Log in / Sign up
 
    Share this page

    Kung Fu Panda

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    It had been a long time since I had last seen “Kung Fu Panda”. Far too long. I had forgotten how good this film is! It’s got spectacular sequences of action, a great cast and some surprisingly well developed characters.

    Set in an ancient China populated by anthropomorphic animals, our hero is a panda named Po (voiced by Jack Black) When he accidentally finds himself chosen as the fabled “Dragon Warrior”, no one believes he’s up to the task. Not his master (a red panda voiced by Dustin Hoffman), not his peers (including Angelina Jolie as Master Tigress, Lucy Liu as Master Viper, Jackie Chan as Master Monkey, Seth Rogen as Master Mantis and David Cross as Master Crane) and certainly not Tai Lung (voiced by Ian McShane), a ferocious snow leopard on a path of merciless destruction.

    This is a film that uses the medium of animation to it’s full potential. A live action picture would have you unintentionally laughing at the sight of a Panda being constantly substituted for a guy in a suit, a puppet or some special effects. When it’s animated you don’t question it for a second. Not only that, but the medium allows you to create gravity-defying martial arts sequences that would be impossible in real life.

    Unless you’re going for Wuxia-style action (take “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” as a good example) I normally lean towards more realistic sequences of Kung Fu action. It’s not about people getting thrown through buildings or being able to bend steel girders, it’s seeing the physical artistry. You watch two (or more) professional fighters meticulously choreographing their moves in a convincing way, jumping, kicking and throwing punches. It’s the bloody equivalent of ballet. That doesn’t apply in an animated film so they compensate by having battles that are larger-than-life and inventive. There’s a fight sequence on a wooden rope bridge that’s amazing. Animals are jumping in the air, cutting ropes, using those ropes as weapons as the disintegrating structure twists and falls apart, breaking boards, dodging punches and weaving between flurries of kicks above a canyon that must be kilometers deep. If that’s not enough, these are not all human-shaped creatures. Sure Po, Master Tigress and most of the rest stand on two feet and have two arms. But you’ve never seen anything like a snake that performs Kung Fu, or a tiny insect whizz about, sinking its forearms into it’s opponent like this.

    I love how the sequences of combat and training contain a wide variety of fighting techniques. Obviously Tigress is using tiger style and so on, but they do something really clever with Po. Our hero is not at all what you would expect to see in a Kung Fu Master. He’s bumbling, rolly polly and all-around goofy. It’s used to great effect to give him his own “Panda style”. His unusual frame gives an extra layer to the film. This picture is as much about the fighting and the training as it is about finding your own path towards victory. Jack Black perfectly brings him to life. It’s one of those roles where I can’t imagine anyone doing it better.

    That brings me to the characters of the film, which I felt were very well developed. Not everyone gets the same amount of screen time (Mantis definitely gets pushed to the side) but the moments that are given side characters like Tigress, Master Shifu or the villain Tai Lung speak volumes about them. These are animals with dreams and stories that stretch beyond this plot. I find that a lot of lesser animated films seem to get almost bored with the character development, spending the time instead on musical dance numbers that the animators can proudly put in their portfolio to show off. Not here. There are poignant moments that are delivered with very little dialogue. Sometimes it’s the lighting, or just the way a character will look at the camera. It’s nice and subtle, the kind of thing we SHOULD expect from every movie. If your kids are watching it with you (I saw it by myself and there’s no shame in that) you can also look forward to exposing them to a reverent look at ancient Chinese culture, free of bad pop culture jokes, lame innuendo or cheap stereotypes. If you love Wuxia martial arts films, or just martial arts films in general and you want to indoctrinate your little ones in that cult, this is a great starting point.

    Before I wrap things up I also want to note a few things quickly. They’re no less important than the other points I brought up, but I have to leave something for myself to expand on the next time I see the film. Firstly, it’s very funny. I laughed loud and hard throughout. No cheap jokes either (ok, there’s one crotch shot, but I felt like it was justified) The story structure is familiar, but what’s put on top of that skeleton, it’s pure gold. The characters are memorable and likeable; the visuals are splendid, the voice acting quite good and check out that opening 2-D animated sequence. Magnificent! “Kung Fu Panda” is a real treat for the family. “Kung Fu Panda” is a picture that everyone can enjoy for different reasons and that managed to pleasantly surprise me, even though I’d seen it before and really liked it. Stick around for those end credits too, there’s a nice little moment right at the finish. (On Blu-ray, February 23, 2016)

    10
    HelpfulNot helpful  Reply
    adamwatchesmovies@  4.3.2016 age: 26-35 2,866 reviews

    Show all reviews for this movie
    Note: The movie review posted on this page reflects a personal opinion of one user. We are not responsible for its content.

    Did you see ''Kung Fu Panda''?

    There is a problem with your e-mail address and we are unable to communicate with you. Please go to My Account to update your email.

    How do you rate this movie?

    Select stars from 1 to 10.
    10 - A masterpiece, go, see it now
    9 - Excellent movie, a must see
    8 - Great movie, don't miss it
    7 - Good movie, worth seeing
    6 - Not bad, could be much better
    5 - So so, okay if you don't pay
    4 - Not good, even if you don't pay
    3 - Poor movie, not recommended
    2 - Very bad, forget about it
    1 - Worst ever, avoid at all costs

    Please explain. Write your comment here:

    Please choose a username to sign your comments. Only letters, digits, dash - or period. Minimum 4 characters.

    Your age and sex:

    We publish all comments, except abusive, at our discretion.