I took time out from watching the Holy Father’s coverage today to take in a movie. I went to Forbidden Kingdom with Jackie Chan and Jet Lee.
There were many aspects of the film that were predictable, because the film fit into a couple different genres that tend to be formulaic. On the one hand there is the wuxia film tradition, with some of its standard elements, on the other hand adventure of growing up by the fatherless boy, finding redeeming figures, etc.
The film had some very good "values" to it, both cinemagraphic as well as "moral". I suppose a few people might freak out that this movie also is steeped in Chinese mythology and some Eastern religion imagery. But… once you put it aside, you find some rather nice things in the movie about friendship, sacrifice, perseverence, good v evil, etc.
If you know something about Chinese martial arts films, you should enjoy this. You might want to brush up on the very important legend of the Monkey King, and you will recognize the sacred peaches, etc. That was fun.
