The first reactions are in for Karate Kid series began in 1984, there have been multiple sequels and reboot movies, as well as the successful Netflix series Cobra Kai. Legends brings together multiple generations of the franchise as kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) goes on a journey to enter a karate competition with the help of martial arts greats Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). The movie is directed by Jonathan Entwistle.

Now, the first reactions to Karate Kid: Legends have been revealed. Reactions seemed to be very mixed, with some saying that the film does not seem cohesive and instead features disted sections. However, all the reactions seemed to agree that the leading performance by Wang was great. Check out some of the reactions below:

Germain Lussier questioned the coherence of Karate Kid: Legends, saying that it "starts as one thing and becomes another." Despite this "mess," however, they felt that Wang was fantastic.

John Nguyen was a lot more positive about the film as a whole, also praising Wang and his character's "interesting backstory."

Jonathan Sim found the movie's plot to be "predictable" but thought that "Wang is superb as the series's first Asian kid."

The MontyVerse praised the young star in more detail, calling him "the heart and soul of this film."

Josh Titan took issue with the film's pacing but said that Wang "has so much charisma" and is on track to be a big star.

Andre Saint-Albin was more positive on the film as a whole, rating it an 8 out of 10 and echoing others' praise of Wang.

While Cris Parker thought that the young actor was great, he felt Macchio was "underused" and that "die hard fans will be lukewarm on it."

Kevin Fenix felt there was some "cheesiness" but called Wang and co-star Aramis Knight "bonafide action stars."

Some took issue with the plotting, such as Wendy Lee Szany, who said that "some storylines felt unnecessary."

Peter Gray found the movie to be just "servicable," but also liked Wang in the role.

What This Means For Karate Kid: Legends

This Is Still A Great Opportunity For Ben Wang

An official Rotten Tomatoes score for Karate Kid: Legends will likely come to fruition later this week, as the movie releases in theaters on May 30. Right now, there are only 29 reviews for the latest story in the Karate Kid franchise, but those reviews position it at a 55% Tomatometer. One of the reviews comes from ScreenRant's Mae Abdulbaki, who gave the movie a 7 out of 10 and wrote that "Wang is good as Li," and that "Karate Kid: Legends has great energy and a bright spirit."

The initial reactions indicate that Legends will likely stay in this mixed-review place. The discovery of Wang, whose previous casting history was mainly a role in the short-lived Disney+ series American Born Chinese, however, is a good reason for the film to exist in the first place. Wang is having some career momentum right now, as he is also set to appear in The Long Walk later this year and was just cast in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. As such, Karate Kid: Legends is a great way to help catapult his already-growing career.

Our Take On The Karate Kid: Legends Reactions

How Will This Affect The Box Office?

As Karate Kid: Legends releases later this week, it will be interesting to see how its reception affects its box office performance. The 2010 version of The Karate Kid split critics and wasn't well-received by many fans of the original movie. Even so, it ended up making $359.1 million at the box office, which was impressive given its $40 million budget. Legends could repeat this success if it appeals to a younger generation, but the mixed response could impact its chances.

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