Karate Kid: Legends Reviews & Rotten Tomatoes Score Aren’t All Positive
The reviews and Rotten Tomatoes score for Karate Kid: Legends are out, suggesting critics have mixed feelings about the Jackie Chan-led movie. It is all set to arrive in U.S. theaters on Friday, May 30, 2025. Apart from Chan, the movie features Ralph Macchio, Ben Wang, Sadie Stanley, Joshua Jackson, and more.
Karate Kid: Legends reviews praise Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio’s team-up
Critics have given their verdict about Karate Kid: Legends a day before the movie’s release in the U.S. Although they have lauded Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio’s team-up, some critics have also pointed out the movie’s flaws. The story of Karate Kid: Legends focuses on Li Fong, played by Ben Wang, who “relocates to New York City with his mother to attend a prestigious new school.”
Here is what critics are saying about the movie:
Jonathan Sim of ComingSoon wrote in his review, “This movie may not be as good as the original Karate Kid from 1984 or its 2010 remake, but it is certainly the best Karate Kid sequel ever made. You’ll have a good time, especially if you’re a sucker for those feel-good underdog stories.”
Kristy Puchko of Mashable described the movie as “heartwarming, exciting, and surprising.” She further stated, “Karate Kid: Legends had me laughing, gasping, tearing up, and cheering. Don’t mistake it for just another sequel. See it in theaters, and take the kids.”
Owen Gleiberman of Variety asserted, “It’s a film that’s unapologetically basic and wholesome and, at 94 minutes, refreshingly stripped down.”
On the other hand, Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter called the movie’s storyline “awful” and wrote, “The plot is just awful, crammed with so many cliches that you’re barely done chuckling at one before another kicks you in the head.”
Tara Brady of The Irish Times asserted that Karate Kid: Legends is not “fun” and conveyed, “Neither as fun as the early seasons of Cobra Kai nor as effective as the 2010 reboot, Karate Kid: Legends relies heavily on franchise favorites while bringing nothing new to the party.”
Karate Kid: Legends gets third best Rotten Tomatoes score
Following a mixed reception from critics, Karate Kid: Legends garnered 60 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 60 critic reviews. This is the third-best RT score for a movie in the Karate Kid franchise.
As per Rotten Tomatoes, the previous Karate Kid movies got the following scores:
- The Karate Kid (1984) – 81%
- The Karate Kid Part II (1986) – 49%
- The Karate Kid Part III (1989) – 18%
- The Next Karate Kid (1994) – 7%
- The Karate Kid (2010) – 67%
Source: Comingsoon.net