Forbidden poster

After many years of anticipation, martial arts fans are finally seeing masters Jet Li and Jackie Chan together on the big screen in THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM. Though you might expect a little more fanfare about such a union of chopsockey icons than the new teaser poster, which only features their names crossword-style. Maybe that’s them among the quartet marching toward Burton’s remake of PLANET OF THE APES (click to see what I’m talking about).

The story actually sounds too close for comfort like LAST ACTION HERO meets BULLETPROOF MONK: it involves an American teen obsessed with kung fu flicks who finds a staff that transports him back to ancient China, where he teams with skilled kickers to return the item to the Monkey King. Whatever — the thing also stars Collin Chou (THE MATRIX), has fights coordinated by Woo-Ping Yuen, and is shot by cinematographer Peter Pau (CROUCHING TIGER). So the action should be the snaz.