57
Metascore
27 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75ReelViewsJames BerardinelliReelViewsJames BerardinelliFor martial arts action fans, The Forbidden Kingdom may be the best fantasy story since the genre was opened to a wider audience by "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
- 70New York Magazine (Vulture)David EdelsteinNew York Magazine (Vulture)David EdelsteinOnce past the clunky prologue, the film is great fun, with a good balance between computer effects and athleticism.
- 67Austin ChronicleMarc SavlovAustin ChronicleMarc SavlovThe plot is negligible, but that's fine since it's really only a way to get from one set-piece to another.
- 63Philadelphia InquirerSteven ReaPhiladelphia InquirerSteven ReaThe special effects are effective, though not terribly special. While director Minkoff pays homage to past masters of the genre, the past masters were better at this game than he.
- 60Village VoiceVillage VoiceTaken as a whole, though, it's an amiable lost-and-found of epic-adventure tropes. As I still illogically treasure "Willow," many a 10-year-old who sees Forbidden Kingdom will remember it fondly in spite of its flaws.
- 50VarietyDennis HarveyVarietyDennis HarveyOn its own terms, it's a handsome albeit unexceptional juvenile adventure shot on some magnificent Chinese locations.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterThe Hollywood ReporterWill please its core audience but won't enthrall anyone over the age of 16. (Even that might be stretching the point.)
- 50Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneIt's perhaps best suited for genre vets who can be satisfied with spot-the-reference games and Chan and Li's chemistry, or for undiscriminating kids who'll enjoy the "Karate Kid" vibe. But it's less a culmination of Li and Chan's careers than a passable footnote to better things.
- 50The A.V. ClubScott TobiasThe A.V. ClubScott TobiasAt best, The Forbidden Kingdom counts as an amiable time-waster for kids, but much more should be expected from the momentous union of two kung-fu titans.
- 25Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment WeeklyThis kingdom really should be forbidden.