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Kung Fu Panda review

We review Kung Fu Panda - a fun animated action adventure for kids with fab fighting sequences

Kung Fu Panda

Kung Fu Panda

Certificate: PG

Voices of: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan

Release date: 2008

3 out of 5

3

Po the bumbling pudgy panda (voiced by Black) would secretly like to be a kung fu master, but instead he's stuck at home with his dad (a goose, whose relationship to Po isn't fully revealed until this movie's sequel), working in the family noodle restaurant. One day, however, Po's dream comes true when he is chosen by Master Oogway as the Dragon Warrior who may defeat the evil snow leopard Tai Lung (Ian McShane) in battle and fulfill an ancient legend. Kung Fu master Shifu (Hoffman) has to train Po to be a mighty warrior alongside Po's heroes, the Furious Five – Tigress (Jolie), Monkey (Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross), although none of them think the clumsy panda is up for the job.

A fun animated action adventure for kids, this looks spectacular – yummy backdrops and fab kung fu fighting sequences – and features nice vocal performances from the (very well known) cast. The plot may be predictable for the over-10s and the gags not as slick as in Shrek or Madagascar, but this romps along at a fair pace and delivers lots of adventure for kids who may have grown out of cutesy cuddly animated animal movies.

Is Kung Fu Panda suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...

Under-7s may find Tai Lung scary and the action sequences too intense. They may also be frightened when they first see the prison where Tai Ling is kept. The death of one character near the end may be upsetting.

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