Kung Fu Panda
Movie Review
"Kung Fu Panda"
Review by Eric D. Snider
Grade: B
Rating: PG
Released: Friday, June 6, 2008
Directed by:
Cast:
As with all comics, Jack Black's antics are a matter of taste. Even those of us who find him funny may occasionally grow weary of him, particularly given that no matter what the role, he always basically plays himself. That's true in "Kung Fu Panda," too, yet the fact that it's an animated version of him, not the flesh-and-blood version, reduces the Tired of Jack Black Factor considerably.
In all, it's a perfectly serviceable animated comedy, quite funny at times, and with no pop-cultural references to date it. In fact, if it weren't for the presence of Black and his shtick, you'd never know, 10 years from now, what era the film was made in. That kind of quasi-timelessness goes a long way toward establishing something like this as a real product of consequence (like "Ratatouille"), as opposed to a throwaway confection (like "Madagascar").
"Kung Fu Panda" is set in an unspecified time period in an unspecified Chinese village where anthropomorphic animals live ordinary peasant lives. One of these is Po (Black), a panda whose father (James Hong) runs a noodle restaurant and assumes Po will one day go into the family business. (Po's father is a goose. This is not explained.) But Po has bigger dreams, as do all protagonists in animated films, particularly those protagonists who come from single-parent families. Po loves the martial arts and idolizes the Furious 5, a quintet of warriors who train at the palace on the mountain that overlooks the village.
Po is overweight and lazy, however, which is probably due to his being a panda. So you can imagine his astonishment when Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), the ancient turtle who oversees all the fighting masters, declares that he, Po, is the Chosen One. The fates have decreed it. Po must be trained as the new Dragon Warrior who will fight against Tai Lung (Ian McShane), the murderous leopard who is about to break out of prison.
Po isn't the only one surprised by this decision, of course. The Furious 5 -- a tigress, a monkey, a snake, a crane, and a praying mantis -- are all shocked that it wasn't one of them. The tigress (Angelina Jolie), in particular, is offended and resentful. And their trainer, Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), a red panda*, is positively disgusted. But wise old Oogway is seldom wrong. And anyway, you don't argue with him, even if he is. It's a respect thing.
So Shifu and the five must train Po, and we are treated to a few too many jokes about Po being fat and hungry. Po awkwardly interacts with his new colleagues, in awe of their skills and well aware that he doesn't belong with them. An uncouth panda, he must be taught in the ways of the palace. "We do not wash our pits in the Pool of Sacred Tears," Shifu tells him wearily.
The screenplay is by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, a duo that has written for TV's "King of the Hill" and "MAD TV," from a story by "Bulletproof Monk" writers Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris. The martial arts on display are exceedingly well animated (as is the whole film, really), with a near-Pixarian attention to detail that should please viewers who know about this kind of stuff. The directors, Mark Osborne and John Stevenson, both experienced in the biz but never having directed a feature-length cartoon before, pull off some dazzling fight sequences and a prison-break scene that is nothing short of spectacular.
The story is ultimately pretty formulaic, with Po's unorthodox talents (mostly involving food) proving useful in battle and everyone learning the important lesson of Believing in Yourself. Apart from the tigress and the crane (David Cross), none of the Furious 5 really get any screen time, wasting the talents of Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, and Seth Rogen, who voice them.
But on the other hand, the conversation between Oogway and Shifu about destiny vs. free will is surprisingly thoughtful for a cartoon, suggesting that "Kung Fu Panda" is more than one of those throwaway confections I mentioned earlier. It's slick, energetic, and entertaining enough to separate it from most of the in-it-for-the-cash animated products that the studios have been cranking out the last few years. Also, pandas who do kung fu are just plain funny.
*That's what Wikipedia says, anyway. I watched the whole movie with no idea what he was supposed to be.
Grade: B
Rated PG, mild rude humor and animated martial-arts violence
1 hr., 28 min.
Copyright © Eric D. Snider.
This work may not be transmitted via the Internet, nor reproduced in any other way, without written consent from Eric D. Snider.
This item has 20 comments
June 6, 2008 at 6:42 am
For all our edification, "Oogway" and "Shifu" are Chinese for "turtle" and "teacher," respectively.
June 6, 2008 at 2:59 pm
As a Panda-shaped person myself, I love seeing the more rounded characters get into the spotlight for something other than being spherical. "I'm in shape! Round is a shape!" etc. Also, many bonus points for not casting Eddie Murphy in it!
June 7, 2008 at 3:12 am
We just got back from seeing this so naturally I had to check to see if I agreed with Eric. I do. I was pleasantly surprised because let's face it, Dreamworks doesn't exactly have a stellar record for high-quality, thoughtful movies. The action sequences really were amazing and it's one I wouldn't mind seeing again.
I also second Wanda Sue on the bonus points for no Eddie Murphy OR Chris Rock!
June 8, 2008 at 4:31 pm
When I was taking Chinese classes we learned that the word for teacher is actually "lao shi" (the shi part is pronounced like "sure"), and "Shifu" actually just means "skilled person" and can be used for someone who knows or teaches a skill. We addressed our teachers as Qi Lao Shi and Huang Lao Shi, not as "Shifu".
June 9, 2008 at 12:22 am
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of a male goose mating with a female panda...
June 9, 2008 at 7:51 pm
I liked it a lot. From the production values to the story to the marital arts stuff I liked it a lot. I thought it was exciting and funny. My kids really liked it too. Does anyone know where I can find the transcript of the story Po told in the opening dream sequence? Very funny.
June 10, 2008 at 3:43 pm
With regards to mating pandas and geese, I'd like to think adoption.
