appear like more of a spectacle than they really are.
James Franco is also quite impressive. He is the only one on-screen for the majority of the film and has no one to play off of but himself. Events of his life flashing before his eyes and the decisions he should've but didn't make, Scooby Doo hallucinations, and premonitions of the future on top of his uphill battle to survive aren't only incredibly engaging but arguably some of the best scenes in the film.
127 Hours is enthralling, incredibly powerful, and easily one of the best films of the year. James Franco delivers what is quite possibly his strongest and most intriguing performance to date while Danny Boyle adds another visually brilliant and superbly written film to his repertoire that is a potential award winner.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Karate Kid (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
It may not be “use the force”, but the phrase “wax on, wax off” has stood the test of time in popular culture and cinematic fame. Would the newest Karate Kid film do the same? Could I stomach another ghastly remake in a year that seems endlessly full of them? Well, I am happy to report that I didn’t have to.
Jaden Smith crafts an engaging portrayal of the lead character, Dre Parker, a kid trying to fit in and make friends as an African-American in China. Equally impressive was Jackie Chan as maintenance man by day, Kung Fu master by night, Mr. Han. Chan’s performance was surprisingly dramatic and, for once, did not entirely center on his undeniable martial arts appeal. Don’t get me wrong, the martial arts are in there but for Chan this film displays his tenure as a veteran of the big screen.
It seems there is only one thing that could have been better: Tarji P. Hensen who played Dre’s dopey mom, Sherry Parker. No parent could seem this self-absorbed and unaware of a situation yet maintain wholesome parental figure status, and the acting was poor to boot. Overshadowing Hensen’s lame interjections was Dre’s adorable love interest, Meiying (played by Wenwen Han). The performance of Meiying managed to captured not only Dre’s heart but also that of the entire audience while staying on the film’s well-plotted course.
“The Karate Kid” is emotionally charged and action packed, there is really no denying it. And so what if the whole thing also looks a lot like a tourist film for China, the great landscapes and classic shots only add to the imagery.
Film buffs and fans of the original Karate Kid series will enjoy the mix of subtly-placed and more blatant references to the original films. Better yet it quickly becomes clear that Jackie Chan is not trying to top the legendary performance of Pat Morita but manages to prove that the story we all got so wrapped up in 1984 is still relevant in today’s modern world.
Jaden Smith crafts an engaging portrayal of the lead character, Dre Parker, a kid trying to fit in and make friends as an African-American in China. Equally impressive was Jackie Chan as maintenance man by day, Kung Fu master by night, Mr. Han. Chan’s performance was surprisingly dramatic and, for once, did not entirely center on his undeniable martial arts appeal. Don’t get me wrong, the martial arts are in there but for Chan this film displays his tenure as a veteran of the big screen.
It seems there is only one thing that could have been better: Tarji P. Hensen who played Dre’s dopey mom, Sherry Parker. No parent could seem this self-absorbed and unaware of a situation yet maintain wholesome parental figure status, and the acting was poor to boot. Overshadowing Hensen’s lame interjections was Dre’s adorable love interest, Meiying (played by Wenwen Han). The performance of Meiying managed to captured not only Dre’s heart but also that of the entire audience while staying on the film’s well-plotted course.
“The Karate Kid” is emotionally charged and action packed, there is really no denying it. And so what if the whole thing also looks a lot like a tourist film for China, the great landscapes and classic shots only add to the imagery.
Film buffs and fans of the original Karate Kid series will enjoy the mix of subtly-placed and more blatant references to the original films. Better yet it quickly becomes clear that Jackie Chan is not trying to top the legendary performance of Pat Morita but manages to prove that the story we all got so wrapped up in 1984 is still relevant in today’s modern world.