Kung Fu Panda

Directed by: Mark Osborne and John Stevenson

Starring: Jack Black

Genre: Animated

Run Time: 92 minutes

Release Date: June 2008

On The Web: Official Site

Teaser: Movie Trailer

Reviewed by Byron Merritt

Animated films rely heavily on the appeal of the actors voicing the various characters. Get a group of them who could care less about the material and you’ll get a quick-to-DVD release (see SHARK TALE). But get a bunch that really gets into it, and you can capture lightning in a bottle. It’s happened before. I consider FINDING NEMO and HOODWINKED! to be the prime examples of this type of success. And KUNG FU PANDA now resides in close company with them.

Whomever cast Kung Fu Panda deserves some serious recognition. All of the voice characters, without exception, were perfect for their animal type. From Dustin Hoffman’s wise Shifu and Angelina Jolies rough Tigress to Jackie Chan (as Monkey), Seth Rogan (as Mantis), Lucy Liu (as Viper) and the unforgettable Jack Black as Po the Kung Fu Panda, every one of them were awesome shining lights of pure ...um ...awesomeness.

The story is standard fodder: a nobody Panda (Jack Black) seems destined to follow in his father’s footsteps as a shlepper of noodle dishes. But Po (the Panda) has always been infatuated with the Kung Fu masters. And when a call comes down from on-high that a new master is being chosen, Po rushes to the tower to find out who it might be (will it be Tigress? Or Viper? Or one of the others?). Surprisingly it turns out to be the rotund and out-of-shape Po.

Training begins and Po is neither liked nor respected by any of the Kung Fu fighters (yes, the song is in there, too, of course). But once Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) learns how to motivate Po, the training begins in earnest.

Problems arise, however, when word spreads that an enemy of the Kung Fu lands has escaped his prison and whomever the new Kung Fu Master might be will have to deal with him.

The antics and battles are funny and epic. Using his blubbery size, Po often bounces his way to success, or eats his way into the audience’s heart (particularly funny is when he finds a stash of cookies in a high cabinet and does a perfect split in order to reach them and gobble ‘em down).

It is a telling story that shows us you don’t have to be some foxy 007 type in order to succeed. Using your natural abilities often times allows you all the power you’ll need. And Jack Black’s sloth-like nature was a perfect fit for Po and those who enjoyed Kung Fu Panda.

Skadoosh!

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Image from Kung Fu Panda

DVD cost: $29.99

Purchase: Tower.com

Film Review Stew Favorite? No.

Stew Poo-Poo? No.

Newsworthy: Shifu's Chinese name, as shown in the end credits, means "Teacher-Master" ("Shi-fu" in Pinyin transliteration). Sifu is a red panda, but with a lot more white fur than red.

Movie Quote: "It is said that his enemies would go blind from over-exposure to pure awesomeness!"
 

Other Actors/Actresses from Kung Fu Panda

Images from  Kung Fu Panda