Kung Fu Panda
(2008)The ancient-China-set story follows lazy, clumsy panda, Po (Jack Black) who dreams of Kung Fu stardom while working away at his dad’s noodle joint. His fantasy becomes reality when, at a ceremony where Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) is to choose the next Kung Fu master, Po is accidentally selected (though as Oogway explains – “there are no accidents”). Despite objections from teacher Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), Po fumbles his way through training alongside his heroes the Furious Five - Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. They are preparing for the return of the vengeful and treacherous snow leopard Tai Lung (Ian McShane) who is headed their way.
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Directed by Mark Osborne, John Stevenson
Starring Angelina Jolie, Jack Black, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, Michael Clarke Duncan
Written by Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger
Studio DreamWorks Animation
On Demand, DVD & Blu-Ray
Available from 8 providers
Flicks Review
BY Flicks Writer
Asides from the attention to detail and the pretty colour palette – making the most of a high mountain setting and a mystic haze – there are also some surreal moments that are visually inspired. The characters are lovingly brought to life with great, idiosyncratic movements and solid voice work from Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman and especially Randall Duk Kim as the tortoise Kung Fu guru. The whole design and it's gentle cadence is striking – quite simple, but quite elegant – making for a pleasant place to get lost in for 90 minutes.
It’s also free of the pop culture references and audience winking that is plaguing children’s animation. Pity though it couldn’t break the shackles of the sleepy, animated film formula story-wise. After a few scenes you can guess what will happen and you’ll guess right. Our hero reaches his greatest challenge and realises the key he needs is found in self-belief, just like Nemo, like Woody, like Flick, like Mr Incredible, like Sully, like Lightening McQueen, etc. It makes me sigh. Be that as it may, recommended.
The Peoples' Reviews
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Kung Fu Panda
I really enjoyed this movie, but felt that even though i've never seen the whole, fat panda, skinny tiger version of things, it was predictable and it was relatively obvious what was gonna happen.
I DID THROUGHLY ENJOY IT THOUGH!
Yes, very spectacular. Po is transformed into a dragon warrior superhero after defeating Tai Lung. An absolute blockbuster.
P.S. Oogway is Wu Gui in Chinese, it means turtle or tortoise.
P.P.S. Po seems to have been adopted.
My favorite part of the movie was when Panda sat on Tigers head. It was so funny.
Daisy 6yrs old
Although, I'm a bit surprised that they got Angelina, Jackie Chan, and Jack Black to be in a disney film. But hey you got to pay the bills, I'm not here to judge.
Hope you like my review,... More bye.
P.S I'm only ten if that helps me.Hide
Yep, it leans to the stock standard story wise and humour wise. But its friggin gorgeous to look at, and the character creation/movement is stunning.
Showing 5 of 5 reviews. See all reviews
The Press Reviews
87%
of critics recommend.
Rotten Tomatoes Score. More reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
The stroke of genius is, of course, the film's hero -- the big, lovable bear that is the Chinese panda. Full Review
Looks great and is good fun but Kung Fu Panda is a few surprises, laughs and engaging characters short of leaving a lasting impression. Full Review
Rotund actor Jack Black makes a pretty good panda. Full Review
Happily shorn of all the in-jokes and pop-culture references that wrecked the Shrek franchise, Kung Fu Panda does it the old-fashioned way: with smart, witty dialogue, beautifully designed animation, and bucketloads of visual invention. Full Review
A nice looking but heavily formulaic DreamWorks animation entry. Full Review
Perfectly pleasant, very good-looking, modestly funny, dispiritingly unoriginal variant on the nerd-with-a-dream recipe that's been clobbered to death in animated films for at least a decade now. Full Review
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