Kung Fu Panda

Mark:

As surprising as it may be for hoopla.nu regulars to read this, I am comfortable in stating that Kung Fu Panda is one of the better animated children's films released in recent years.

Jack Black voices Po, a flabby and clumsy panda who dreams of fighting alongside his kung fu heroes, the Furious Five. By day he works for his father in a noodle store, but deep down he knows he is destined for greater tasks. When rumours surface of the malicious intentions of the much-feared Tai Lung (Ian McShane), Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) is forced to search for the return of the famed Dragon Warrior, the only one who can save the village.

Although having a roster of famous actors to voice animated characters is trendy and seemingly felt to be necessary in the marketing of such films, in many cases those voices can distract from the enjoyment of the film itself. Instead of revelling in the colours and movement, for adults at least there is a danger of being taken out of the moment by subconscious nagging recognition of the voice. This occurs frequently throughout Kung Fu Panda, and the eventual credit sequence that names the voice actors comes as a relief - perhaps naming the stars up front would remove that irritation, although for the intended target audience this is a minor gripe.

Otherwise, there isn't much to complain about. The animation is bright and colourful, with rapid movement and fight sequences cut almost as if they were live action - this is entertaining for kids, but one wonders how much this technique is used to hide animation glitches. No flaws are obvious, however, and the animal caricatures are effective at communicating their characters.

The story is archetypal, but never pretends to be otherwise, and in many ways this works for the film instead of being a weakness. Watching Kung Fu Panda is a comfortable experience that allows the audience to just sit back and enjoy its indefinable alchemy of animation, voice and plot. There is little pretension, and none of the 'oh so cute animals doing human things' business that afflicts many similar films. It also never becomes overtly moral or preachy, another flaw that is all too prevalent in children's entertainment.

If audience reaction is anything to go by, Kung Fu Panda is likely to be a winner with kids and adults alike, and a favourite on dvd in years to come. It seems a long time since I enjoyed an animated film as much.

Stuart:

Alas, Kung Fu Panda didn't work for me the same way it did for my esteemed colleague.

I found the animation to be quite irritating. It is beautiful at first glance - featuring a nice colour palette and just the right amount of caricature. But then one begins to notice the flaws. Po himself is quite nicely animated, but the supporting characters' features are less and less well defined depending on their significance to the story. The Furious Five have very little facial movement going on, instead relying on the voice talent to give them life. Admittedly some of them are quite good, Seth Rogen and David Cross standing out, but Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu and Angelina Jolie were a waste of money, never getting to actually use their acting skills. Then we move down to the 'extras' - the inhabitants of the Valley of Peace. They look identically atrocious, and spend most of their time mimicking each other's movements.

The action scenes are really the only bits of animation that truly 'work', and are the most memorable moments in the film. Frustratingly, the opening sequence is in a kind of 2D animation, and is much more interesting than the 3D action that follows. Much of Kung Fu Panda is lacking in substance. It may have a lazy kind of instant appeal, but doesn't really have a story worth telling. Po's underdog antics are amusing, but the story doesn't really have a point other than the typical 'you can achieve whatever you set your mind to/American dream' type shtick. The film doesn't overly rely on toilet humour, however, which is nice, and it does have a good sense of the mechanics of slapstick and comedic timing.

Overall, it's an amiable film that will entertain the kids on DVD for years to come, but doesn't have much else on offer, and seems to prove yet again that Pixar are the only guys currently at work who know how to make a decent animation. Monster House, Happy Feet and Over the Hedge have been the only exceptions - everyone else simply can't compete with Pixar's commitment to strong storytelling.

Oh, and I really had trouble getting around the idea that Po the panda's father is a goose. Why? Why?!