Rating of
3/4
Unbelievably fun and undeniably gorgeous
newmans_own - wrote on 06/10/08
If the plot is just a slight variation on the hero’s journey, it more than makes up for it with its inventive and fresh humor. Lovingly paying tribute to countless martial arts films while remaining broad enough to attract a wide audience, KUNG FU PANDA is one of those films that have something to offer everyone. There are surprisingly little of the typical martial arts jokes; the quick camera zooms are few and far between and there isn’t any mismatched dialogue in sight. Instead, the most successful gags in the film come from Po’s exaggerated physical comedic style and lovably geeky personality. Po is perfectly brought to life by Black, who proves once again that he deserves to be at the front of the comedy film world, going the lengths and stretching himself in ways that most other comedy actors avoid.
If KUNG FU PANDA were to be seriously faulted, it would be the filmmaker’s reliance on Black to deliver all of the jokes. Every member of the Furious Five – which includes the voices of Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and David Cross – are tragically wasted. Chan in particular is left with only a few lines of throwaway dialogue.
But the film’s most important achievement is its impeccable design. Detailed to a point that put most other animated films to shame, KUNG FU PANDA is a pure joy to watch. Every image is beautifully rendered with a clear sense of style in mind. It’s been quite a while since the word “art” could be thrown at a non-Pixar, non-Ghibli film, but KUNG FU PANDA’s art is undeniable.
***/****
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