June 10, 2008 at 7:49 pm
So we have animals talking and doing karate and the cross mating issue is a problem? There is always a sticking point somewhere.
:whisper:I think none of it is likely..it's just supposed to be fun.
I could be wrong...it could also be a grand pro-gay statement. Panda's and ducks are both black and white and thus obviously represent a rainbow. Po's other father is off in court protesting to have the right to also adopt Po. It should be clear from the movie that the real reason why Po is not accepted at first is his parents relationship. His depression from teasing and abuse has lead to his weight problem...he is depressed not lazy. The furious 5 represent the establishment which are now forced to accept Po as a person...
I think I'll go reread Eric's art depreciation thing again...
June 12, 2008 at 12:44 am
Want to see a movie with a panda version of Jackie Chan? this is your movie!
#5, you are hilarious, i was thinking the same thing " a male goose and a panda producing a panda??"
the goose was the best part of the movie. I found the story rather boring, but i liked the characters in it!
and just so you know im not going all deep and meaningful into the cross mating thing because it wasn't a problem for me. I just found that part really funny.
June 12, 2008 at 2:38 am
I don't know much about movie making, etc. I know there was something of a plot & that I laughed pretty much all the way through it. It isn't often that I find something from DreamWorks that is funny. I haven't seen anything else by Jack Black, so maybe I'm just not as board with him as everyone else is. I thought of Kung Fu Panda as a funny movie I wouldn't mind owning (and I don't have any children).
June 13, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I haven't seen the movie yet,because I'm trying to decide if I want to waste seven bucks for three people,or three free movie passes...Right now it seems the I might enjoy it for comic relief.I like the logic of #8.Dig deep for reasoning,and you get pro-gay statments.For everything.
June 24, 2008 at 9:57 pm
I don't think Po was necessarily lazy, despite being fat and eating often. In fact, there's ample evidence to the contrary.
I wish you hadn't said that how Po's dad is a goose is never explained, because there's a moment in the movie where you think it's about to be explained and having read in your review that it wasn't explained ruined that moment for me.
I asked my three year old at the end of the movie what kind of animal was Shifu. She replied without hesitation: a mouse. No need for wikipedia here!
The dream sequence at the beginning is possibly the funniest part.
I love how Po is always excited about his training, he looks like he's always having a good time, no matter how hard it is. Maybe this is part of what makes him the true dragon warrior.
I think Eric would have enjoyed this movie more if he had been a little less tired, or maybe if he didn't know it was Jack Black behind the mask.
Skadoosh.
June 25, 2008 at 2:14 am
"I think Eric would have enjoyed this movie more if he had been a little less tired, or maybe if he didn't know it was Jack Black behind the mask."
I assume that's a parody of how people are always telling Eric "you must have been in a bad mood" or "you're just a racist" when they disagree with his reviews? Or were you being serious?
June 25, 2008 at 10:50 am
Quick transcript I made:
Legend tells of a legendary warrior whose kung fu skills were the stuff of legend! He travelled the land in search of worthy foes.
Bull: "I see you like to chew - maybe you should chew...on my fist!"
The warrior said nothing, for his mouth was full. Then he swallowed, and then he spoke:
Po: "Enough talk, let's fight! SHAPABOOEY! (or something)"
He was so deadly, in fact, that his enemies would go blind from over-exposure to pure awesomeness!
Rabbit: "My eyes!"
Crocodile: "He's too awesome!"
Female rabbit: "And attractive!"
Another rabbit: "How can we repay you?"
Po: "There is no charge for awesomeness...or attractiveness"
Female rabbits:
Po: “KABOOEY” (again, not sure)
It mattered not how many foes he faced - they were no match for his "podacity" (umm...yeah). Never before had a panda been so feared, and so loved. Even the most heroic heroes in all of China, the Furious Five, bowed in respect to this great master.
Master Monkey: "We should hang out"
Po: "Agreed"
But hanging out would have to wait, because when you're facing the ten thousand daemons of Daemon Mountain, there’s only one thing that matters, and that’s…
Dad: "Po, you’re late for work. Po-o, get up!"
Skadoosh.
June 26, 2008 at 10:22 pm
"I assume that's a parody of how people are always telling Eric "you must have been in a bad mood" or "you're just a racist" when they disagree with his reviews? Or were you being serious?"
Let me refer you to the last sentence of the first paragraph of the above movie review. Notice in particular the use of the words "Tired" and "Jack Black."
June 26, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Ah, OK. You didn't say Eric would have liked it more if he hadn't been so tired of Jack Black. You said he would have liked it more if he hadn't been so tired, period. There's a pretty big difference between being "tired" and being "tired of something."
July 22, 2008 at 1:20 am
#4 (pumpkin): "laoshi" is a regular teacher, such as one you would find in a regular school classroom. a martial arts teacher/instructor/master would not be addressed as "laoshi", because that is not as respectful and appropriate as "shifu", which translates into english better as master, the way they use it in the movie.
and Master Shifu really is a red panda :). "Shifu" sounds like "sifu", which apparently is the Chinese name for red panda (not actually closely related to the giant panda). i think they did a really good job developing each of the animals to match their species and the styles of kung fu named after them. they clearly did a lot of consulting with Chinese culture.
August 11, 2008 at 5:04 am
#17 (fatlilpenguin): shifu/sifu means "master" in cantonese. (although calling my kung fu sifu "red panda" all these years might explain the bruises I get from training)
August 14, 2008 at 11:33 pm
still gotta see Kung Fu Panda... Jack Black is classic for sure; he'll be forever famous for his work in School of Rock
September 12, 2008 at 4:19 pm
This movie blinded me with awesomeness. :)