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Kung Fu Panda (2008)

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178 comments in total

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128 out of 148 people found the following comment useful :-
Jack Black is the Greatest Panda in the World!, 4 June 2008

Author: Eric Idol from Florida, USA

Caught a screening of "The Panda" and all I can say is wow! I took my 6 year old daughter, who has the attention span of a 6 year old, and she wants to see it again. So do I!

Jack Black is not only half of the greatest band in the world, he is also a fine voice actor. His flawed character, Po the Panda is very refreshing. So is this film. After having to sit through the boring "Over the Hedge" and the last two "Shrek" messes, I really appreciated an animated feature form Dreamworks that didn't have too many celeb voices all competing for screen time. This is Jack Black's movie. He has 75% of the lines in the script and that is not a bad thing.

Don't just drop the kids off to see Kung Fu Panda. Go with them. I think it's one of those rare movies like The Incredibles and Finding Nemo that adults can enjoy as much as the kids.

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128 out of 164 people found the following comment useful :-
I just saw the screening of this movie in the Chicagoland area, 17 May 2008

Author: Kimberlyjeana (Kimberlyjeana@charter.net) from United States

I Love it! The story was great and the background was beautiful, it really felt like an ancient Chinese city. This original story is one of the best since Shrek. And the meaning behind the story may be even better! The story is about Po, an overweight panda who is the son of a noodle maker, who dreams of Po following in his footsteps. But Po longs to be a ninja fighter. Po is as you know is a panda bear and the film's unlikely hero: as the bigger than life and completely lovable bear voiced by the comic genius Jack Black. Po is a Sweet but clumsy, bear who hears the news the ancient and long awaited dragon warrior will be named, so he runs (as much as he can) to hear who will be named at the celebration.

Without giving too much away, when an "accident" seems to name Po as the dragon warrior (much to the horror of Master Shifu (voiced perfectly by Dustin Hoffman) and the disappointment of Furious Five: Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Viper (Lucy Liu), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Crane (David Cross) and Monkey (Jackie Chan). Shifu must find a way to train him. One hilarious moment after another continues until Shifu recognizes Po's true driving force. This is just in time as the villain Tai Lung (Ian McShane), a snow leopard has returned as he believe is the true Dragon Warrior.

I can not recommend this movie enough. Certainly this is marketed for the kids – but the whole family will enjoy it.

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102 out of 114 people found the following comment useful :-
Are you prepared for AWESOMENESS, 7 June 2008

Author: (vivekreddy@gmail.com) from United States

I really wasn't expecting much, other than a few laughs, which would have been OK for a Dreamworks animation movie. But KUNG FU PANDA exceeded all expectations. The story is simple but the execution is superb. It would be really difficult to find something to improve on the production. The voice-overs are really good, esp Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman. The animation is very rich and the colors are crisp and bright. The action sequences are breath-taking. The laughs are mixed in at the appropriate moments. The theater was full and it was composed of a mixture of Adults and young kids. This is a fun for all movie. A testament to this fact is that almost the whole crowd stayed for the end credits. This is a very rare occurrence nowadays.\

Oh.. and I hope this does not count as a spoiler. I absolutely loved the Samurai-Jack type animation for some scenes.

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85 out of 94 people found the following comment useful :-
Wasn't Expecting much - Got a very good movie, 4 June 2008

Author: firstname-lastname-2 from Noblesville, IN

I was almost dreading seeing this movie - we won tickets to the screener and from the first scene I found myself laughing out loud. The movie is so much better than I thought it would be (and that was bad) - I expected the comedy to be slapstick/junior/potty but it wasn't. The story was also good enough to keep my kids focused glued to the screen. The animation is wonderful. Music is tasteful. I can't imagine anyone but Jack Black pulling off the voice though - he definitely made the movie for me. The only thing distracted me was that most of the movie I spent trying to figure out who was doing the voice of Tai Lung (Ian McShane). As mentioned previously in the forums about the pop culture references in this movie - I don't remember one - very nice indeed - it works with some of the other movies but I can do without. This is the first movie in a while I'd like to see again.

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58 out of 66 people found the following comment useful :-
Dreamworks hits a HOME RUN with this one!, 8 June 2008

Author: abecipriano

From the very beginning, Kung Fu Panda had me practically falling out of my seat --- laughing. It was the perfect blend of comedy, heart, and action, all necessary elements in a successful and great animation/CGI film, in the tradition of The Incredibles and (less action, but containing the heart and laughter) Ratatouille, Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc.

