Kung Fu Panda
SCORE: 82
Kung Fu Panda is way better than I ever expected. Classic Tyler watched and reviewed the Secrets of the Furious Five, and I had heard a lot of bad things about Kung Fu Panda. This movie is a lot cleaner than I had been led to believe. Po is a panda who dreams about learning Kung Fu and becoming a great warrior. The problem is he is lazy, out of shape, and works in a noodle shop. Prospects of becoming this great warrior are slim to none. Then an announcement comes that the Dragon Warrior will be selected. In a comical twist Po gets picked, much to the disgust of the Furious Five. Their master decides to knock Po out of the Training Academy. Po’s determination, and drive start to earn him respect, and eventually real training. What makes matters worse is a very bad Kung Fu character breaks out of jail, and Po must stop him.
Kung Fu Panda has a very eastern visual aspect to it. Peach blossoms, a martial arts temple, and noodles are some of the heavily used images. There is a lot of comical visuals in this film, and the poor Po makes plenty of mistakes. There are also scenes where these animals beat the fur off one another (not literally). All of the characters animate nicely.
Jack Black keeps Kung Fu Panda very clean, which is a major surprise to me. The rest of the voice acting is done so well that each of the characters are very believable. I should note that eastern religious philosophies are mildly taught in Kung Fu Panda. There is no secret ingredient is one lesson in this movie that stays with most viewers.
I was very surprised to see how many special features are included on Kung Fu Panda. I picked this movie up for under seven dollars on sale, and there are enough special features to make this particular purchase worth it.
I really like the layout of the menu screens that Kung Fu Panda is on. There is a certain symmetry that I personally appreciate. The story is pretty much a dreamer growing to save the day. This theme has been used in many movies over the years. I never get tired of this kind of a story, and the positive attitude of Po is very enlightening. The humor that this movie is soaked in, really lifted my spirits.
Kung Fu Panda has a lot of
good in it. I am glad they made a sequel (editor: of sorts), and hope
this franchise is continued. Maybe the Dragon Warrior can travel across
China, and have some adventures along the way. The eastern mysticism
while present was kept at a lower tone than I was expecting. My one word
of caution would be watch your children after they see this, and make
sure they are not trying to emulate the fighting that is contained in
the movie.
- Paul
Graphics: 74%
Sound: 83%
Replay/Extras: 89%
Gameplay: 87%
Family Friendly Factor: 78%
System: DVD
Publisher: Dreamworks
Rating: 'PG' for Parental Guidance
{Sequences of Martial Arts Action}
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