Kung Fu Panda Film Review

1 Aug 2009

‘Kung Fu Panda’ is indeed every bit as ludicrous as its title suggests, but don’t let that put you off, because it’s not only the point but also the genius of this latest – and arguably second greatest – DreamWorks animated film. Po the Panda hasn’t quite knocked Shrek off his podium as DreamWorks’ golden boy, but his gallant attempt to become a Kung Fu master is every belly-aching moment as ridiculous as you would imagine – and then some – but it makes his transformation all the more rewarding.

This is a film about being true to ones own nature; about accepting the unique nature of others and capitalising on (or exploiting) their talents therein; and it’s also a film about parenthood. For Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), the deceptively diminutive red panda who is lumbered with giant panda Po (Jack Black) as a pupil, fatherhood becomes a matter of third time lucky. His first attempt, raising adopted snow leopard Tai Lung (Ian McShane), goes hideously wrong; determined not to make the same mistake again, he then keeps a hurtful distance from his next young charge, Tigress (Angelina Jolie); and then there’s the unlikely Po.

Po’s ‘father’, a goose called Mr Ping, holds absolute unshakable belief in his son: belief that he will become a master of the noodle, that is (and it is a joyful subtlety of the film that the issue of Po’s true parentage is bravely approached from several angles but never directly addressed). Surprisingly enough though, Po has greater dreams for himself – the opening sequence, which introduces us to his kung fu fantasy, is sheer animated genius – and is indeed convinced to embrace his true destiny as the Dragon Warrior. Just not necessarily the dragon warrior he might have hoped to become, but the one he can become, and yes, that’s the moral kids: you can be anything, but you have to be your own unique version of whatever it is.

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The good Master ends up literally beating self-belief into Po with stick, yet poor Tai Lung has fared badly from the same sense of confidence, instilled patiently by Shifu into his ever fibre through his life. Denied his intended destiny as the fabled Dragon Warrior, the now-embittered snow leopard is unable to concede that he cannot be all that he was promised he could be. Tai Lung basically throws all the toys out of the box as he furiously blames his father for the creature he has become, and it is this historical conflict between father and son, master and pupil, which forms the antagonistic drama of the story. Since it is a DreamWorks film, we’re left with the impression that Master Shifu was indeed innocent and the recalcitrant son was somehow inherently bent towards the dark side, but is this a fair judgement? ‘Kung Fu Panda’ does raise real and important questions about pushing children too hard, promising them too much, and not arming them for the disappointments life is going to throw in their path.

Now we can only assume that their characters’ dialogue was severely cut, or that Jackie Chan and Lucy Liu were simply employed as expensive status tags tacked onto the credits to give the film some kung fu street cred. Monkey (Chan) and Viper (Liu) enjoyed plenty of animated screen time – and lets be fair, endless layers of character can be conveyed through action without dialogue, as currently being amply proven by rival studio Pixar’s WALL•E – but you still can’t help but feel cheated when hanging out for some properly Asian accents and white dudes Black, Jolie and Hoffman are doing the talking. Never mind, if you need a Jackie Chan hit, try the season’s other family-friend kung fu romp, the very entertaining ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’.

Don’t rush out of the theatre at the end of the film. It would be a shame not to enjoy Han Zimmer’s fabulous Asian infused finale, and the glorious animated sequence continues the story right until the last moment. Your patience will be rewarded.