This Panda Rocks!!
Written: Jun 19 '08 (Updated Jun 19 '08)
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Product Rating:
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| Bang For The Buck |
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Pros: stunning action sequences; beautifully-rendered sets; some well-cast voice talents
Cons: big-name movie stars doing ho-hum voice-overs that would be better done by real voice-actors
The Bottom Line: A rollicking riot of a movie—gasp at stunning action sequences, marvel at the beauty of the sets, laugh till you hurt. Exciting and engaging fun for the whole family.
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| jc_hall's Full Review: Kung Fu Panda |
In real life, Po the Panda is a lowly noodle seller at his father’s noodle stall, but in his dreams Po strikes a fine heroic figure in the starring role of his alter ego, a martial arts expert who battles villains and shrugs off the adoration of grateful fawning maidens.
In Po’s village, legend has it that a Dragon Warrior will be chosen to ward off the evil stalking the villagers and restore to them peace and prosperity. Everyone thinks that one of Master Shifu’s disciples, the Furious Five (Tigress, Viper, Crane, Monkey, Mantis), will get chosen. So when Po gets unexpectedly picked by Master Oogway to be the Dragon Warrior, everyone, including Po himself, thinks there’s been a serious mistake. After all, Po’s none too skilled at martial arts—make that completely unskilled—and he’s certainly out of shape, and it doesn’t help when the Furious Five give him the cold shoulder, since he copes with rejection by over-eating.
But wise Master Oogway maintains there’s no such thing as an accident, and Master Shifu hits upon using Po’s gluttony to train him to become a kick-a** kung fu fighter of the first order. Just in time too, for the evil Leopard, Tai Lung, Master Shifu’s erstwhile disciple-gone-super-bad, has escaped from prison, and is headed their way to swipe the Dragon Scroll from under their very noses, likely destroying them for good measure if they get in his way.
Will Po be able to fend off the evil Tai Lung? Will the Furious Five come to his aid? Will the Dragon Scroll be lost to the evil clutches of Tai Lung? And will Master Shifu find it in his heart to destroy that which he once loved?
Kung Fu Panda is a rollicking riot of a movie that will appeal to children and adults alike. The action sequences are amazing and highly entertaining. Painstakingly choreographed, the martial arts sequences are fascinating and so intricate they rival those of live action. There are also extremely exciting sequences—one involves Tai Lung’s stunning escape from a maximum-security prison, another takes place on a disintegrating rope bridge—that have to be seen to be believed, and are on a par with all great movie action sequences, including live action ones.
Stupendous action aside, there’s more to love about this movie: the sets are mesmerizing, with backgrounds that reflect an Oriental sensibility without once caricaturizing it. Colours are soft and muted, as natural as the medium allows, and there’s true art and beauty in a reflected pool of water that ripples and shimmers before stilling to a gentle touch, or a storm of peach blossoms that grow to obliterate the entire screen.
So yes, Kung Fu Panda delivers on both scores—all-out spectacle tempered with beautifully-rendered images that beg a second viewing. And while the story--that of a downtrodden hero who overcomes all odds to fulfil his destiny--may not be the most original, it is a classic that lends itself to many interpretations. And Kung Fu Panda’s success with this theme lies not only in the spectacular action and the beautiful images but also in its characters—the easy-to-root-for-hero Po, the kindly and wise Oogway, the tormented Shifu—all of whom appeal to the audience all the more for the humour infused into and deriving from their characterization.
There are even lessons to be learned. What does it mean when the Dragon Scroll does not reveal what it’s expected to reveal? And what does it mean when a secret ingredient turns out to be…well…not something you’d expect? Is Master Oogway right when he says there’s no such thing as an accident?
No doubt this movie will continue to appeal to children of successive generations. In fact, not only do I think it will become a child’s favourite, to be watched over and over again, it is already one of my favourite animated movies (of which the list is short indeed), one that I will sit down to watch at least a couple more times.
My only beef with this movie is to do with the big-names seemingly randomly attached to the roles. While Jack Black as Po the Panda, Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu, Randall Kim as Master Oogway, and James Hong as Panda’s dad acquitted themselves in exemplary fashion, I do find the trend of using big-name movie stars to voice over animation roles deplorable. Often, the roles are so small that the big-name is all but unrecognisable (e.g. Angelina Jolie as Tigress, Lucy Liu as Viper, Jackie Chan as Monkey)—they’re plain unnecessary, often unsuitable and, at best, a distraction. In fact, the animation would be much better served by real voice-actors who need the job and can do way better than these actors/celebrities who, let’s face it, are often completely unsuitable for what is essentially a job for a trained and talented PROFESSIONAL VOICE-ACTOR. Hollywood may think big-names are box-office draws, but do we, the audience, really care who voices a character as long as it’s done well? I rather think not.
All in all, Kung Fu Panda is a highly engaging, funny, exciting, rollicking riot of a movie, a must-see for the whole family this summer. You may also find yourself buying the DVD as soon as it hits the stores.
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Action Movie
Viewing Method: Other
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing
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Epinions.com ID:
jc_hall
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Member: JC Hall
Location: Toronto, Canada
Reviews written: 199
Trusted by: 54 members
About Me:
Going back to Vancouver for Christmas! Happy Holidays, everyone!!
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