Kung Fu Panda
2008
D: John Stevenson, Mark Osborne
**********
Pros: Supporting Cast, Animation, Action
Cons: Weak Protagonist with Flawed Arc
It doesn’t
happen often, but there are a few movies that I like despite my not particularly caring
for the main character. A good example
is Escape from New York. Sometimes I just like the movie because
there’s an aspect or two I disproportionately enjoy to the point where it
compensates for the weaknesses. Kung Fu Panda is one of these movies.
The film
takes place in Ancient China, in an area called the Valley of Peace. A goofy panda named Po (Jack Black) works at
restaurant run by his adoptive goose father Ping (James Hong). Po idolizes the Furious Five, a group of Kung
Fu masters who protect the area, and the movie begins with a very nice-looking
stylized 2D animated intro in which he fantasizes about being a part of their
team. These warriors, named after
various styles of Chinese martial arts, are Masters Tigress (Angelina Jolie),
Viper (Lucy Liu), Crane (David Cross), Monkey (Jackie Chan), and Mantis (Seth
Rogen). Their teacher is a red panda
named Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), and his master is a blandly sagelike
ancient tortoise named Grand Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim). The Masters put on a ceremony in which the
new Dragon Warrior is chosen. Po,
desperate to view the event, tries to attend but triggers a slapstick sequence
that ends in his falling directly in front of Oogway when the latter points to
the chosen one. Despite Shifu’s
protests, Oogway insists that this was fated and the Furious Five reluctantly
bring him into the Jade Palace for training.
And here we
get into the main problem of the movie.
Po, despite having little skill or practice, is handed the role of a
powerful hero despite not earning it.
The movie’s resolution involves an absurdly quick crash course in which
his own gluttony is used as a motivator, and his final battle with the
extremely powerful villain is not nearly enough of a challenge. We don’t even get a Matrix-style twist in which the selection of Po was just a catalyst
for the eventual revelation of the true dragon warrior: the real Dragon Warrior
saves the day while Po plays a supporting part.
It’s hard not to relate to the Furious Five, who worked their whole
lives for this honor, only to have it given to a random buffoon who came out of
nowhere. This ends up being a problem
throughout the series: Po’s unearned power constantly gets upgraded. In fact, one of the few funny moments in the
disappointing third movie makes light of this injustice and the frustration it
causes Master Shifu. Still, Po’s not
completely unlikable. He retains some
sympathy because he never asked to be put into this position, and most of the
Furious Five quickly warm up to him when they get over their initial
jealousy. I know what it feels like to
be thrust into a position of responsibility I simply wasn’t ready for. However, unlike myself (I wish not
elaborate), Po comes out on top in a way that is far too cheap.
In addition
to the flaws of his story arc, Po is also a bit annoying. Originally meant to be a spoof, this film was
wisely reinterpreted as a more serious story, and Po seems to be a vestige of
its comedic roots. Unfortunately, his
mannerisms, slang, and annoyingly loud use of the word “awesome” clash with the
setting and tone of the story. The
funniest thing about him is Shifu’s frustration with him. Even the movie’s title sounds vaguely
indicative of a crappy work. There are
are few funny lines in the movie, though.
This is a
bit of a take, but I had the exact opposite reaction to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. First of all, Jacob Kowalski (coincidentally
played by Dan Fogler) is the character that Po should have been: a lovable
fatman who’s dragged into a magical adventure by happenstance. Unlike Po, he retains his status as an
effective audience avatar without getting any unearned ability or heroism. He’s amusing enough without being
annoying. Conversely, while I liked Kung Fu Panda overall because of its
strong supporting cast, I found Fantastic
Beasts to be a chore to watch for its lack thereof as well as its having a
good amount of filler.
The main reason I still like this movie
is the supporting cast. Shifu is a great
straight man, and is even more interesting because of the way his backstory is
linked to that of the villain, a snow leopard named Tai Lung (Ian
McShane). Tai Lung had come to the Jade
Palace as a child, and Shifu raised him as a son, encouraging him to become the
Dragon Warrior. When Oogway refused to
grant him access to the scrolls that would grant him the power of the Dragon
Warrior, Tai Lung terrorized the countryside and attempted to steal the them. Unable to face his own surrogate child in
combat and needing Oogway to bail him out, Shifu lived with failure and pain
for years until Po’s selection as Dragon Warrior added insult to injury. He spends the first portion of the movie
trying to pressure Po to quit his training.
His tragedy even spilled over into Tigress’ life. Unable to properly adapt to the lesson he
learned, Shifu was coldly distant toward her when she was raised in the
Palace. This hurt Tigress deeply, but
she understands him to the point where she shares his contempt for Po.
Another character I really like is Viper. Not only is she a refreshing aversion to the
evil snake cliché, she’s easily the nicest and most caring member of the Furious
Five. In fact, while the others grumble
about getting cheated out of the position of Dragon Warrior, she’s the only one
who immediately recognizes that Po’s every bit as much a victim of the situation
as they are, if not more. I would have
preferred that the twist be that she, Tigress, or even Shifu would become the
Dragon Warrior. She’d be so humble she’d
more surprised than anyone.
 | |
| I even drew this Disney-style version of her. (clothes inspired by this) |
Those are the only ones that really stand out that
much. Monkey is supposedly the joker of
the group, but we don’t see that very often.
Crane is somewhat likably introverted.
Mantis is vaguely annoying and his off-putting human face makes him look
like a leftover design from Antz. The best parts of this movie are Tigress,
Shifu, Viper, and how their backstories were affected by the villain. In fact, one of the main reasons I found the
third movie so disappointing was that most of the stronger supporting
characters were pushed even further into the background while Po hung out with
a whole village of Po-like characters.
Overall the
voice acting is very good. I generally
prefer voice actors over celebrities in animation, but most of the voices fit
well, particularly Jolie’s and Hoffman’s.
The only ones that stick out in a bad way are Jack Black’s and Seth
Rogen’s. Wayne Knight and Kyle Gass also
have very minor roles.
During the first act, Oogway informs
Shifu that Tai Lung (who would be much cooler if he just put a shirt on) is
about to escape from prison. Alarmed,
Shifu sends a goose named Zeng (Dan Fogler) to warn the warden (Michael Clarke
Duncan). Oogway then tells Shifu that
this act may only result in a self-fulfilling prophecy, and sure enough Zeng’s
visit provides Tai Lung the opportunity to escape in an extremely impressive
action sequence. Eventually, he defeats
the Furious Five using pressure-point-based attacks, and faces Po after the
latter had a crash course in comically food-motivated training. Po’s obesity renders him immune to the
villain’s signature attacks, enabling him to gleefully kill Tai Lung in cold
blood. So there, not only does Po lack
the emotional investment in the conflict like Shifu and Tigress did, but he
kills the villain as a joke. This is even more inappropriate when realize that
the word “Po” means “peace.” Perhaps I
am giving this movie too high a rating.
One of reasons why Kung Fu Panda 2
is a superior movie is that ends on what is like an apology for this scene: Po
finds the strength to forgive him for the death of his real family and offers
reconciliation, only for the villain to refuse and symbolically kill himself
with his own weapon by accident.
Like most
Dreamworks movies, the animation is top-notch.
There are some clever tricks, such as how Tai Lung’s sudden appearance
at the Jade Palace is handled. The
action is extremely good.
Well-choreographed and coherently framed. Unfortunately the sequel’s action
choreography fell victim to the 3D fad, and it often looked like it just wanted
to throw stuff in the viewer’s face.
Tai-Lung’s jailbreak and the bridge fight are both fun to watch. Most of the character designs are good, even
though it apparently took them a decade to figure out how to do talking animals
and make them look good. Color is used
well. Hans Zimmer and John Powell's score is a bit
generic, but it has its moments. It
really was a breakout movie for Dreamworks when it came to making competent
serious movies after ten years of comedies, even if it wasn’t perfect.
QUOTES
[Po tumbles down a
massive flight of stairs]
TIGRESS: If he's smart, he won't come back up those
steps.
MONKEY: But he will.
VIPER: [worried]
He’s not gonna quit, is he?
MANTIS: He’s not gonna quit bouncing, I can tell you
that!
[Viper glares at
Mantis]
OOGWAY: There are no accidents
SHIFU: [sighs]
Yes. You said that already. Twice.
OOGWAY: Well, that was no accident either.
SHIFU: Thrice.
PO: The Wuxi finger hold! No, not the Wuxi finger hold!
SHIFU: Oh-hoho, you know this hold.
PO: Developed by Master Wuxi in the third dynasty, yes!
SHIFU: Oh, then you must know what happens when I flex my
pinky...
PO: No no no no!
SHIFU: You know the hardest part of this? The hardest
part... is cleaning up afterwards.
VIPER: Are you ready?
PO: I was born read- [Viper
decks him almost instantly and is genuinely shocked by how fast he goes down]
VIPER: I’m sorry, brother! I thought you said you were ready!
PO: Well, maybe we could start out with something more
at, you know, my level.
SHIFU: And what level is that?
PO: Uh, well, I'm not a master but, let's just say zero,
level zero.
SHIFU: There is no such thing as level zero.
PO: Well, what about that?
[Po points to a
bottom-weighted dummy]
SHIFU: That? We use that for training children, and for
propping the door open when it's hot. But, if you insist...
[Po fails an
obstacle course miserably]
SHIFU: There is now a level zero.
[Po barges into
Crane’s room]
PO: Oh, h-hi.
You’re up.
CRANE: Am now.
PO: I was just, uh…Some, day, huh? That Kung Fu stuff is hard work, right? Biceps sore?
CRANE: Um-I’ve had a long and-and-rather disappointing day, so uh yeah…I should probably get to sleep
now.
PO: Yeah, yeah, yeah ‘course.
CRANE: Ok, thanks.
CRANE: You don’t belong here.
PO: Yeah. Yeah. I know. It's just... All my life I have
dreamed of...
CRANE: I mean you don't belong here, in this room. This
is my room. Property of Crane.
TIGRESS: You don’t belong here.
PO: Right, I know.
This is your room.
TIGRESS: No, I mean you don't belong in the Jade Palace.
You're a disgrace to Kung Fu, and if you have any respect for who we are and
what we do, you will be gone by morning. [shuts
door in his face]
PO: Big fan.
MANTIS: I know he can seem kinda harmless, but you know
he wasn’t always like that.
VIPER: According to legend, there was once a time when
Master Shifu actually used to smile.
PO: No.
MANTIS: Yes.
VIPER: But that was before…
PO: Before what?
[Tigress enters]
TIGRESS: Before Tai Lung.
CRANE: Uh, yeah.
We’re not really supposed to talk about him?
TIGRESS: Well, if he’s going to stay here, he should know.
PO: Guys, guys. I
know about Tai Lung. He was a
student. The first ever to master the
Thousand [Tigress closes in on him,
intimidating him]…Scrolls of Kung Fu…and then he turned bad…and was in
jail…
TIGRESS: He wasn’t just a student. [flashback begins] Shifu
found him as a cub, and he raised him as a son.
And when the boy showed talent in Kung Fu, Shifu trained him. He believed in him. He told him he was destined for
greatness. It was never enough for Tai
Lung. He wanted the Dragon Scroll, but
Oogway saw darkness in his heart and refused.
Outraged, Tai Lung lay waste to the Valley. He tried to take the Scroll by force, and
Shifu had to destroy what he created.
But how could he? [Shifu loses
focus when he sees an attacking Tai Lung as the child he raised and is
defeated, and Oogway incapacitates Tai Lung] Shifu loved Tai Lung like he
had never loved anyone before… [flashback
of a young Tigress excitedly practicing Kung Fu only to be coldly corrected by
Shifu]…or since. [flashback ends with a saddened young Tigress
transitions to a saddened adult Tigress who quickly composes herself] And now he has a chance to make things
right. To train the true Dragon
Warrior. And he’s stuck with you.
A big, fat panda who treats it like a joke.
TAI LUNG: I'm glad Shifu sent you. I was beginning to
think I'd been forgotten...
[Zeng has come back
from witnessing Tai Lung’s jailbreak]
SHIFU: Thank goodness, Zeng. I could us some good news.
ZENG: Um…
SHIFU: Master! I have... it's very bad news!
OOGWAY: Ah, Shifu. There is just news. There is no good
or bad.
SHIFU: Master, your vision. Your vision was right!
Tai-Lung has broken out of prison! He's on his way!
OOGWAY: ….That is
bad news.
PO: Yeah, I stayed. I stayed, because every time you
threw a brick at my head, or said I smelled, it hurt; but it could never hurt
more than every day of my life just being me!
I stayed because I thought, if anyone can change me, can make me... not me, it was you! The greatest Kung Fu
teacher in all of China!
[Shifu waits in
front of the Jade Palace for Tai Lung.
Who appears instantly when he closes his eyes]
TAI LUNG: I have come home, Master.
SHIFU: This not your home, and I am not your master.
TAI LUNG: I rotted in jail for 20 years because of your weakness!
SHIFU: Obeying your master is not weakness!
TAI LUNG: You knew I was the Dragon Warrior! You always
knew! But when Oogway said otherwise, what did you do? What did you do? Nothing!
SHIFU: You were not meant to be the Dragon Warrior! That
was not my fault!
TAI LUNG: Not your fault? Who filled my head with dreams?
Who drove me to train until my bones cracked? Who denied me my destiny?
SHIFU: It was never my decision to make!
TAI LUNG: It is now.
Give me the scroll!
SHIFU: I would rather die.
TAI LUNG: Everything I did, I did to make you proud! Tell
me how proud you are Shifu! Tell me! TELL ME!
SHIFU: I have always been proud of you. From the first
moment I've been... proud of you. And it was my pride that blinded me. I loved
you too much to see what you were becoming. What I... was turning you into. I'm
s... I'm sorry.
TAI LUNG: I don’t want your apology! I want the scroll!
[Po had previously
figured out that the blank Dragon scroll meant that the secret was inside of
him]
TAIL LUNG: Finally... oh, yes... at last, the power of
the Dragon Scroll is mine...It’s nothing!
PO: It’s ok. I
didn’t get it the first time either.
PO: No! No no no, don't die, Shifu please!
SHIFU: I'm not dying, you idiot! …Ah, dragon warrior. I am simply at peace. Finally
PO: Oh, so, um, I should…stop talking?
SHIFU: If you can.
[Po lies down with him]
PO: Wanna get something to eat?
SHIFU: …Yeah.
