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The Forbidden Kingdom on DVD (2008)

The Forbidden Kingdom cover art
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Average rating: 68%
1215517182059
3.5
from 1,399 members
 
Starring: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano, Yifei Liu, Collin Chou, Morgan Benoit
Director: Rob Minkoff
Studio: LIONS GATE HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time: 100 mins
Certificate: 12
Collections: UK top 50 weekly chart
User collections: Best of 2008
Genres: Action/Adventure
Languages: English
Released: 17/11/2008
Also Available on:  Also Available on: BLU-RAY

Brief synopsis of The Forbidden Kingdom

n Forbidden Kingdom, American teenager Jason (Michael Angarano), who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kungfu classics, finds an antique Chinese staff in a pawn shop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King (Jet Li). With the lost relic in hand, Jason unexpectedly finds himself transported back to ancient China. There, he meets the drunken kungfu master, Lu Yan (Jackie Chan); an enigmatic and skillful Silent Monk (Jet Li); and a vengeance-bent kungfu beauty, Golden Sparrow (Crystal Liu Yi Fei), who lead him on his quest to return the staff to its rightful owner, the Monkey King - imprisoned in stone by the evil Jade Warlord (Collin Chou) for five hundred years. Along the way, while attempting to outmaneuver scores of Jade Warriors, Cult Killers and the deadly White Hair Demoness, Ni Chang (Li Bing Bing), Jason learns about honor, loyalty and friendship, and the true meaning of kungfu, and thus frees himself.

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Critics Reviews

Tom Charity, LOVEFiLM
Kung fu fans may feel a bit cynical faced with this Hollywood lite approximation of their favourite genre, a movie aimed square at the American teen market. But it’s not as though Hong Kong... read more »

Rating of 2 
	  stars out of 5 Tom Huddleston, Time Out

The 80s action fantasy may be long dead, but nobody told the folks behind The Forbidden Kingdom. Slavishly... Read more on www.timeout.com

See all 2 Critics Reviews »

Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

* * * This review contains spoilers * * *

Rated - 5 starssuperb....................................

williamsgwynfa [Highly rated reviewer] , 21/05/2008

this film is superb. Jason Tripitikas (played by Michael Angarano), makes his way to a pawn shop in Boston's China town to buy some new Kung fu DVD's.

Whilst he is there, he talks to Hop (played by Jackie Chan), the shop's elderly owner, and, whilst Jason is looking through some DVD's, he is drawn to a room full of antiques and notices a golden staff.

Hop tells him that the staff is to be delivered to its rightful owner and then closes the door.

On his way back home, Jason is attacked by a local bully called Lupo (played by Morgan Benoit) and his gang who force him to take them to the store so they can steal some money from the old shopkeeper.

Feeling betrayed, Hop tries to attack the thieves with the staff, but is shot by Lupo. This shocks both Jason and Lupo's gang.

Hop tells Jason that he must deliver the staff to its rightful owner. Jason takes the staff and runs from the thieves.

On top of a building, he is surrounded by the bullies, with Lupo warning Jason that he 'saw nothing' (out of fear Jason may turn them in to the police).

Before Lupo can shoot Jason, he is suddenly pulled off the roof by the staff and travels back through time, to ancient China, dressed in old-century clothing.

There he is attacked by Jade Warriors who try to take the staff away from him. He is helped by the Drunken Immortal, Lu Yan (also played by Jackie Chan).

Later that night, seated in a restaurant, Lu tells Jason a story of how the Monkey King caused havoc at the banquet, celebrating the Jade Emperor's forthcoming 500 year period of meditation and drank of the elixir of immortality.

The Emperor took a liking to the Monkey King, and decided to award him a heavenly title, much to the annoyance of the Jade Warlord (played by Collin Chou), a heavenly general.

The Emperor then left the Jade Warlord in charge of heaven before retreating to his period of seclusion.

The Jade Warlord later challenged the Monkey King to a duel, and turned him into stone, by tricking the Monkey King to set aside his magic staff.

But before he was fully immobilized, the Monkey King cast his staff into the ordinary world.

Lu ends the tale by stating a person known as the 'Seeker' will be the person to find the staff and free the Monkey King.

Lu and Jason then get into a fight with the Jade Warriors who track them to the restaurant and are saved by a mysterious woman, who turns out to be the Orphaned Warrior, Golden Sparrow (played by Liu Yi Fei).

Golden Sparrow's family was killed by the Jade Warlord, and she has vowed vengeance against him.

The Jade Warlord is notified by his men that they have seen the magical staff.

The Jade Warlord then sends his bounty hunter, the white-haired assassin Ni-Chang (played by Li Bingbing), to retrieve it for him.

When Jason wakes up in the morning he is attacked by a person dressed in white clothes, who takes the staff away from him.

Jason, Lu, and Golden Sparrow follow the trail of the mysterious man. They reach a temple where the man is meditating.

There, Lu confronts the Silent Monk (played by Jet Li), who was the mysterious man. There they both fight for the staff. The Silent Monk later learns that the staff is meant for the traveller.

