'Forbidden Kingdom' pays fun homage to martial-arts movies

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Video games with 3-D imagery. Music files with pristine reproduction. Digital photographs that preserve and reveal the moment simultaneously. We've gotten so good at living vicariously through technology that we often ignore the richness of the real world.That's what "The Forbidden Kingdom" is about -- though it's also about the historic first pairing of two of filmdom's most beloved martial-arts stars, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, in an epic but jokey adventure. Anyone who enjoys the work of Li or Chan or appreciates the exciting style of action choreographer Yuen Wo-Ping will want to see this film.The other star of "The Forbidden Kingdom" is Michael Angarano, known for his roles in "Will & Grace" and "24," who basically plays the audience's avatar. Angarano is Jason, a Boston kid who's nuts about kung-fu movies and knows everything about martial arts -- he thinks. Always on the lookout for bootlegs and rarities, he frequents a Chinatown pawnshop run by Old Hop (Chan), who scoffs at Jason's wannabe ways.One night, neighborhood bullies force Jason into helping them get into the shop to rob it, and Jason winds up in possession of an old wooden staff that transports him to ancient China. Jason quickly observes the tyranny oppressing the land; he's rescued by Lu Yan (also Chan), who specializes in "drunken master" fighting.Lu clues Jason in on the clash of immortals that has brought him here. The vicious Jade Warlord (Collin Chou) has turned the Monkey King (Li) into a statue and will do anything to keep him from coming back to life and regaining his powers. The staff Jason has is a powerful weapon that belongs to the Monkey King and must be returned to him.The two are joined in their quest by Golden Sparrow (Liu Yifei), a beautiful young woman with revenge on her mind, and then the Silent Monk (Li), who has his own agenda. The monk and Lu agree that Jason needs a crash course in martial arts, but the monk doesn't seem particularly concerned about Jason surviving it.As the four head toward the warlord's stronghold, they're attacked by a witch, Ni Chang (Li Bing Bing), who'll be familiar to genre fans as a version of the Bride with White Hair."The Forbidden Kingdom" pays tribute to all sorts of characters and traditions from the world of martial-arts films and legends. Fans will feel at home here, but neophytes should also enjoy the beauty of the Chinese landscape, the intricacies of the costumes and sets, and the jaw-dropping display of choreographed action, some of which obviously benefited from movie magic.Li and Chan mesh well -- probably better than they would have if they'd worked together earlier. Angarano makes Jason likable and real. Liu adds quiet determination, while Chou is suitably villainous.Director Rob Minkoff, working from a script by John Fusco, can't help injecting some American flavor, but there are plenty of Chinese touches as well. "The Forbidden Kingdom" bridges the cultures, combining old and new in a fun package.Rated PG-13 for sequences of martial-arts action and violence.4 stars (out of five).(Contact Knoxville News Sentinel film critic Betsy Pickle at pickle(at)knews.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)