Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Jack Black as a Panda


 
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.


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