An enjoyable exercise in retrofitting two iterations of The Karate Kid story into a wholly new chapter: the 2010 remake which introduced the character of kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), a proxy for the show’s original Asian American sage, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita); and the original 1980s film series and subsequent Cobra Kai TV show, which continued the duelling relationship between star pupil Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his high-school nemesis, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). It is a credit to the film that it feels both akin to the same cinematic universe while also competing as a worthy entry on its own merit. This time around, the fish-out-of-water is Li Fong (Ben Wang), fresh from Mr. Han’s Beijing kung fu school who travels with his over-protective mother (Ming-Na Wen) to start a new life in New York, where he quickly befriends Mia (Sadie Stanley). This pisses off her ex-boyfriend (Aramis Knight), who also happens to be an MMA fighter competing in the upcoming ‘Five Boroughs’ (to give the movie its own dénouement in the style of 1984’s All Valley Karate tournament). In a bid to defend his pride, Li Fong enters the competition, with Mr Han flying out to New York to train him. Quite conveniently, it also turns out that Mr. Han was good friends with Mr. Miyagi (just go with it), so he enlists the help of a now much older Daniel LaRusso to also train the boy. The training sequences are great, with shades of Chan’s own gruelling montages from films like Drunken Master, and there’s a careful attention paid to promoting both the qualities of kung fu and karate (“two branches, one tree”). This is keenly demonstrated in a fun if slightly implausible subplot involving Li Fong teaching his kung fu knowledge to Mia’s dad (Joshua Jackson) who is embarking on a return to the boxing ring – he complements his bag work by practicing the horse stance and the one-inch punch. The joy of seeing old timers Macchio (63) and Chan (71) trading tips and bickering is a high point, but it’s the entirely wholesome journey of the charming young underdog Li Fong – the franchises’ first Asian ‘karate kid’ – and his coming-of-age which is the true heart of the film, just as it should be for a Karate Kid movie.