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8 out of 10
Rotund panda Po (Black) dreams of being legendary Kung Fu master, the Dragon Warrior and leading the heroic Furious Five on untold adventures. Po's dreams become true when he is accidentally chosen to fulfil the Dragon Warrior prophecy, much to the disapproval of the Five and their master, Shifu (Hoffman). If Shifu cannot school Po in the art of kung fu then the Valley of Peace could fall victim to the merciless snow leopard, Tai Ling (McShane).
Only the likes of Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott have Hollywood's A-list clambering to star in their next project. There is however, one power in Hollywood that has the ability to attract more stars than you can shake a Paris Hilton like stick at: Animation. And for their latest assault on Pixar's crown, Dreamworks (Lets forget that Spielberg is their boss for the duration of this review) has assembled the type of cast you only see together at movie awards; Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, and Angelina Jolie to name but a few.
Animation will always be judged on its aesthetics and while Pixar have been the forerunner in the genre, Kung Fu Panda goes some way to readdressing the balance. The Manga influenced opening sequence sets the tone for some truly stunning visuals, with each key sequence seemingly superior to the last. Tai Ling's prison escape is an amalgamation of action and art; Master Oogway's ascendance is the stuff of Disney fairytales, while Shifu's training of Po is Jackie Chan slapstick at its best.
The kung fu sequences are as good as any recent martial arts films. Imagine a combination of Crouching Tiger. and Drunken Master (Another Chan classic). The stand off between the Furious Five and Tai Ling is exceptional and a demonstration of the classic martial art styles the Five are named after. Shifu's showdown with Tai Ling is another nod toward the genre.
The vocal talent cannot be ignored either. Jack Black could have slotted into the movie perfectly well without the panda guise. His enthusiasm and excitability give Po an energy that belies his proportions. Hoffman lends his mini master an impatient wisdom, while McShane's Tai Ling has a Malcolm McDowell style menace.
With Pixar's Wall-E on the horizon Dreamworks has poured all its efforts into ensuring that Kung Fu Panda isn't just another Madagascar or Over the Hedge; efforts that have paid off. While there is still some work to be done on the animation front, Kung Fu Panda will struggle to be rivalled for its combination of slapstick comedy, punishing action sequences and dazzling visuals.
Movie Website: www.kungfupanda.com
Cast List:
Po: Jack Black
Shifu: Dustin Hoffman
Tigress: Angelina Jolie
Monkey: Jackie Chan
Mantis: Seth Rogen
Viper: Lucy Liu
Crane: David Cross
Tai Lung: Ian McShane
Tracklist:
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