That's all you have to know to want to see this movie. Contrasting and complementary and ... the best. Add Director of Photography Peter Pau (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Martial Arts Choreographer Woo-ping Yuen (Fearless, Unleashed, Kill Bill, The Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Once Upon A Time In China) and you have what it takes for an excellent presentation. Woo-ping has worked extensively with Jackie and in this movie has formed a solid relationship with Jet.
Li Bing-Bing and Liu Yifei are two young actresses of surpassing beauty. This is only Liu's third movie, but she has really come into her own with a very convincing presence and acting ability. She is strongly reminiscent of Zhang Ziyi when she exploded on the scene some 8 years earlier. Li is better known, at least in China, where she is an established star. Here she is cast against type, as an evil villain, and she seems totally at home in this role, which she carries off with style.
Michael Angarano seems to be confined by his role as written, which is stereotyped and not too interesting or endearing. Unquestionably he is capable of a fine performance, as he shows in Black Irish. Here we see only brief glimpses of his talent. It is too bad, and the failure to bring out his potential is the greatest disappointment of The Forbidden Kingdom.
Nonetheless, this film deserves a high rating, primarily on the strength of Jet and Jackie, but also the wonderful new Liu. It was worth the long, long wait to see Jet and Jackie fighting.
