SIDEKICKS (C+) is a perfectly acceptable family directed martial arts film. It stars Jonathan Brandis who plays high-schooler Barry who can't stop dreaming about being Chuck Norris' sidekick on his many action adventures. Large segments of the movie are given over to Brandis day-dreaming of himself fighting or shooting alongside Norris in mockups of several of his movies. Brandis, however, has a tough time facing reality and his daydreaming is getting him in trouble at school and with a high school bully. Luckily, his teacher and father come up with a plan for Brandis to train with a Master Miyagi like mentor who whips him into shape and gets him into a karate style tournament finale where, Chuck Norris actually joins his team. They do battle against the high school bully and a local jerk karate master played by Joe Piscopo and it's all decent stuff. It's essentially a riff on the much better Karate Kid, but Brandis and Piscopo are game to ham it up at times and the little action vignettes are all good natured. Nothing great, but a fun little fighting family film.
Review of Sidekicks