I took my wife and nephew and niece to see it on a Friday night and they enjoyed it, too! We were totally laughing, smiling, and guffawing at Po, the main protagonist (voiced by Jack Black) and his misadventures at becoming a Kung Fu expert. This was certainly a flawed character, one that a lot of people can relate to because he dreams, he's funny, and he can laugh at himself. Also, the story was pretty clear and easy to follow because the storytelling was well crafted, and the animation was paired well with characters brought vividly to life by some of the most famous names in Hollywood.

Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman are downright excellent as the main characters, and Ian McShane as the bad dude gave it the right fearful presence. Other big name stars don't shine as much, but that's because their roles are rather limited in the film. But that's still okay because the animators should be given equal credit (if not more) for delivering the funny, action and heart elements of this movie in an effective, amazing and (I've got to use this) AWESOME manner. Visually, this movie is stunning (notice all those scenic shots of the Chinese mountains, bodies of water, and the bridge scene; not to mention the action animation version of "The Matrix" with slow-mo)... simply a delight to watch.

It's clear that Dreamworks has gotten back in the animation game with Kung Fu Panda, after slight ho-hums in Shrek 3 and Bee Movie (call me crazy, but I liked Over The Hedge more than those two). Hopefully, it should earn well over $500M worldwide because it is so good.

This movie rightfully belongs in the top animation movies of all time (okay, let's not include the classic fairy tales of old; let's begin with the 90's onwards), alongside my faves "The Incredibles" "Finding Nemo" and "Beauty & The Beast." Has the makings of being a classic.

My wife and I enjoyed it so much that we saw it again the night after. And maybe another time... haha!

Enjoy!

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52 out of 63 people found the following comment useful :-
Finally, Dreamworks Animation has a classic., 9 June 2008

Author: da_flipboy from Hamilton, Ontario

After various 3D animated movies ranging from lacklustre "star" movies ("Madagascar"), boring tripe ("Shark Tale", "Bee Movie"), and over-rated, over-hyped overkill ("Shrek"), Dreamworks can finally be proud of a truly great film. (Sidebar: I actually enjoyed "Flushed Away" and "Over The Hedge".) First, the bad. If I could complain about ANYTHING it may be a few of the voices. Besides Po, Shifu and Oogway, the rest of the cast seemed pretty 'phoned-in'. Thankfully, those characters are pretty inconsequential so they're not really missed.

Now the good... or rather great. While classic kung fu movies are poked fun at, Kung Fu Panda does an excellent job of treating the genre with great respect in a movie geared towards kids. And while it IS kid friendly, it is not dumbed down to the point where it's childish. All the classic elements of those great kung fu flicks are there, while still keeping it pleasantly G-rated.

Let me get this out of the way: this movie has some of the greatest 3D animated fight scenes. Ever. What elevates them from good to great is that while I expected the unbelievable, gravity-defying stunts that are REQUIRED of a good kung fu movie, there is an amazing amount of 'realism' to the physics in this movie. Just watch the jailbreak and you'll understand.

Speaking of animation, the cinematography, character design and backgrounds are all done very, very well. Whether it's flying through the air alongside a leaping character, the painting-like backgrounds, or the wonderful opening sequence (reminiscent of Samurai Jack), they're all beautiful. Snap zooms, slow-motion, and flying cameras are also used with great skill to further the experience.

Even the music and sound is outstanding. Asian drums rumble in the background of intense fights... stones shatter and crumble away... fight sequences rise and fall with each of the music cues, or is that the other way around? Beautiful.

What helps make this a new classic in my eyes is what it doesn't have. There are no Matrix, Spiderman, or other dated references. There are no inside jokes related to the voice actors. There isn't even any double entendre or unnecessary crude humour. Much like "Finding Nemo" or "Monsters Inc", there's just plenty of pop-culture-free goodness that is terribly entertaining.

The last great part of this movie is often the most overlooked part of a good family film... heart. This movie has oodles of it. Other movies have tried to have a lesson in the end like 'be yourself' ("Shrek"), or 'the value of friends' ("Madagascar"), or... 'be yourself' ("Shark Tale"), but "Kung Fu Panda" has genuine cinematic moments with dialogue that carries real weight. Best line: Oogway regarding yesterday, tomorrow and today.

