Lots of Flash, but No Punch

Rating: 5/10 (13 November 2008)

I'm deliberately rating this below what my mind insists I rate it because FLAIR DOES NOT MAKE A GOOD MOVIE! This movie is dripping with style. The atmosphere is pitch perfect, hyper real, and beautiful as a cherry blossom. Fighting sequences are flawlessly choreographed, and characters are hilarious and make expressions so subtle they deserve academy awards. Only one thing mars all this. THE MOVIE ISN'T ABOUT ANYTHING. If you don't believe me, wait till the plot-twist at the end that states the moral aloud, and crazily enough is that the secret to success is NOTHING. If you believe in something enough it apparently comes true...in the magical fantasy world of Kung Fu Panda. This moral idea of a person being able to will themselves to greatness is not only dangerous applied to real life (I can fly!) but the movie contradicts the message itself, by making the villain evil because he is selfish and a killer. Apparently it's bad when the snow leopard 'believes in himself' enough to fight for what's his, but if the Panda does it it gives him mystical powers. Also, the Panda is implied to have KILLED the leopard at the end, using the very power taught to him by the leopard's surrogate father. Good lesson there, eh? Skadoosh. As very pretty screen-savers go, this film is at least better written then Clone Wars, but equally devoid of likable characters and substance. Much like I'd recommend Clone Wars to people who love awesome battles and technical wizardry but can afford to sit through something inherently empty, if you like to watch top notch CG, some great pratfalls, and kung fu fighting animals and you can stand no character development, moral, rhyme or reason, watch Kung Fu Panda once. Then you can go read a good book or watch The Dark Knight to fill the emptiness left behind.