Martial
art mammal
Ever
since this project was announced a couple of years back, there’s
been much anticipation in our household. Just the idea of a panda
doing kung-fu tickled several funny bones around the place. So
the release of Kung Fu Panda has seen an outbreak of
almost uncontrollable excitement. So is the final result worth
all this emotional energy? In short, the answer is a resounding
yes.
Kung Fu Panda, the latest product of the
Dreamworks Animation, delivers yet another phenomenal example
of the animator’s art. If you’re into such things,
the technical aspects of the film are absolutely astounding, rivalling
the best seen in recent times. But much of that will be lost in
the colourful cast of characters, the well-rounded story and,
of course, the martial arts action.
The panda of the title is Po (voiced by Jack Black),
the food-loving son of a noodle-maker who dreams of being a kung-fu
master. Of course, if he exercised every once in a while he might
have some sort of chance. But at the jade palace, home of kung-fu
guru Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) and his faithful protégé,
Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), things aren’t so serene.
Oogway has had a vision that the feared Tai Lung (Ian McShane)
will break out of his prison and return to the valley to wreak
havoc. Master Shifu’s students, known as the Furious Five
– Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper
(Lucy Liu), Mantis (Seth Rogen) and Crane (David Cross) –
seek the honour of claiming the fable dragon scroll and being
crowned the Dragon Warrior. The chosen one will have to meet Tai
Lung and defeat him in battle. But an accident involving furniture
and fireworks sees the lazy Po designated as the Dragon Warrior;
much to the chagrin of Shifu and the Furious Five. But time is
running out for the valley as Oogway’s vision appears to
be coming to fruition.
Like
many recent animated movies, Kung Fu Panda is a heady
mix of out-and-out fun for kids with some more sophisticated material
to appease the adults who’ll be accompanying them. Here,
the more sophisticated material consists of some well-place humour
and references to other films. For the kids, the cute animals
will naturally be the main attraction; but all ages will be impressed
by the expertly rendered action sequences.
The story – a variant on the “you can
do it if you believe” theme common in kids flicks –
is hardly ground-breaking, but still manages to hit the right
notes most of the time. Yeah, there are a few corny moments, but
that pretty much comes with the territory and has to be expected
in a film like this.
Jack Black is as funny as a furry black-and-white
forest-dweller than he is in most of his live-action films (funnier,
if you count Nacho Libre and The Holiday). Po
shares many of his, um, physical attributes; and the combination
of the CGI rendering and Black’s voice really makes the
film. Dustin Hoffman voices Shifu with the necessary gravitas;
while Ian McShane’s dulcet tones add menace to Tai Lung.
Perhaps a little surprisingly, the Furious Five get relatively
little screen time. Angelina Jolie gets the biggest slice, but
Seth Rogen and Jackie Chan barely register.
Kung Fu Panda delivers pretty much exactly
what you’d expect. Although clearly aimed at kids, there’s
plenty to keep adults amused as well. There might be anything
really new here in the plot department, but the film looks so
good and there’s so much fun to be had, that hardly matters
in the end.
David Edwards
