I like Jackie Chan’s movies, with an apparently unusual appreciation for his less comedic, more dramatic films like Heart of Dragon (1985), or New Police Story (2004). I grew up watching the original Karate Kid movies as they came out, and I related to the character a lot. It should be obvious then that I will really enjoy this remake then, right? Well, not so readily, as I have some reservations as the release date nears.

Is the distinct nature of the "karate" fighting style being shoe-horned for the sake of marketing ease, or even just… Laziness? Hollywood wouldn’t do that would they? Didn’t this remake of "The Karate Kid" actually start shooting as "The Kung Fu Kid"? There seems to be more questions raised about this new version of "The Karate Kid" than are being addressed by any PR, and certainly the trailers don’t alleviate much.

According to the official Sony Pictures site for the 2010 film, The Karate Kid, Jackie Chan’s character is "secretly a master of kung fu" and he "teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries" which is all well and good, but how many times is "kung fu" mentioned on the official website promoting a film called "The Karate Kid"? Certainly, karate is not a Japanese-only form of martial art, and historically it actually developed in Chinese territory that was later `annexed’ by the Japanese. Also, as with most martial arts today that may have originated in one specific region there is now no limit to where the art may be taken up, and who may do so. But, there are cultural implications to having a movie called The Karate Kid and setting it in China. The trailers don’t indicate that any exploration of that will be in the movie.

Of course, with Will Smith AND Jada Pinkett Smith being listed as producers (with Jerry Weintraub, James Lassiter and Ken Stovitz) it certainly has the appearance of re-working an old franchise as a vanity project, for their son, Jaden. But having said that, I must grant that some of his legwork has shown a style that reminds me of the Korean martial artist, Hwang Jang Lee. This makes me think that the kid could have an honest talent for this kind of film role.

Jerry Weintraub is associated with franchise building. He was a producer for the original Karate Kid trilogy with Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, as well as the attempted rework, The Next Karate Kid with Hilary Swank. He was also a producer on the Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen films. Supposedly the recent reworking of Nancy Drew he was producer on a few years ago, is likely to lead to another film, and another franchise. Obviously, yet another franchise is likely to be built then, beginning with the remake of The Karate Kid.

I am not saying that a Karate Kid remake should be set in Okinawa, Japan, and that Sonny Chiba should be in the mentor role. While I wouldn’t mind that, and I would be less critical going in, there are always other things of concern for the film team involved. Even if, from a purist standpoint, Sonny Chiba would have been a better pick, what pull does Chiba have with the broader family market? None, to be honest. Now, as for Jackie Chan, he has done plenty. Chan is the most logical pick, for bankability, and broader demographic. Over the years Jackie Chan has broadened his acting modes considerably. Chiba has as well, but where Chan has gone for more light hearted and family friendly roles, Chiba has gone for more dramatic. Certainly, this role will give Chan a more dramatic and less comedic role but still keep him within what is, for the most part, his present family friendly career arc.

The trailers I have seen up to this point make me feel that the working title of "The Kung Fu Kid" may have been the most accurate (and besides, the original working title would mean they wouldn’t owe DC Comics for the use of the name "Karate Kid" after the publisher’s thirty-first century martial artist character that was part of The Legion of Super-Heroes).

In the end, concerns could simply be alleviated by part of the promotion also being educational, and discussing the historical and social implications of karate’s origin as a fighting form. It could very well be that after seeing the film all will be revealed and work out to everybody’s satisfactions. I will have to see. Won’t we all?

At this time, The Karate Kid is set for a June 11 theatrical release.