I must admit I was a little skeptical going in to watch this movie, the main reason being, Dreamworks, in my opinion, has not produced a good movie since Shrek. By good movie I mean, a movie with a good story, heart, and humor. The Shrek sequels and other movies from the studio have all been corny and shallow, utilizing big name voices but with little in the manner of storyline and heart. Pixar, did exactly the opposite. Avoiding big names as much as they could except for where they felt it was necessary to help the storyline. Pixar put movie first, then voice actors. Dreamworks the reverse. And look at which company does better. Pixar of course!
A good friend told me that Kung Fu Panda was 'friggin Awesome', so I decided to take a chance. The trailers looked interesting. A little different from Dreamworks' typical approach of touting voices and funny scenes. Kung Fu Panda does have its fair share of voices, with Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, and Dustin Hoffman. But the trailers did not focus on the voices at all, which led me to believe that this might be something new.
So it started. I was mesmerized by the stylized opening sequence. I'm sure many an animator would take note of the work. It left me intrigued and interested. It also got me to smile and set me up for what was to come. The opening sequence is important. Make sure you don't get late and miss it.
The movie then switches into the normal style of 3D animation that we have become so familiar with in recent years. Kung Fu Panda has a lot of talking animals in it, and no humans at all. Jack Black plays Po, the Panda, who works in a noodle shop assisting his father (a goose?). He dreams of learning Kung Fu, and is a big fan of the fearsome five, a group of five animals who are experts within their animal talents. He is a true fan boy, and owns action figures of each of them. The story unfolds in a way that is not too unexpected. Po, our unlikely lovable hero, has to eventually defeat Tai Lung, and save everyone.
Interestingly, I found that the style of story had some similarities to Chinese folklore. The storyline intentionally encompasses Chinese culture and tradition to a degree. A rare thing to behold. I loved the effort.
Kung Fu Panda will appeal to all ages. For the young, the motivational message that comes towards the end. And for the older, an enchanting work of great entertainment. I was entertained.
Kung Fu Panda is a good movie, and is reminiscent of the days when Dreamworks came up with Shrek. Now go see it and enjoy yourself!