Movie Review

Kung Fu Panda
Directors - Mark Osborne, John Stevenson
Writers - Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berge
Kung Fu Panda is a beautifully depicted animation movie about a plump panda, Po, and his extremely innocent journey towards becoming the savior of the valley of peace. The movie is based on the Chinese tradition of martial arts or kung fu. Po, a devoted lover to the art of kung fu, is an obese son of a noodle restaurant owner, whose only dream is to see his son take over the family business. Although Po is alienated from his family tradition, he is helpless due to his rather comical dietary habits. What we witness next is a highly enthralling adventure of Po, who is shockingly chosen as the legendary Dragon Warrior by the original inventor of Kung Fu, master Oogway. But it’s the effect on the people and their emotions that really makes this movie.
The characters are portrayed not with the aim of bringing them as close to reality as possible, rather, they are just cartoons, some with 3D effects, some just hand drawn. The very essence of this film lies in its underlying sweetness, possibly targeted towards a young audience, but it’s highly successful in generating an appeal even amongst a broader segment of adults. There’s a general perception among people that animated movies are for children. But the success of this movie clearly breaks this stereotypical notion. The expressions of the characters are awe-inspiring and perfectly compliment the storyline. The subtle comedy in the film is relishing and the viewer inadvertently enjoys the seemingly childlike comical sequences. During the first viewing itself the film captures our emotions, especially the enchanting characters present throughout the film. The sight of a panda with a belly bouncing around the place to learn kung fu epitomizes the innocence and the charm of Kung Fu Panda. The exaggerations of the action sequences add to the comedy of the film. The screenplay of part of the anime, where Po, undergoes extensive training from his master, Shifu, is particularly exciting as Master Shifu discovers the secret of training his flabby Panda in Kung Fu, to defeat his mighty nemesis, Tai Lung. The pace of the movie is fast throughout and the sense of urgency is balanced so as to not dampen the comic nature of Kung Fu Panda. The movie ends with what is perhaps the best scene in the entire film, with Po and his master, Shifu, both lying on their backs, relaxing in the peace they always chased. The portrayal of the Panda especially is done in an extremely adorable manner, and the audience is swept away by the cute, chubby Panda who performs Kung Fu. The dialogues, slightly exaggerated though in a hilarious manner, perfectly compliment Po’s tale of becoming the Dragon Warrior. The movie revolves around the mythical and historical notions of kungfu and dragons in the ancient Chinese civilizations.
I particularly liked the usual exaggeration in the dialogues and the action sequences. This exaggeration is deliberate and is also a crucial part of the screenplay. A vital part of animation films is the voice imparted to the characters. Since the visual and the audio parts are done separately, it is essential to regain the balance and the complimentary nature of both these aspects. Kung Fu Panda is much more than a story of the underdog. It is vibrant and different from the mainstream American animation movies. This difference is brought about right from the first scene, with its oriental settings and characters with curvy moustaches. The animation is outstanding throughout, with the Panda’s fur so tempting; you want to run your fingers through it. The textured stone steps, walls with Chinese backgrounds, trees laden with juicy peaches all add to the stimulating experience. The colorful details add to the evocativeness of this film. The fight sequences are brilliantly edited with the omnipresent touch of kung fu. But this film is far from being a live-action film; it’s the panda with his flippant attitude that is the main attraction of the film. Kung Fu Panda is a movie not just for children. It’s a movie that will fascinate everyone. It is a movie, which is capable of bringing a smile to our faces.