Kung Fu Panda
Cast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan
Dir: Mark Osborne, John Stevenson
Rating: 3/5
It seems that the animation movie has dominated the box office this year and, after the success of Shrek, Dreamworks are back with Kung Fu Panda hoping to repeat that success.
"Kung Fu Panda" features Jack Black as Po the Panda, a lowly waiter in a noodle restaurant, who is a kung fu fanatic but whose shape doesn't exactly lend itself to kung fu fighting.
In fact, Po's defining characteristic appears to be that he is the laziest of all the animals in ancient China. That's a problem because powerful enemies are at the gates, and all hopes have been pinned on a prophesy naming Po as the "Chosen One" to save the day.
A group of martial arts masters are going to need a black belt in patience if they are going to turn this slacker panda into a kung fu fighter before it's too late.
Whatever it was that I was expecting from Kung Fu Panda it was more than what I actually got as the well trodden plot of unexpected hero overcoming all the obstacles put in front of him to save the day whilst earnt the acceptance and respect of those that had once shunned him is not my idea of originality.
But saying that you cannot deny the charm that this film has and this is partly due to the central vocal performance from funnyman Jack Black as Po holds fast to his dreams finally succeeding, which I suppose does deliver a positive message whether it was intentional or not.
Without a doubt this is a movie for the kids who will fall in love with the characters, voiced by an impressive line-up of stars, and with it's witty in parts script it is a film that will entertain, but not blow away an adult audience.
The animation however is in the film's favour as China comes to live on the big screen the fight scenes are also of the highest quality making this is the most visually stunning cartoon to have been produced by Dreamworks to date.
This is a family friendly movie that will appeal more to the kids than the adults but it's a solid animation with a great vocal cast that skips along at a brisk pace but it's the worn thin, unoriginal script that really is the film's downfall.
Kung Fu Panda is out on DVD now.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw