With three kids, I’ve had the chance to watch Kung Fu Panda more than once. I was surprised to find myself both moved and laughing on my fourth (fifth?) watch.
DreamWorks continued the anti-prince storytelling that worked magic with Shrek. This hero’s journey is built around a portly panda named Po that works in his dad’s noodle shop. Chosen to join a celebrated band of warriors, we follow Po as he learns to become a warrior.
While a lot is made of Po’s fish-out-of-water story, the writers also drew humor and emotion from a variety of sources. For kids, the physical comedy and Jack Black’s voice acting deliver giggles. For grown-ups, there are interpersonal dynamics: Po’s relationship with his dad, who wants him to take over the noodle shop, as well as the student-teacher relationship of Shifu and Oogway. Together with the main plot, the relationship dynamics make sure something poignant or funny is always happening.
While the “be you” storyline of kid films is heavily trod, trampled even, Kung Fu Panda asks more of its protagonist than self-acceptance. He’s required to train, re-think his relationship with food, and come to a new understanding of his relationship with the people around him. There’s an equally credible arc for Master Shifu, who has his own dark night of the soul and comes to love his least desired pupil.
Added to a solid story are still-impressive animation sequences and a Hans Zimmer score. If you find yourself in charge of a kid and need to fill 92 minutes, re-watch Kung Fu Panda.
