The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) is a visually stunning fantasy martial arts adventure that brings together two of the biggest legends in the genre, Jet Li and Jackie Chan, for the first time. Directed by Rob Minkoff, the film is a unique blend of Chinese mythology and modern-day fantasy, filled with thrilling action sequences and rich cultural references.

The story follows Jason Tripitikas (Michael Angarano), a martial arts-obsessed teenager from Boston who stumbles upon a mysterious golden staff in a Chinatown pawnshop. After a run-in with some bullies, Jason is magically transported back to ancient China, where he discovers that the staff belongs to the legendary Monkey King (Jet Li), who has been imprisoned by the malevolent Jade Warlord (Collin Chou).

Jason soon realizes that his arrival has been prophesied, and he is entrusted with the mission of returning the staff to the Monkey King to restore balance to the kingdom. Along his journey, Jason meets Lu Yan (Jackie Chan), a wise but eccentric drunken kung fu master, and Golden Sparrow (Liu Yifei), a fierce warrior seeking vengeance against the Jade Warlord for her family’s murder.