That title alone renders this is a must-see in my book. It’s an Eric Roberts vehicle, which says a lot about it; he’s not an actor known for saying no to anything, and A KARATE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE (2019), from “Justice For All Productions” and a cast and crew who tend to disproportionately bear the same last name, was definitely a project he should have turned down. Also featured is Martin Kove, who’s best known, appropriately, for THE KARATE KID (1984).
A KARATE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE (2019) Trailer
Christmastime: Jesse Genesis (Mario Del Vecchio) is a 10-year-old Karate enthusiast whose father Bob (Kenneth Del Vecchio) disappeared in the wake of a movie theater mass shooting the previous year. Jesse now lives with his grumpy businesswoman mother Abby (Mila Milosevic) and suffers from nightmares set in the venue of his father’s apparent demise, in which a trashy thriller starring Eric Roberts and Martin Kove is being exhibited. Jesse is determined to earn a blackbelt by Christmas day, which he believes will bring his father back.
Abby consults Elizabeth (Julie McCullough), a psychic who reveals things about Robert that were previously unknown to Abby, such as the fact that he was a Karate master, and further assures Abby that her Hubbie is still alive. Elizabeth identifies herself as “the three ghosts to your scrooge” (suggesting the filmmakers were trying for a modern updating of A CHRISTMAS CAROL) and drags Abby to a bar on Christmas Eve to confront “the ghost of your Christmas future,” which turns out to be a ruse, as no ghosts, future or otherwise, are confronted.
What ultimately does happen (Spoiler Alert!) is that, as predicted, Jesse attains the desired blackbelt and on Christmas Day his long lost father finally turns back up (where he went is left unexplained), an event Abby proclaims a “A true Christmas miracle!”
Of the name actors featured in this clunker, Roberts appears even drunker than usual and Kove adds some much-needed professionalism. That matters little given that none of the other performers evince any acting ability whatsoever (a mid-film crying fit by Mila Milosevic is downright vomitous). The tacky video look is another liability, as is filmmaking that’s riddled with unexpected dissolves and jarring intercuts to the movie that plays in Jesse’s nightmares.
Director Julie Kimmel tries to liven things up with some innovative elements, including transitional video effects (artfully rendered TV static, etc.) and an animated montage depicting the various belts of Karate masters, but they do nothing to enhance a pointless and underachieving, and ultimately plain lousy, product that despite its ttile contains very little karate.
Vital Statistics
A KARATE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE
Justice For All Productions
Director: Julie Kimmel
Producers: Kenneth Del Vecchio
Screenplay: Kenneth Del Vecchio, Julie Kimmel, David Landau
Cinematography: Thomas Trainor
Editing: Dina Alexander
Cast: Mario Del Vecchio, Julie McCullogh, Mila Milosevic, Buddy Fitzpatrick, Angie Bullaro, Candy Fox, Kenneth Del Vecchio, Martin Kove, Eric Roberts