The Fur-Ball Rules!

Rating: 8/10 (20 August 2008)

Warning: This film reveals the secret of the Dragon Warrior, a mystery so awesome you may not wish to expose yourself to it without years of preparation.
I am stunned beyond measure to report that "Kung Fu Panda" may be the finest kung fu movie ever offered to a wide and adoring public. Odd that it's a cartoon. Of course, DreamWorks did glorious, fully convincing animation with lustrous backgrounds and art direction adapted from Chinese sources. My film crowd and I returned to watch it again, just to appreciate the splendor.
The makers truly understand the traditions of the genre. They work charming variations on familiar set pieces. Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, and the talented vocal actors convincingly give the figures tongue, while the animators invest the visual character images with authentic personalities.
I'd still call "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" the best martial arts motion picture I've viewed. That I saw four times on first run. As for pure fury-fisted kung futhe furry-fisted panda bear does the job. The trailer certainly did not suggest anything like the physical beauty and the wise humor that dominate the production.