So, finally, as a complete sucker for Pixar animation, I'm glad that another animation company can actually put proper thought and execution into a FAMILY movie. What else can I say? Congratulations Dreamworks. 10 out of 10.

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46 out of 56 people found the following comment useful :-
Entertainment in its purest form, 7 June 2008

Author: jacob-noergaard from Denmark

Like many others, I saw the "trailers" featuring Jack Black. The featurette made me think "Okay, at least I got to check this out". Not much more. It didn't make me think "This is gonna be awesome" or anything like that.

Boy, was I ever under-expecting.

At first I thought it was quite okay, decent entertainment and at least not totally crap. But then the really funny scenes and details kicked in, after Po gets into the temple. From then on, it was laugh after laugh, excellent voice acting, amazing CG animation (but this is Dreamworks so I expected that).

The whole deal simply hit home run for me. Spot on. I love martial arts movies, I love Dreamworks CG movies and I must admit I find Jack Black amazingly funny (saw Be Kind Rewind the other day and loved it). There was so much charm and amusement in this movie. It's without doubt the best animation from Dreamworks since the first Shrek.

Now, I am not saying this will be for everyone. There IS a lot of fighting going on, and while it is (for most of the movie) comical (yet amazing to behold) violence, it might not be suitable for the smallest of children. But for any healthy kid aged 6-7 or above (especially boys), this will be kick-a**! I cannot really put my finger on anything bad. Sure, the movie is filled with clichés, but sometimes you can go a long way with those. And this one serves them perfectly. I even rated this higher than Ratatouille, due to the fact that it took me totally by surprise. With Ratatouille, I EXPECTED it to be great. Kung Fu Panda I only expected to be decent, but it was awesome. That deserves the last point.

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42 out of 49 people found the following comment useful :-
Cute animated comedy that inspires lessons in life, 6 June 2008

Author: Douglas Young (the-movie-guy) from Memphis, Tennessee

(Synopsis) Kung Fu Panda is the story of Po, (voice Jack Black), a sweet, but clumsy Panda who has dreams of fighting with the legendary Furious Five and protecting the city against all threats. The only problem is that Po has no real life experience of kung fu, and his real job is serving noodles at his dad's noodles shop. News of selecting the Dragon Warrior is sent out from the Jade Temple, and the whole city along with Po, go to the celebration. The competition is between the Furious Five: Tigress (voice Angelina Jolie), Viper (voice Lucy Liu), Crane (voice David Cross), Monkey (voice Jackie Chan), and Mantis (voice Seth Rogen). Po accidentally enters the contest and is named the Dragon Warrior. Master Shifu (voice Dustin Hoffman) must find a way to train Po and make him a Kung Fu Master, especially, after they learn that the snow leopard, Tai Lung (voice Ian McShane), is headed their way.

(My Comment) This is a cute animated comedy that also inspires lessons in life. The audience can relate to people who have dreams of doing the impossible, just as Po. Po ultimately learns that if he believes in himself, he can do anything. Jack Black (Po) and Dustin Hoffman (Shifu) voices were just right for their parts, and the chopstick fight between them is fantastic. Ian McShane (Tai Lung) was also wonderful as the villain, and his battle sequence on the rope bridge is spectacular. This film is for the whole family, because adults will enjoy the movie just as much as their children. (DreamWorks, Run Time 1:28, Rated PG)

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82 out of 135 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the five best CGI animated films ever!, 27 May 2008

Author: pvd007 from Zurich, Switzerland

After the disappointing SHREK 3 and the only "cute" OVER THE HEDGE, DreamWorks Animation finally delivers another highlight to the CGI animated universe.

I got used to the rather simple story of MADAGASCAR after watching it again, I really liked SHREK and even more SHREK 2 (am I the only one?). I never liked the cultural references they built in, because I think they only work in their time (but in their time they worked great!). So for me KUNG FU PANDA is the first great "classic" DWA film. Go see it, it also works for adults. If you have seen some of the classic martial arts film (Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee etc) you will even more enjoy it. The voice talent of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman and Ian McShane is perfectly used. The other voices are OK.

It will be a big hit for DWA, north of 200 millions domestic, eventually even 300 mil.

That said, my favorite CGI's are 1. THE INCREDIBLES, 2. RATATOUILLE and 3. FINDING NEMO and closely followed by KUNG FU PANDA. Looking forward to seeing KFP an second time and then maybe it will become my new Nr. 3.

