|
|
FILM REVIEW
|
|
|
FILM REVIEW
|
|
KUNG FU PANDA
Sunday, May 18, 2008 Author: "Jett"
RELEASE DATE: June 6, 2008
...Oh-oh-oh-oh. Everybody was Kung Fu fighting Those cats were fast as light'ning.” Well actually, two cats, one mantis, a viper, a crane, a rat (I think), and one big-ass panda bear. KUNG FU PANDA is essentially a "Kung Fu Movie" with a cast that consists of animals, insects, and reptiles that look like stuffed animals. Preposterous? Definitely. Good? Damn straight! Po (Jack Black) is the aforementioned big-ass panda bear. Po works for his dad (Who is a duck -- isn't that a tad bizzare?) in their family noodle shop. While dad dreams of passing on the family business to his son, Po Ping dreams of being a master Kung Fu fighter. I don’t know about you, but a lumbering panda isn’t my idea of a Kung Fu man. And that is EXACTLY the message of this film... Appearances are deceiving and it’s what’s inside that counts. So who doubts Po? Well, basically everyone. And when Po is chosen “accidentally” to be the “Dragon Warrior” by a very “Yoda-ish” Kung Fu master turtle (yes turtle), everybody is like, “WTF?” -- including Po himself. Yet according to KFP, there are no accidents. Of course, Po is indeed the prophesized “Dragon Warrior” and the film’s hero -- much to the surprise of everyone except the audience. It is titled KUNG FU PANDA, right? So what’d you expect? OK, the plot is predictable and a tad corny, but it wants to be predicable and a tad corny. With that said, the appeal of this movie for me personally was that it is what it is. And that it is a kid film aimed at, well, kids! While adults can and will enjoy it, KFP didn’t stoop to the level of other such movies with their *wink-wink* “adult” moments. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some *wink-wink* “adult” moments in these sort of films (*cough* SHRECK *cough*), but it’s gotten to the point that it is overdone and comes off as trying way, WAY, too hard (*cough* SHRECK THE THIRD *cough*) Y’all know what I’m sayin’? Quick comment on the animation: It was badass. Anyone who can make stuffed animals and noodle soup look real has got my respect! I took my youngest son with me to see this one, so I’d be remiss if I didn’t include his take on KUNG FU PANDA in this review. He said it was better than INDY 4 and SPEED RACER, but not as good as IRON MAN. I totally agree. JETT'S GRADE: B
GO TO
|
|
