I actually saw Kung Fu Panda last week, but have been so busy, I'm just now getting to the review. If it's a little shorter than most of my reviews, it's because the film isn't as fresh in my head.
When it comes to computer animated films, unless it's a Pixar film, I tend not to rush out and see them. Coming from anywhere but Disney, computer animated films vary greatly in their quality. You can have something real clever and fun like Monster House or something that is an insult even to children like Shark Tale. So I usually take a wait and see attitude when it comes to this genre.
For Kung Fu Panda, nothing immediately jumped out at me from the trailers that made me think this was going to be anything special. However, once positive reviews started rolling in and it started raking in some decent money at the box office, I decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did.
This is the first computer animated film that I felt rivaled the quality of Pixar films. Now there have certainly been other films, particularly from Dreamworks animation, that have looked as good or been as successful as the Pixar films, but that's not what I'm talking about. What I mean, is that for the first time, I saw a computer animated films produced outside of Disney where it was apparent that they worked hard to make a quality film and not simply a cash cow. Films like Shrek or Bee Movie rely on big stars and trendy jokes to draw in audiences. Kung Fu Panda is more concerned about story and character development.
Now does Kung Fu Panda have a large celebrity voice cast? Sure. But unlike in Bee Movie where it was just Seinfeld doing his schtick as a bee, the voice actors in this film really try to embrace their characters and make you care about them and not the voice behind them.
The cast is lead by Jack Black as Po, a panda who dreams of being a karate master and by a fluke accident is chosen to become the leader of a bunch of karate fighters. The rest of the cast includes Dustin Hoffman as Shifu, the karate sensi put in charge of teaching Po karate. Some of Shifu's other animal students are voiced by Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, David Cross, and Lucy Liu. These characters are part of a group known as the Furious Five. They all add something to the film, but I actually would have like more scenes with them. However, given their pedigree, they may not have been necessarily available to do more dialogue.
That's fine because Black and Hoffman really shine in their portrayals of Po and Shifu. You understand Shifu's frustration over having to teach someone who is seemingly ill-equipped to become a karate master. And you really root for Po to succeed. His poor physique is offset by his fanboy love of karate. You believe that this is his dream and thus you hope he'll achieve it, even if convention says he can't
In addition to the top-notch performances, the animation here is superb. The fighting sequences really look amazing and are extremely detailed. The animators have to be given additional credit for giving the film the look of classic martial arts movies. They do this stop-action animation that looks really neat and also plays for some good laughs. The quality of the animation just adds to that sophistication that is typically only found in the Pixar films as I mentioned before.
This is not an overly hilarious movie, but most of the jokes work. Often with these films there are either a lot of bad jokes or jokes that only a 5 year old would enjoy. I felt this film did a nice job of keeping those embarassing jokes to a minimum. They had just the right balance of physical humor and jokes of a verbal nature. I didn't find myself laughing a lot, but there was a perpetual smile on my face.
About the only weakness I found in the film was the rewatchability factor. As enjoyable as this was, I would be content if I never saw it again. I'm sure that's not true for everyone. I'm sure kids will play it ad naseum once it comes out on DVD. However, for adults one viewing is sufficent. You appreciate it for what it's worth, but then look for something with a little bit more substance afterwards.
Given how impressed I was with Kung Fu Panda's quality, I am dismayed by the news that a sequel is already in development. I know it's only natural when a film does as well as this one has to go forward with a sequel. But I feel that a second story can do nothing but tarnish the goodwill built up by this film. This film had a stand-alone story and we don't necessarily need to know more about these characters. Pixar has only attempted one sequel, but it just happened to be one of their best efforts. So here's hoping that if Kung Fu Panda 2 does happen, they can rise to the challenge and make another great film. For now, I would recommend you check this out once it comes out on DVD and see for yourself how it's possible for other studios to make a great animated film for both kids and adults, just like Pixar has done for the past 13 years. Grade: B+
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