Karate Kid: Legends’ Finale Inspired by Epic Lord of the Rings Battle!

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The movie titled “Karate Kid: Legends” is now in theaters, and it’s a must-watch if you enjoy thrilling conclusions packed with action. Interestingly, director Jonathan Entwistle has shared that he drew inspiration for the film’s climactic ending from another renowned series – “The Lord of the Rings”.

While chatting with George Edelman from MovieWeb, Entwistle mentioned that during the filming, editing, and scoring of the grand finale in Karate Kid: Legends, he found inspiration in the Battle of the Morannon scene from the conclusion of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, specifically The Return of the King.

I aim for our final scene to evoke the epic closure of ‘Lord of the Rings’, set high on a stormy mountain amidst a fierce battle. Intriguingly, we’ve employed music, montage, and training sequences from sports movies to grant us the freedom to create a 12-minute stretch solely dedicated to martial arts.

In the movie titled “Karate Kid: Legends“, we see the collaboration of famous martial artists such as Ralph Macchi, Jackie Chan, and Ben Wang. This film introduces a fresh narrative that features iconic martial arts masters from a cherished film series. The story unfolds when kung-fu prodigy Li Fong (Wang), along with his mother, migrates to New York City to attend an elite school. He finds comfort in a new friendship with a classmate and her father, but encounters trouble when he crosses paths with a local karate champion. To aid his friend, Fong decides to compete in a karate tournament. However, he soon realizes that his skills are insufficient, prompting guidance from Mr. Han (Chan) and Daniel LaRusso (Macchio). Over time, he learns to blend two martial arts styles into one for an epic showdown.

What Critics Are Saying About ‘Karate Kid: Legends’

With an estimated gross of $25-$30 million for the weekend, Karate Kid: Legends is anticipated to come in second place, trailing behind the current box office leader, Lilo & Stitch. The latest installment in the lengthy series has received mixed reviews, earning a 54% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Branyan Towe from Loud and Clear Reviews comments that while the movie may have flaws, “the strong cast, particularly a rising talent like Ben Wang, make this franchise’s return to the big screen a delightful one.

Matt Zoller Seitz from RogerEbert.com didn’t give a favorable opinion, instead stating that Legends is “impressive yet frustrating as it attempts to pack every past version of this tale into one massive, shimmering piece of backstory.” Ouch! However, when you head to the cinema for a Karate Kid movie, you anticipate action, and this film delivers an abundance of martial arts. It might be that it falls short due to comparisons with Netflix’s Cobra Kai, which elevated the franchise to new heights in storytelling.

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2025-05-30 21:31