Kung Fu Panda

Rating: 9/10 (28 June 2008)

Kung Fu Panda Rated: PG Time: 1:31 Stars: The voices of such notables as: Dustin Hoffman, Jack Black, Lucy Liu, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan and others Final Grade: B+ Overview Summary: This is an animated story of a fat panda, that in his dreams longs to be a kung fu hero, being thrust into his role in destiny to save his village and valley from an ancient and evil foe. If kung fu fight scenes bother you, be aware that there's lots of kung fu action (which some chose to avoid - so fair warning) as well as lots of laughs and action for both kids and parents alike.
This is a family oriented movie, given the fighting scenes, and my family and kid really enjoyed it.
The final moral of the story is that the secret to true greatness is found inside of one's self and that you can achieve the greatness you seek if you want it...but a lot more than that happens in the hour and 31 minutes that this film runs.
Now The Details: Our movie opens with a fat lazy panda dreaming of being a great kung fu warrior and saving the world from the throws of evil through his fighting skills and those of the other major fighting skills personified by the crane, snake, monkey and in this case tigress. He then wakes up to the reality of his own peasant life in the family business.
But, as his luck would have it, there's a contest in the village to determine the warrior who will be chosen to defend everyone from a recently escaped evil villain.
By a most humorous stroke of luck, our hero to be is chosen to be the one to defend the village from the evil one. Needless to say, he's as shocked as the heir apparents' are.
There's some good laughs and moments during his rushed training and acclimation to the rest of the group and alas his time to prove himself comes through as he and the bad guy square off to fight over who gets the golden scroll with the all powerful secret message inside.
You can basically guess who wins but what's interesting is that, at the end, the moral that a person's inner self is what determines their own success and that you can do and be whatever down inside you set you r mind's goals to be.
This movie is clocked full of animated action and fighting scenes, lots of humor and 1:31 of family fun.
Enjoy this one with the family and the kids may be talking about it for days.
And that's the I saw it, From Where I Stand.
( The writer is a regular contributor to www.fromwhereistand.info )