^ Aww, that is good you have already seen it.. It will be a while till it is on in Ireland...
'Kung Fu Panda,' 4 starsIf nothing else, the makers of Kung Fu Panda have found the best way to make Jack Black's particular brand of comedy palatable: He acts cartoonish already, so why not animate him?
Black is the voice of the title character, and directors Mark Osborne and John Stevenson have done more than just rein in his most obnoxious impulses. They've also made a surprisingly good film, one that blends a big-name cast, including Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman and Ian McShane, with lots of fast-paced action, humor and feeling.
In other words, it's not the pay-the-stars-for-line-readings money grab that these things sometimes turn out to beBlack is Po, a fat, lazy giant panda who lives in a Chinese village and dreams of being a martial-arts hero. Unfortunately for him, he appears to have the makings of a competitive-eating champion instead. He seems destined to inherit his father's noodle restaurant until one day, when he steals away to see a martial-arts exhibition and winds up being chosen as the legendary Dragon Warrior, in fulfillment of an ancient prophecy.
Po is picked by Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), an elderly turtle and inventor of kung fu, much to the consternation of nearly everyone, in particular the Furious Five (Jolie as Tigress, David Cross as Crane, Seth Rogen as Mantis, Lucy Liu as Viper and Jackie Chan as Monkey - talented actors who don't get as much interplay as you'd like). They have studied for years under Oogway and Master Shifu (Hoffman) and assumed that one of them would be chosen. That's understandable, because they actually can fight. Unfortunately, Po's dreams of learning kung fu don't come with any discernible talent. Big eater, though.
Meanwhile, Tai Lung (McShane), a snow leopard passed over for Dragon Warrior years before - resulting in a tantrum of destructive proportions - has broken out of prison and is intent on revenge. Can Po become a true warrior in time?
Don't answer that. Anyone who has ever seen a movie or read a book or heard a bedtime story knows where the plot is headed. Kung Fu Panda isn't the kind of movie that will make you gasp with surprise as it moves toward its believe-in-yourself destination. But it is the kind of movie that will make you enjoy the journey.
That's due in large part to Black. In live-action films, his tendency to be overbearing - unless it's specifically called for, as in The School of Rock - wears thin quickly. In fact, at this point, his reputation precedes him. If we see that he's in a film, it's exhausting just knowing he's going to show up.
Not here. Animation is a sure cure for mugging. In addition, Po knows his shortcomings and realizes that he isn't a traditional martial-arts hero, a truth that keeps him grounded for the most part.
But there's one thing that drives Po: hunger, as befits a creature of his, um, stature. Master Shifu recognizes this and uses it to teach Po in the ways of the Dragon Warrior.
Hoffman is effective, allowing Master Shifu's emotions to grow from shocked to angry to befuddled; finally, he accepts Oogway's decision (although it's never made clear whether the old turtle really knew what he was talking about). Animation suits Hoffman as well; after the dreadful Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, he, too, finds benefit in toning things down. Certainly there's more nuance in his performance in Kung Fu Panda than in anything he did in Magorium.
But it's McShane who really shines as Tai Lung, the snow leopard. Fans of Deadwood will see and hear little bits of the infamous Al Swearengen in McShane's performance: evil leavened by dark, sometimes self-deprecating, humor.
The animation is first-rate, and the settings and background are appropriately exotic. The fights are a lot more exciting than you would think.
And if the story is somewhat predictable (and the final blow somewhat difficult to fathom), one could find lesser heroes to root for than Po, although none more unlikely.
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