Jack Black as a Panda ? And it was a good movie ?

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2015)

Hearing the title and the premise, I thought Kung Fu Panda was going to be a waste of my time but boy was I wrong. The film excels in almost all aspects from the likable characters to the amazing animation.
The film's strongest quality is its characters. Po is likable in his tenacity and determination never to give up and fulfill his dream whereas Shifu is sympathetic in living with a mistake and taking it out on others. The Furious Five are all wonderfully unique in their different personalities but are also relatable in that they think they have been cheated. The villain is also a lot of fun, and the fact that he is a Kung Fu master allows for some exciting imagery. The world that the animators create with anthropomorphic animals is a very unique and pretty world and there is also a good blend between the ancient Chinese culture and modern day humor. The Kung Fu displayed in the film (especially by Tai Lung) is always fun to watch as it has the right blend between animation and comedy. The music by Hans Zimmer was excellent, one of Zimmer's best in my opinion (particularly the music sequence used for the five's battle with Tai Lung). However, the film does have a few flaws, personally I felt that the film's climax was a little weak, so much had been building up to that point and they tried to play out the climax between Po and Tai Lung as both serious and funny. Personally, they should have gone one way or another, but that is simply a nit pick. The fight between Po and Tai Lung is still entertaining and the film does end on a happy note.
Overall, Kung Fu Panda is still a wonderful film, it has an inspiring message of hope and determination that will appeal to both adults and children and as much as it appealed to me.