Jaden Smith, Son of Will Smith, Will Someday Be Your Overlord
Monday, June 14, 2010 at 12:00PM
Despite the fact that the name "The Karate Kid" was only kept for brand identification (the new film takes place in China and star Jaden Smith learns a style of Kung Fu, not the Japanese art of Karate), little Jaden Smith has his first big box office smash! "The Karate Kid" remake was number one at the box office this weekend and pulled in $56 million, beating the crap out of that other 80s remake -- the one no one wanted to see -- "A-Team."
Sure. This new "Karate Kid" is a remake of a film that a lot of us grew up watching and probably liked. (Crane kick, anyone? I know you did it in your backyard. WE ALL DID!) And when you heard it was being remade you were probably all, wait? What? But look at it this way, in the "Age of Obama" an 11-year-old black kid who happens to be the child of TWO famous Hollywood actors got a starring role in a big summer popcorn flick. It contains both the familiar (Hollywood nepotism) and the unfamiliar. (Hollywood nepotism NOW FEATURING BLACK KIDS!!!) We shall overcome!*
*When our father is Will Smith and he is the biggest effin' action star in the world and our mother is Jada Pinkett-Smith, who, you know, can kind of actually act her ass off when she wants to and is pretty gorgeous. With that combo of DNA how could this kid NOT be famous? All he needs to do now is put out a hit rap album and grow up to marry an Obama daughter and the Will n' Jada plot to take over the world will be complete.
Reader Comments (16)
They KNOW He Is The MAN Who Fought for My HONOR.....HE dia It All for The Glory Of LOVE......Wink!(-:
I want to see this movie.
If Hollywood thought negotiating with Will Smith was tough before, he can now pull the 'my kid headlined a $50M weekend movie' card.
It was a really entertaining film. Those looking to compare this version to the 84 original will either love or hate the update. Jaden is totally believable the whole movie. As Snob said, he's going to be a big deal, so get used to it. The more mature high school love story is replaced with 12 year old puppy love. The ultra-violent Cobra Kai dojo dwellers are now 13 year old members a Chinese karate "studio." Therefore, the fights are more Matrix-style and bloodless. The famous Crane kick, goes off in a new way that you need to see to believe in the last 5 minutes.
On the plus side, Jaden found THE BEST vehicle to kick off his acting career. It's a good film. But, if comparing the two, I'm still in Daniel-san's dojo.
Sure he's a cute kid...and is making millions...but he still annoys the crap out of me.
pass.
in other news, i can't stand charli.....whoops, jackie chan.
I'd actually like to see this and truth be told that whole 'do you know who my daddy is?!!' will only get you so far as any child actor with famous parents can tell you eventually it will all fall on his shoulders to make or break a film.
In Hollywood, the rich get richer.
They could have put any kid in that movie and it would have done well. Schools out for summer and parents need distractions. All kiddie movies are going to number one. He's a bit too grown for me though, in an annoying, interrupting adults when they are talking sort of way. I can't.
To be honest I could imagine Trey marrying Malia or Jaden marrying Sasha. The Smiths are like a freakin' family dynasty (just like the Barrymores, Redgraves, etc.). But I can't hate because white people have been doing it for years, if it had not have been Jaden it would have another white kid with a famous uncle or dad as a movie director.
Being that Will and Jada are also co-producers of the film, I'm sure that helped Jaden land the role.
http://www.etonline.com/news/2010/06/88056/index.html
I'll give to him, he is a good actor. I loved him in Pursuit of Happyness.
For those of you who got issues with this kid seriously get over it. it's been so long since I've seen a movie that had a kid as the lead actor that was not white. Yeah so what if will smith basically bought the movie for his son, white ppl have been doing that for years. This movie was very good and very well done. I love the fact that it took place in china.
This is actually the third remake. The second one was in the 90s and featured Hilary Swank as the star.
I actually kinda want to see this.
We really didn't need a re-make of "The Karate Kid." Hollywood is so lacking in creativity, being in redux mode. It's boring.
I haven't seen this movie, but just by watching the trailers I get the feeling that it's a good movie, and that the kid does a good job in it. However, I have to say, this kid strikes me as being a big time stuck up. I think that being the son of Will Smith has made him think that he's already a big hit in Hollywood and his attitude in front of the cameras during an interview is soooo annoying! I have no doubt that he'll remain in Hollywood making movies being the son of Will Smith, but if he already acts like he's all that at this age I can imagine how he'll be in the future. I have seen his other siblings, including the oldest, and they are so much more humble and down to earth.