DreamWorks Animation's Funniest Film To Date!

Rating: Null/10 (8 April 2016)

One of the finest films to come out of DreamWorks Animation's canon and certainly their funniest film to date, Kung Fu Panda is an energetic blend of kinetic direction, smart writing, sparkling wit, vibrant camera-work, tight editing, first-rate animation & exuberant score that not only works as a downright hilarious comedy but also as a thrilling action extravaganza & a fascinating coming-of- age story.
Set in ancient China, which is populated by anthropomorphic talking animals, the story of Kung Fu Panda follows a cheeky, clumsy & squishy giant panda named Po who aspires of becoming a kung fu master. His wish is granted when he's unexpectedly proclaimed as Dragon Warrior who will fulfil an ancient prophecy, but finds himself to be the subject of ridicule by the other kung fu disciples & their mentor until an old enemy returns.
Co-directed by John Stevenson & Mark Osborne, Kung Fu Panda brims with a sense of immediacy without ever sacrificing its drama or characters for mere amusement. The story is set up relatively quick, characters & their roles are instantly identifiable, and although it is a rip-roaringly hilarious ride from start to finish, it's also surprisingly heavy in the drama section. Also assisting the story is the medium of animation that gives the filmmakers a huge canvas to realise their imagination on.
Every character exhibits a full-fledged arc in this story, the filmmakers have done a fabulous job in drawing out moments of laughter from even the most unexpected moments, the lighthearted vibe is effectively maintained throughout its runtime, the plot is relentlessly paced, and the background score by Hans Zimmer & John Powell infuses an energy of its own into the narrative while the animation makes fab use of available colour palette to put on screen a richly coloured world and it all simply works out.
The film also boasts a star-studded voice cast in Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, David Cross & others, and nearly all of them suit the characters they lend their voices to. The character of Po is voiced by Jack Black and the actor does an excellent job at it for he imparts not only his vocals but a few other attributes as well. Hoffman voices Po's mentor and their teacher-disciple chemistry is this story's driving force. McShane voices the antagonist & is able to give him an intimidating quality while the rest of the cast do well in their supporting roles.
On an overall scale, Kung Fu Panda is definitely a fresh breathe of life from DreamWorks Animation and is one of their most enjoyable, entertaining & amusing efforts that knows where it is headed & what it is doing. Scoring high marks in nearly all departments of filmmaking, delivering its message in an easily accessible manner, exquisitely balancing its elements of comedy, drama & action, plus effortlessly sustaining its downright hysterical wit at all times, Kung Fu Panda is amongst the best films of its year and remains a thrilling extravaganza for viewers of all ages. Highly recommended.