The four head towards the Five Elements Mountain in a quest to free the Monkey King and destroy the rule of the Jade Warlord.

Will they succeed. Watch the film to find out.

  36 out of 36 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsLike the crazy love child of Monkey and 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (IN A GOOD WAY), you'll love this...!!

Kitten Kitten from UK [Highly rated reviewer] , 09/07/2008

I have to confess, there is little that compares to a good martial arts movie for pure escapism, and the Forbidden Kingdom is just that. It's not blessed with the most robust of storylines (it is a fantasy after all) but the plot does make sense, the characters have charm, there is lots of humour and the fight scenes are well choreographed and very athletic; of course Jackie Chan and Jet Li are as watchable as ever. I guess my best description would be that this is like the crazy love child of the TV series 'Monkey' and 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', so crack open the poporn, pull up a chair and enjoy this for pure entertainment.

  6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsThe Monkey King Rules!

Cabey from Manchester [Highly rated reviewer] , 09/07/2008

Classic good against evil story fantastically filmed with great martial art sequences and some good humour to keep it moving. I can see why it was a hit in the US, kids will love it(also the grown up ones too!)

Enjoyed loads!

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsPEACE

AlienCritik AlienCritik from Bedford , 12/07/2008

the story was compelling yet easy to understand. a enchanting tale, of, dont enter here, like dont go london theirs a warlord their. easy to understand and easy to follow. action was excellent and the story was great fun.

  4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

* * * This review contains spoilers * * *

Rated - 5 starssuperb....................................

williamsgwynfa [Highly rated reviewer] , 21/05/2008

this film is superb. Jason Tripitikas (played by Michael Angarano), makes his way to a pawn shop in Boston's China town to buy some new Kung fu DVD's.

Whilst he is there, he talks to Hop (played by Jackie Chan), the shop's elderly owner, and, whilst Jason is looking through some DVD's, he is drawn to a room full of antiques and notices a golden staff.

Hop tells him that the staff is to be delivered to its rightful owner and then closes the door.

On his way back home, Jason is attacked by a local bully called Lupo (played by Morgan Benoit) and his gang who force him to take them to the store so they can steal some money from the old shopkeeper.

Feeling betrayed, Hop tries to attack the thieves with the staff, but is shot by Lupo. This shocks both Jason and Lupo's gang.

Hop tells Jason that he must deliver the staff to its rightful owner. Jason takes the staff and runs from the thieves.

On top of a building, he is surrounded by the bullies, with Lupo warning Jason that he 'saw nothing' (out of fear Jason may turn them in to the police).

Before Lupo can shoot Jason, he is suddenly pulled off the roof by the staff and travels back through time, to ancient China, dressed in old-century clothing.

There he is attacked by Jade Warriors who try to take the staff away from him. He is helped by the Drunken Immortal, Lu Yan (also played by Jackie Chan).

Later that night, seated in a restaurant, Lu tells Jason a story of how the Monkey King caused havoc at the banquet, celebrating the Jade Emperor's forthcoming 500 year period of meditation and drank of the elixir of immortality.

The Emperor took a liking to the Monkey King, and decided to award him a heavenly title, much to the annoyance of the Jade Warlord (played by Collin Chou), a heavenly general.

The Emperor then left the Jade Warlord in charge of heaven before retreating to his period of seclusion.

The Jade Warlord later challenged the Monkey King to a duel, and turned him into stone, by tricking the Monkey King to set aside his magic staff.

But before he was fully immobilized, the Monkey King cast his staff into the ordinary world.

Lu ends the tale by stating a person known as the 'Seeker' will be the person to find the staff and free the Monkey King.

Lu and Jason then get into a fight with the Jade Warriors who track them to the restaurant and are saved by a mysterious woman, who turns out to be the Orphaned Warrior, Golden Sparrow (played by Liu Yi Fei).

Golden Sparrow's family was killed by the Jade Warlord, and she has vowed vengeance against him.

The Jade Warlord is notified by his men that they have seen the magical staff.

The Jade Warlord then sends his bounty hunter, the white-haired assassin Ni-Chang (played by Li Bingbing), to retrieve it for him.

When Jason wakes up in the morning he is attacked by a person dressed in white clothes, who takes the staff away from him.

Jason, Lu, and Golden Sparrow follow the trail of the mysterious man. They reach a temple where the man is meditating.

There, Lu confronts the Silent Monk (played by Jet Li), who was the mysterious man. There they both fight for the staff. The Silent Monk later learns that the staff is meant for the traveller.

The four head towards the Five Elements Mountain in a quest to free the Monkey King and destroy the rule of the Jade Warlord.

Will they succeed. Watch the film to find out.

  36 out of 36 people found this review helpful
Report offending content.

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Rated - 5 starsPEACE

AlienCritik AlienCritik from Bedford , 12/07/2008

the story was compelling yet easy to understand. a enchanting tale, of, dont enter here, like dont go london theirs a warlord their. easy to understand and easy to follow. action was excellent and the story was great fun.

  4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
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Read all highest rated reviews