“Kung Fu Panda” is a fine film for the whole family.

The plot: An overweight, food loving, noodle making Panda named Po faces a new road when Kung Fu Master Oogway chooses him as the Dragon Warrior. The Dragon Warrior is essentially a soon to be Kung Fu Master who will possess the all powerful dragon scroll and save everyone from the ferocious villain Tai Lung. Can the inexperienced and clumsy Po become a Kung Fu warrior or is he doomed to fail?

 

After the lousy “Bee Movie” and “Shrek 3,” Dreamworks bounces back with a loveable, action packed animated feature. Yes, ‘Panda’ is nothing you haven’t seen before and yes, the movie goes overboard with jokes involving Po falling down and getting hurt, but those flaws do not harm the movie overall.

 

‘Panda’ primarily succeeds because it has memorable characters. Not only is Po a great lead character, but you also have the furious five (containing Tigress, Crane, Monkey, Viper, and Mantis), Master Shifu, and the Tai Lung. All of these characters are wonderfully realized and perfectly voiced by the likes of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, and Ian McShane.

 

Last, but not least, I have to mention the animation. This is undoubtedly Dreamworks most visually stunning film to date. The character models, the peach tree and the villages are all stunning eye candy.

 

As for “Secrets Of The Furious 5,” it is a 24 minute short. Film in which Po teaches young children 5 valuable lessons (patience, courage, confidence, compassion, discipline) while talking about each of the furious five’s backstories. This is a charming little short. I was glad to learn about the Furious 5’s past as the characters were a tad underdeveloped in the film. Fans of “Kung Fu Panda” will no doubt eat this up.

 

Summary: With kick butt action, likeable characters and strong themes about following your dreams and believing in yourself, “Kung Fu Panda” has plenty to offer people of all ages.

The breathtaking animation isn’t done justice on the widescreen DVD. This is clearly a film designed for the likes of Blu-ray. With that said, the transfer is still. adequate.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 is solid all around. The action, sound, f/x, and voice recordings are top notch.

“Kung Fu Panda” Extras:
* Dreamworks trailers (including the upcoming “Monsters Vs. Aliens).
* “Kung Fu Fighting” music video by Cee-Lo.
* “Sound Design”- A 4 minute featurette about the sound f/x.
* “Meet The Cast”- A 13 minute look at the voice actors and actresses which include Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, etc.
* “Pushing The Boundaries” (7:00)- A featurette about the incredible animation. We see animatics and get a behind-the-scenes look at the CGI animation process.
* “How To Use Chopsticks”- A 3 minute how to use chopsticks extra.
* “Mr. Ping’s Noodle House” (4:30)- Alton Brown hosts a segment about noodle making at a Beverly Hills restaurant called Mr. Chow.
* “Conservation International: Help Save Wild Pandas”- Jack Black hosts this 2 minute informational piece about Wild Pandas.
* “Dragon Warrior Training Academy Game”.
* “Dreamworks Animation Video Jukebox”
* “Printables And Weblinks”- DVD-Rom extras.
* Commentary by directors John Stevenson and Mark Osborne.

“Secrets Of The Furious Five” Extras:
* “Learn To Draw” Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Crane, Viper, and Po.
* “Dumpling Shuffle Game”.
* “Pandamonium Activity Kit”- A collection of DVD-Rom extras including video game demos.
* “Learn The Panda Dance”- A 4 ½ minute instructional dance video.
* “Do You Kung Fu?”- Another instructional video that teaches you six types of kung fu styles.
* “Inside The Chinese Zodiac”- A cool interactive feature.
* “Animals Of Kung Fu Panda” (6:00).
* “What Fighting Style Are You?” quiz.