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58 out of 102 people found the following comment useful :-
A Nutshell Review: Kung Fu Panda, 6 June 2008

Author: DICK STEEL from Singapore

It seems like this is a movie made for all the fanboys out there, regardless of what their obsessions are about. You know, being one who idolizes certain somebodies or some things, and given a day that Fate decides to throw you a curveball and give you that one opportunity to come up close and personal to meet and greet your idol in the flesh, or be thrown into the exact situation that you've always been dreaming about. What would you do, and would you go weak in the knees or be overcome with disbelief that you're actually, finally, realizing your dream? Panda Po (voiced by comedian Jack Black) epitomizes exactly that in Kung Fu Panda, and that struck a chord in me and with many in the audience as well. And for that, no matter how cliché the story would become, it had already done its deal and made the connection. It is no wonder it is rated G here, and I expect that the holiday season would allow cash registers to ring, for animation fans with the different styles utilized to tell the story (you must be on time and not miss the opening sequence), for kung fu fans to get a kick out of classic kung fu moves personified in their animal forms - Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Monkey (Jackie Chan) - collectively known as the Fearsome/Fab Five, and for the kids, given the obvious reason that hey, the protagonist is a cuddly bear. The marketing department, if not already done, should stock up on the plush toys, not only of the hero, but the supporting casts as well. And make their younger forms available too, for they will sell. Story-wise, I can't help but to note its tip of its hat towards the Jackie Chan martial arts movie of the past like Snake in Eagle's Shadow, Eagle Shadow Fist, etc. The formula which follows a misfit with weak or zero martial arts background having to undergo harsh training under a kung fu master, finally realizing his true calling in time to defeat the villain everybody fears. With the Jackie Chan movies, the demise of loved one always trigger off a chain reaction, but since this is G-rated, you won't have the pleasure of having blood spilled, but with so many splatter-type movies in recent times, I have to admit this was refreshing, and even having animated animals that talked, didn't irk me as they are just so lovable here, in their own right. It's an excellent and very even mix of comedy and drama, even though they are quite cliché at times if you grew up with the formula, but I thought that was the point. While the trailers might have given away some stuff, there are still lots more available which are hidden up the sleeves, and some minor word replacement such as "suck" to "stink", though you would likely be able to stay a step ahead throughout and even guess whatever secrets the movie have, actually are. For its stylistic training sequences, they became a throwback and a link to the fore-mentioned Jackie Chan movies. The fight choreography isn't done shoddily too with its designing of fights true to the characters' forms, and integrating them all in a manner rarely seen before. Since it's an animated flick, it was able to, and probably ramped up whatever's possible in the kung fu fantasy realm, to give us everything from rooftop flights to an incredible prison break. It didn't waste any effort in tapping from the wealth of kung fu material, what with the various names of deadly moves, secret manuals, teacher-student feuds, and the best part of it all? Humour being quite unexpectedly well placed, with more hits than misses to break out into a hearty laugh by the panda antics. For all its A-list voice actors in the movie, with the likes of Michael Clarke Duncan, Dan Fogler, Ian McShane and those who provide voices to the 5 key animals, Kung Fu Panda is clearly a Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman vehicle. The bantering between the two is priceless as the latter plays Sifu (duh) the master teacher, a highly-strung and serious character who has a past they are shameful about (don't they all). And as his own teacher Oogway (read: Wu Gui, aka tortoise, voiced by Randall Duk Kim) advises, herein lies an opportunity for Sifu to rediscover himself when training possibly the next-big-thing (pardon the pun) Po, whom he foretold as the mythical Dragon Warrior. So begins the forging of friendship, long lasting bonds and trust between the two, even though they got off the wrong footing. And you can probably feel for Po, because for a fanboy type, having your idols scoff at you at first opportunity, is actually quite painful. As a kids movie, there's almost always a message to take away. Here, it's a reminder to believe in oneself, which I guess is a universal theme to instill some confidence in the young ones. You might not look the best, nor are the best amongst your peers, but so long as you have that attitude to want to learn, that should put you in good steed. As a summer blockbuster movie, it's fun, thoroughly entertaining, and doesn't try to be too smart. It's likely to be a crowd pleaser across all age demographics, and an ultimate popcorn fare, so long as you manage to keep the popcorn away from the thieving hands of the panda. And with this release beating local film Kung Fu Gecko to the screens, I wonder what's the status currently on the Nickson Fong project.

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