Kung Fu Panda: 2008

Motivation at its best.

The first time I watched “Kung Fu Panda” was in the New York Hotel via On-Demand; almost six weeks before I’d seen Pixar’s “Wall•E,” and I held the expectation that Dreamworks’ computer-animated feature would be a average comedic romp filled with an array of celebrity voices. Ah, but thee have little faith for the surprise which was in store.

Pudgy Panda Po (Jack Black) is the hapless offspring (?) of Mr. Ping (James Hong), a chinese goose (how it is biologically possible for a goose to germinate a panda, I will never know). Po, bless his heart, adores Kung Fu – the opening sequence, beautifully animated in the traditional style, pays homage to his martial arts aspirations – but alas, his father believes he is destined to become a great noodle master.

Joining the pot of characters are Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), a troubled red panda; the Five Masters, respectively Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Crane (David Cross); the enigmatic Galapagos Tortoise Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), mentor of Shifu and infamous of dialogue delay; and the bitter, revenge-filled Tai Lung (Ian McShane), a vicious Snow Leopard. The plot revolves a destined Dragon Warrior (who is unfortunately rather easy to guess*) who, in an epic battle, is fated to stop Tai Lung and his rampage against the valley creatures and training temple.

What “Kung Fu Panda” does well is not so much the story – which is a predictable zero-to-hero parable – but the direction and animation, both which are beautifully and masterfully done throughout the entire film. The fight sequences are spiraling close-up shots, zooming in and out, around and about the participants as they engage in physical feats only imaginable in the world of animation; the film is a visual palette of exotic colors, filled with beautiful shots of peach blossoms flowing to gold and jade reflecting upon crystal clear water; it was during these particular still shots that I found myself second-guessing whether or not “Wall•E” was a clear shoe-in for “Best Animated Picture” at the Golden Globes and Oscars this year.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the amazing voice acting of Dustin Hoffman. Here, he created an incredibly empathetic Shifu with a hint of full-dimensional pottage of emotional disturb, wit and wisdom; arguably, he created an even more colorful character than that of the larger-than-life Jack Black, who felt subdued and controlled from his usual shenanigans while he vocally puppeteered Po. Angelina Jolie’s Tigress, albeit strong and serious, is given too little script and screen time for her character to become fully fleshed out; the other Masters, however quirky and fun, are given even less dialogue, consequently reduced to sound bites and bantering addendum.

Though the title hints a potential parody, “Kung Fu Panda” directors John Stevenson and Mark Osborne pay loving homage to Asian cinema and martial arts. The music, composed by Hans Zimmer and James Powell, echoes of the Chinese National Symphony while juxtaposing the sweeping action Zimmer (The Last Samurai, Nolan’s Batman series) and Powell (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the Bourne Series) are well-known for; the landscape and art direction draw inspiration from classical Chinese paintings; and the fight sequences resonate of famous films like “Hero,” “House of Flyings Daggers,” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” while improvising new tricks and flairs. It’s a beautiful film overall, and though the jokes may seem a bit rehash here and there, “Kung Fu Panda” is well done and just short enough for a enjoyable cinematic ride.

*It is obviously the rock.

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