ALSO RELEASED THIS WEEK

THE KARATE KID (PG)

DIRECTOR Harald Zwart is a brave man, attempting a remake of one of the most fondly cherished films of the 1980s.

For an entire generation who still view the original through rose-tinted spectacles, The Karate Kid is a classic, feel good parable about a weakling who dares to stand up to bullies and turns their aggression against them.

The film’s catchphrase “Wax on, wax off” raises a smile more than 25 years later and grown men still choke back tears as the battered hero adopts the crane kick stance to rousing cheers from the crowd.

Luckily for Zwart, his version of the rites of passage drama adheres closely to the original when it needs to, promoting a message of triumph against adversity in stunning locations around China.

Will Smith’s diminutive 11-year-old son Jaden takes the lead role of Dre Parker, who begrudgingly leaves Detroit to follow his mother Sherry (Taraji P Henson) to Beijing for her work.

The young man struggles to adjust to his new surroundings but pretty classmate Mei Ying (Wenwen Han) helps with the cultural differences, sparking potential romance.

Unfortunately, bully Cheng (Zhenwei Wang) is fond of Mei too and he humiliates Dre in front of the other students.

In order to restore his reputation, Dre hopes to take kung fu lessons but he discovers Cheng trains at the local academy run by Master Li (Rongguang Yu), who demands total dedication.

After reclusive maintenance man Mr Han (Jackie Chan) saves Dre from a beating at the hands of Cheng and his buddies, the American youngster is forced to take part in an open karate tournament.

So training begins in earnest, sowing the seeds of a touching friendship between the boy and his emotionally scarred mentor.

The Karate Kid overstays its welcome (the running time is a buttock-numbing 140 minutes) and familiarity with the original tempers our enjoyment.

However, what Zwart’s film lacks in brevity or freshness it makes up for in heartfelt emotion including a beautifully judged scene in which Mr Han relates his tragic past.

It’s Jackie Chan’s best performance in years.

Smith is a likeable leading man gelling effectively with the martial arts superstar.

Friction between Dre and Cheng culminates in the climactic tournament where east meets west in a flurry of kicks and punches.

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STILL SHOWING

IRON MAN 2 (12A)

JON Favreau and his cast return for the explosive sequel to the 2008 blockbuster, based on the red and gold armoured Marvel Comics superhero. Billionaire industrialist and inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) embraces his dual life as the supersonic Iron Man in the full glare of the media spotlight and wins countless adoring fans in the process. However, the US government and private investors are keen to acquire his technology for their own needs and Stark resists at all costs.

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THE LOSERS (12A)

ELITE Special Forces commander Clay (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his team oversee the bombing of a drugs factory in the jungles of Bolivia. Having given the order to attack, Clay spots a bus full of children arriving at the compound. Unable to call off the airstrike, Clay rallies the troops, including communications and tech wizard Jensen (Chris Evans). They rescue the tykes in the nick of time only to see their escape transport blasted to smithereens by criminal mastermind Max (Jason Patric). A mysterious US operative called Aisha (Zoe Saldana) promises to smuggle the entire squad back onto American soil if they hunt down and kill Max. So the highly trained men return from the dead to capture their nemesis.

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THE PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME (12A)

INSPIRED by the best-selling video games series, the film sees Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) and brothers Tus (Richard Coyle) and Garsiv (Toby Kebbell) head for a fortress controlled by Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton), rumoured to be the source of weapons for enemies of their father King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup). During the assault on the fortress, Dastan acquires a mythical dagger which allows the holder to reverse the flow of time. Dastan is framed for his father’s murder and is forced to flee for his life with Princess Tamina in tow as his brothers vow to kill him in return for their father’s murder, spurred on by their uncle Nizam (Ben Kingsley).

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[REC] 2 (18)

JAUME Balaguero and Paco Plaza continue their horror story using some of the same characters and locations. Authorities have lost contact with the people trapped inside a Barcelona apartment block apparently overrun with flesh-crazed killers, and a SWAT team has been drafted in to investigate. We see Jefe (Oscar Sanchez Zafra) and his team enter the block – which has been hit by a supposed viral outbreak – through the group’s helmet-mounted cameras. The SWAT team gradually ascends the central staircase, which is slathered in blood and entrails, sensing that the supposed viral outbreak is something far worse.

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ROBIN HOOD (12A)

RUSSELL Crowe and Cate Blanchett are a match made in heaven in this rollicking good adventure from director Ridley Scott. They are perfect as Robin and Marian in an origins story that takes the legend in a different direction to the many past attempts at bringing to life the hero of Sherwood Forest, setting it all in a convincing and surprisingly accurate context.

STREETDANCE 3D (PG)

TALENTED street dancer Carly (Nichola Burley) is forced to work with five ballet students in exchange for rehearsal space for her and her team just weeks before the finals of the UK Street Dance Championships. Struggling to keep the team together after her boyfriend Jay (Ukeweli Roach) leaves, Carly meets ballet schoolmistress Helena (Charlotte Rampling), who offers the street dancer a rehearsal space for free if she agrees to include five ballet students in the performance.

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TOOTH FAIRY (PG)

DEREK Thompson (Dwayne Johnson) is a veteran ice hockey player who has acquired the nickname of Tooth Fairy because his aggressive play frequently relieves opposition players of their bicuspids. While he excels on the ice, Derek struggles to connect with 14-year-old Randy (Chase Ellison) and five-year-old Tess (Destiny Whitlock), the children of his girlfriend Carly (Ashley Judd). It doesn’t help that Derek insists on trying to dissuade the youngsters from believing in the real Tooth Fairy. As punishment, Derek is sentenced to serve one week as a tooth fairy, sprouting wings whenever he must recover a tooth from beneath a child’s pillow and leave a dollar bill in its place.

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