Panda

Kung Fu Panda had been recommended to D, as "better than you'd expect." Feeling up to silly only last evening, we watched it.

Someone really put their Wushu heart into the intro. Very Hong Kong movie, exuberant and colorful. The story could be easily stolen from a Sammo Hung film no one has seen for decades. The animation details make it very funny. All in all, as described, so much better than it had any right to be.

Oh, there were three major issues, the main one being the presence of Hollywood Stars!® rather than real voice actors. Some real voice actors snuck in, or comedians which works out pretty well, but the supporting cast could have really popped with professionals, instead it sagged with names. Secondarily, the motivation of "belief." Well, belief gets nowhere, even in the story. Work, destiny, fortune, those are the functioning mechanisms - not airy-fairy belief. Finally, the moral: "there is no secret ingredient!" Well, the secret ingredient is the person doing the work. But this is the laziness of Hollywood storytelling, the real lesson lurks within. On the other hand, maybe if I really understood Hong Kong kung fu movies, I would find their proposed meaning a bit off the mark as well.

Jack Black managed a rather endearing character, and I will always imagine him going back with his dad to make noodles the rest of his life, quite happily. Will be avoiding all sequels. James Hong and Randall Duk Kim will always be the stars in that film for me. But it was the small foci that kept catching me, making me laugh out loud. Expressions, mostly. The kung fu moves that Jakie Chan would be proud of, speed and unexpected agility, imaginative use of props, all rang very true.

If you like kung fu movies, this one is a wonderfully gentle parody and addition.