Kung Fu Panda

(2008)

Dir: John Stevenson & Mark Osborne

I’m ashamed that it took me so long to work out who was doing Master Shifu’s voice. It annoyed me throughout, which automatically earned DreamWorks’ latest animation a second viewing with peace of mind this time. And you know what? It’s just as good second time around. In fact, it might even be better.

Kung Fu Panda is such a pleasant surprise and I don’t even know why. I like kung fu. I like pandas. Something obviously went wrong in my head for me not to be excited about the prospect of Mark Osborne and John Stevenson’s hilarious and spectacular picture. It does exactly what cinema is supposed to do: it entertains. It slaps you so hard in the noodle that I struggled to stop laughing throughout. But that’s not all. Like the best animations (Shrek, anything by Pixar), Kung Fu Panda doesn’t only work on a comedic level. It is visually dazzling too. The fight scene between the Furious Five and the dastardly Tai Lung is a breathtaking visual feat that would make even the Wachowski Brothers blush.

The voice cast is excellent, although talents such as Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan and Lucy Liu are wasted in their respective roles of Tigress, Monkey and Viper. Jack Black is having a whale of a time as the titular panda Po, the individual chosen by Randall Duk Kim’s Master Oogway to bear the fabled Dragon Scroll and defeat Tai Lung (a deliciously sinister Ian McShane). Dustin Hoffman is the standout as Shifu, but fans of Arrested Development will thoroughly enjoy David Cross’ portrayal of Crane, whilst Michael Clarke Duncan and James Hong also shine as Tai Lung’s stubborn rhinoceros prison guard and Po’s hilarious goose father respectively.

It doesn’t need it, but I can’t say I’m disappointed that a sequel is looming on the horizon. I just hope it can live up to this bamboorific success.

**** / *****

“I love kung fuuuuuuu!”