Are you ready for a stroll down memory lane with an old pal named Daniel LaRusso? How about a little one-on-one time with Mr. Han? Bask in the cinematic déjà vu served up by the newest twist to the unshakeable franchise, "Karate Kid: Legends". Oh yes! Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan are back again, adding layers of nostalgia to the reheated mix, but not quite enough to mask the lack of originality.

Meet the new kid on the karate block, Li Fong (the likable Ben Wang), a kung fu whizz who's grappling with his brother's shocking death. Encouraging his kung fu dreams is Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han, while his mom (Ming-Na Wen), a doctor, is not a fan. In fact, she's so worried, she hauls both of them off to the Big Apple for a new beginning and one motherly stipulation - “No fighting” - which, naturally, is doomed to fail - and fast!

Considerably before you can say, "Wax on, wax off," Li's embroiled in a romantic tangle with pizza princess Mia (Sadie Stanley) and earning himself a shiner from her green-eyed ex, Connor (the brilliantly villainous Aramis Knight). Li's fighting ban shatters fully when Mia's dad Victor (Joshua Jackson channeling a Bowery Boy vibe), a one-time boxing champion now in serious debt, needs help fending off some rough guys from a martial arts school.

In a fun twist, the former champ turns to our young hero for training, and the training montage rocks the sparsely populated NYC subway network. But after a disastrous bout thanks to a cheating opponent nearly offing Victor, Li steps up to the fighting plate deciding to join a high-stake citywide tournament.

Just when things are spiraling, Mr. Han turns up and together with Daniel, they train Li, leading to a round two of training montages filled with nods to the 1984 original film and stunning rooftop views of the Chrysler Building.

Yes, there's a lot happening in less than two hours, to the point where clichés are flying as fast as roundhouse kicks. And once the climactic fight on another rooftop rolls around, the novelty has worn off, turning a good chunk of the goodwill into weak giggles.

Yet "Karate Kid: Legends" pays its respects to its roots, even kicking off with footage from the '86 "Karate Kid Part II". Plus, sprinkle in some surprise cameos and the numerous throwbacks to the franchise's golden years, and it reminds us why, in the words of Mr. Daniel LaRusso, “Every time I have a chance to pass on a piece of his legacy, it’s never the wrong choice”.

Or is it? Studio executives greenlighting this project would nod in agreement. For us, it's the nostalgia that wins - for now. This karate kid needs a few new moves for the next round, though.