Maps of Movies
The Karate Kid (2010)
Where The Karate Kid says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
A boy from Detroit, a master in Beijing, and the few places of the film that can be pinned to the real map
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Scenes and places
Leaving Detroit (2010)
Twelve-year-old Dre is uprooted from his home in Detroit. His mother's job transfer sends them both to a country he has never seen.
Set in Detroit, Michigan — Dre and his mother leave Detroit for a new life abroad.
The starting point of the story; the film's filming is recorded only for Beijing.
The apartment compound (2010)
Dre arrives in a city where he knows no one and cannot read the signs. The compound's maintenance man, Mr. Han, becomes the first adult he meets there.
Set in Beijing apartment compound — Dre's new home, where maintenance man Mr. Han works.
A residential compound in Beijing; no filming location is given in the sources.
Meeting Meiying (2010)
Dre notices Meiying practising the violin and is smitten. Cheng, a kung fu prodigy close to her family, sets out to keep them apart.
Set in Where Dre meets Meiying — Dre meets young violinist Meiying and is instantly taken with her.
The exact place is not specified in the sources.
The school trip to the Forbidden City (2010)
On a class outing to the Forbidden City, tension between Dre and Cheng's gang keeps building. Dre's revenge afterwards sets off the beating that changes his stay.
Set in Forbidden City — A school field trip to the Forbidden City, after which Dre takes revenge on Cheng. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The former imperial palace in central Beijing, here the destination of a school trip.
Filmed at Forbidden City, Beijing — The Chinese government granted the filmmakers access to film here; the exact courtyards used are not given in the sources. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The street after the trip (2010)
Dre's prank backfires and the gang chases him down. Mr. Han steps in and shows he is a kung fu master.
Set in Street in Beijing — Cheng and his gang chase Dre and beat him until Mr. Han steps in.
A Beijing street; no filming location is given in the sources.
The Fighting Dragons studio (2010)
Han takes Dre to the school of Cheng's teacher to ask for peace. Master Li rejects the offer, and the matter moves to a tournament.
Set in Fighting Dragons studio — Master Li's kung fu school, where Han goes to make peace for Dre.
A kung fu school in the film; no real filming location is given.
The temple and the Dragon Well (2010)
Han takes Dre up a mountain and tells him the water there is magic kung fu water. Dre watches a woman and a cobra and misreads what he sees, and Han explains it.
Set in Taoist temple on a mountain — Han takes Dre to a Taoist temple and a well, where Dre sees a woman make a cobra mirror her movements.
A mountain temple in the film; the closest documented real location is the Wudang Mountains, which is not tied to this scene by an open source.
Filmed at Wudang Mountains, Hubei — The filmmakers were granted permission to film in the Wudang Mountains; which scene was shot where is not stated in the open sources. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Training on the Great Wall (2010)
Dre keeps training with Han through the long weeks before the tournament.
Set in The Great Wall — Training scenes in the film's middle section, filmed on the Great Wall. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The Great Wall is named only as a permitted filming location, not as a plot scene.
Filmed at Great Wall of China — Filming on the Great Wall was permitted; the stretch is not confirmed. The point is a representative one, not the exact spot. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Han's car workshop (2010)
Dre finds Han drunk and in tears, smashing the car he was working on. Han explains how he lost his family.
Set in Mr. Han's workshop — Han's place in the compound, where he is fixing an old car.
Inside the apartment compound; no real filming location is given.
The tournament (2010)
Dre steps into the tournament that began as a promise. He wins his first fights, but Li's students are waiting for him in later rounds.
Set in Tournament arena — The kung fu tournament where Dre, Cheng and the Fighting Dragons meet.
The tournament arena; no real filming location is given.
Characters
- Dre Parker — A 12-year-old from Detroit who moves to Beijing with his mother.
- Mr. Han — The maintenance man at Dre's building, who is also a kung fu master.
- Cheng — A 14-year-old kung fu prodigy who bullies Dre.
- Meiying — A young violinist Dre meets in Beijing.
- Master Li — Cheng's teacher at the Fighting Dragons studio.