Kung Fu Panda

Dir: Mark Osborne

2008

****

I have a problem with anthropomorphic animals, especially when they talk. I think it stems from the many sleepless nights I had as a child as I asked myself why it was that Goofy could talk, wear clothes and drive a car while Pluto sniffed and barked and didn't wear clothes. If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well and comprehensively and many animated films simply do not comply with this rule of thought. Kung Fu Panda isn't one of them, in fact, Kung Fu Panda excels in its field. It has the impressive ensemble of voice actors (including Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogan, David Cross and James Hong), beautiful animation, a distinct style and a good story. More importantly, it understands the martial arts genre. It’s an age old theme, unlikely outsider, seen as clumsy and a bit of a fool, is declared the chosen one by a higher being (Master Oogway, an ancient Galapagos tortoise with a higher level of Kung Fu knowledge and a whimsical sense of humour - voiced by Randall Duk Kim) and spends the rest of the film trying to convince others and himself that he really is. It's extremely endearing, Po the Panda (voiced by Jack Black) being one of the more lovable editions to the world of CGI animation. Dreamworks pictures are very hit and miss but Kung Fu Panda is their best by far in my opinion. It ticks all the right boxes that make it perfect for children and adults. It's very funny, looks stunning and is highly inventive. Not only is it one of the best animated films of the millennium so far but it’s also a very strong Kung Fu film in its own right.