KUNG
FU PANDA
By
Jacqueline Monahan
Jacqueline
Monahan is an English tutor for the GEAR UP program at
UNLV. She is also a consultant for Columbia College
Chicago in Adjunct Faculty Affairs.
jaxn8r@msn.com
American audiences have become so used to excellence in modern computer
animation since Toy Story burst onto the scene in 1995, that studios are
forced to employ ever more amazing techniques to capture their interest.
Kung Fu Panda is the latest computer-animated feature from DreamWorks in a
proliferation of such productions vying for the ever-shortening attention
spans of both children and adults. Fortunately, it succeeds, with
slow-motion action scenes, vibrant Chinese landscapes and finely wrought
animal physiology (fur, body shape, close-up details).
The storyline is as predictable as a postal rate increase: an unlikely hero
with an impossible dream is suddenly thrust into a position of
responsibility (see Forbidden Kingdom if you want the live action
equivalent). Untrained, ungainly, naïve and kind, Po Ping, (Jack Black,
voice) the titular panda stumbles onto (and into) a ceremony to appoint the
next Dragon Warrior, who will be charged with defending the village, called
the Valley of Peace, from snow-leopard Tai Lung (Ian McShane), a powerful
villain.
The wise and revered creator
of kung fu, Master Oogway the tortoise (Randall Duk Kim), chooses Po for the
honor, declaring, “There are no accidents.” What’s the son of a noodle-shop
duck to do? Po is scared, nervous and excited. The Furious Five,
representing different kung fu styles, are not so thrilled. They include the
Tigress (Angelina Jolie, voice) the Mantis (Seth Rogen, voice) the Monkey
(Jackie Chan) the Viper (Lucy Liu) and the Crane (David Cross, voice). One
of them was due to be chosen as the next Dragon Warrior before the chubby
black and white fur bomb fell into their midst.
Po needs to be quickly brought up to speed by tiny Master Shifu (Dustin
Hoffman, voice) if he is to carry out the legacy of the legendary,
anticipated Dragon Warrior.
Shifu discovers that Po can
orchestrate swift, majestic moves when food is involved, scaling great
heights without fear, and easily manipulating weapons when it means
something will fill his mouth. With the help of a full bowl of shu mai, the
training commences with great success, despite Po’s considerable physical
limitations.
Meanwhile the evil Tai Lung has escaped from the Chinese equivalent of a
maximum security prison in an extremely long combat scene made to appease
the action and adrenaline junkies for whom contemplative serenity is merely
a bore. Tai Lung is a former student of Shifu, and his imminent arrival
hastens Po’s training even further.
Once the favorite, most gifted
student of Shifu, Tai Lung has since migrated over to the dark side and
covets a scroll that will reveal a great secret, making him powerful and
omnipotent. Of course there is a climactic showdown between the villain and
Po, both students of Master Shifu. The village is evacuated and Po bids
farewell to his father, Mr. Ping (James Hong) a duck whose only wish is for
his son to be as passionate about noodles as he is. Po must now face his
destiny as The Dragon Warrior and protect the village and the secret scroll.
Writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, (King of the Hill, MadTV) deliver a
clever script, loaded with one-liners & sheepish observations.
Precision-like comedic timing enhances the likeability of the characters as
well.
Directors Mark Osborne (Sponge Bob Square Pants) and John Stevenson
(storyboard artist for Madagascar, Shrek 2) make their feature length debut
with this film, and they have created a satisfying fantasy, pseudo violent
yet bloodless, even managing a nuclear explosion in the village. Talk about
an ancient Chinese secret.
Jack Black’s loveable Po is
the oversized, unwieldy panda with pretensions to kung-fu superstardom.
Black’s enthusiasm and bewildered sweetness fits his chubby character like a
second skin. Dustin Hoffman’s voice lends a weary wisdom to the unflappable
Master Shifu. Angelina Jolie’s voice lends a serene integrity to the
Tigress, bestowing dignity and honor without sexuality getting in the way
for once. Jackie Chan and Seth Rogen are under-utilized but it’s pleasant to
have them along for the ride. Lucy Liu has rarely sounded so subdued, but
her voice fits the stealth and deadliness of her Viper.
Framed in widescreen
Cinemascope, which gives an epic stature to the look of the film, the film
lets you fill your eyes with color and movement and your ears with quips and
wisecracks that are unexpected and therefore, most welcome.
Kung Fu Panda delivers the kicks, but, refreshingly, you can’t always
predict where they’ll come from.
