Kung Fu Panda (+BD Live) [Blu-ray]

Version: U.S.A / DreamWorks / Region A, B, C
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
MPEG-4 AVC BD-50
High Profile 4.1 (Main Video) / High Profile 3.2 (BonusView)
Running time: 1:32:09
Movie size: 22,27 GB
Disc size: 44,29 GB
Total bit rate: 32.23 Mbps
Average video bit rate: 20.98 Mbps
Number of chapters: 23

Dolby TrueHD Audio English 3256 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 24-bit / 3256kbps (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48kHz / 640kbps)
Dolby Digital Audio French 640 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 640kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Portuguese 640 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 640kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 640 kbps 5.1 / 48kHz / 640kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48kHz / 192kbps
Dolby Digital Plus Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48kHz / 192kbps

Subtitles: English / English SDH / French / Portuguese / Spanish

#Filmmakers Commentary
#The Animators' Corner
--Trivia Track
--Meet the Cast (HD - 13m:17s)
--Pushing the Boundaries (HD - 7m:07s)
--Conservation International: Help Save Wild Pandas (HD)
#Po's Power Play
--Dragon Warrior Training Academy
--Dumpling Shuffle
--Learn to Draw (HD - 8m:20s, 5m:26s)
#The Sounds and Moves of Kung Fu Panda
--Sound Design (HD)
--"Kung Fu Fighting" Music Video by Cee-Lo (HD)
--Learn the Panda Dance (HD)
--Do You Kung Fu? (HD)
#Land of the Panda
--Mr. Ping's Noodle House
--How to Use Chopsticks (HD)
--Inside the Chinese Zodiac (HD)
--Animals of Kung Fu Panda
--What Fighting Style Are You? DreamWorks Animation Video JukeBox (HD)
#Dreamworks Animation Video Jukebox
#Trailers
#BD-Live

I was on a long flight back from California when I had the choice between watching Kung Fu Panda on a tiny television screen four feet away from me, or read the SkyMall catalog. I wisely chose to watch Kung Fu Panda.

I was curious as to how Kung Fu Panda would present itself: as a Lion King-style retelling of ancient Chinese myth, or as a love note to kung fu films from an American perspective. I'm pleased to report that it's the latter.

You know the story: Po (a restrained Jack Black) adores the Furious Five but is too fat and slow to ever hope to become one of them and then fate does precisely that. It's the heroes who have the real problem (each representing a different kung fu style and all voiced by a roster of celebrities, including Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, and Lucy Liu). Struggling most of all is Master Shifu - a bit redundant, if you know the definition of Shifu - played by Dustin Hoffman (wouldja believe?) who is still suffering from the betrayal of his first and best pupil Tai Lung (Ian McShane).

What's surprising about Kung Fu Panda is how adult the story is. The word "kill" is mentioned several times. Tai Lung and Shifu have a physical conflict that is much a battle of philosophies as it is a father and son having an argument. And the plot is beautiful in its symmetry, perfectly tying in every element: from the modified style of kung-food training that Shifu teaches Po to the revelation of Po's (we can only assume adopted) duck-father's secret recipe to the fact that Po is immune to acupuncture (because he's so fat, of course) Kung Fu Panda is tightly scripted and wrapped up in a beautiful package.

The movie itself (what I could see on the tiny airplane screen) is beautifully produced. It ranges from Chinese-style art to realistic but soft-colored tones, to bursts of color amidst pitch darkness. The fight scenes are all in exciting locations: in a prison, on a rope bridge, in an ancient temple. It's like a videogame, only you're watching the fat guy character nobody wants to play. It was beautiful enough that I had a pang of regret that I wasn't watching it on a big screen. Or even a medium screen.

For kids, Po is a great tale about overcoming obstacles by being yourself. For geeks, Po is a hilarious new hero archetype: the fanboy as hero, a fat, slobbering devotee who knows more details about the Furious Five than they know about themselves.

I did like the movie but it is not on a par with something like Cars.

The story is painfully familiar; unlikely hero trains up to defeat bad guy. Think Star Wars Episode VI, Karate Kid (all episodes), and countless others. In this case, the hero is a noodle-making panda voiced by Jack Black. Jack does a great job but almost everyone else seems to be calling in their performances. There are some laughs, but mostly this is a low-key movie.

I think what soured this film for me was Avatar: The Last Airbender. Avatar covers much of the same ground, but has had years to it. Even so, a single 30 minute episode of Avatar is more interesting and exciting than was KFP.

Even so, if your kids want to take you to see KFP for your birthday, then by all means let them. You could do much worse.

The story of "Kung Fu Panda" about a lazy panda who dreams of becoming a martial arts fighter may not be as unique as that of last year's Oscar winner "Ratatouille," but Dreamworks' new animated film is great fun nonetheless. Perhaps some viewers (including me) might the miss the biting satire of the same company's "Shrek," but "Kung Fu Panda" offers lots of laughs and some engaging characters including Po (voice by Jack Black) and his reluctant master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman).

The film's story will remind you of either "Star Wars" (the older trilogy) or "Drunken Master," the latter being a still popular Hong Kong martial arts film made in 1978 starring Jackie Chan (who provides voice for "Panda" as Monkey). In short, a wise master reluctantly takes a youngster under his wing. The master thinks it a hopeless case at first, but discovers the talent hidden deep inside the pupil. In Po's case, his talent as martial arts fighter is found when Po is eating, not drinking.

If you look at the kung fu choreography closely, or our hero's "battle" sequence in the opening, you will realize that the directors Mark Osborne and John Stevenson have carefully studied many kung-fu films. They know the rules of the genre and bend them to create amusing characters, innovative kung-fu battle scenes and funny sight gags. It is amazing to see the slightly overused format for plot based on master and disciple still works even in animation.

That means, however, that some might think the script of "Kung Fu Panda" needs more originality. Principal characters are well-drawn and delightful to watch, especially Po and Shifu, but supports are a bit weak (despite the inclusion of such voice actors as Angelina Jolie as Tigress) and the film's narrative, slick as it is, is a bit predictable (though it never bores us).

The film pays homage to some of other martial arts films and even Hollywood actions - some scenes of "Panda" are clearly inspired by such works as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and one of "Indiana Jones" films - but actually you don't have to notice that at all. This is a hugely enjoyable family-oriented film.

1 hour 32 minutes
PG Rating

Who's in it?
Jack Black - Po (voice), Dustin Hoffman - Shifu (voice), Angelina Jolie - Tigress (voice), Ian McShane - Tai Lung (voice), Jackie Chan - Monkey (voice), Seth Rogen - Mantis (voice), Lucy Liu - Viper (voice), David Cross - Crane (voice)

This is beautiful animation. Production is superb. From the maker of Shrek. Kung Fu Panda is another success targeted for both kids and adults. Funny and guaranteed entertainment. There are a lot of witty one liners. Lots of action. Even my 3-year old was laughing. One of those movies that you may want to bring in the car with kids on a long trip.

Summary in one paragraph:

It is the story of Po the Panda. The most unlikely hero. He is fat, lazy and uncomfortably clumsy. He loves Kung Fu, in fact he has posters of all his Kung Fu idols on his bedroom walls. Son of a very proud noodle maker who wants to leave his super secret recipe to his son once he become mature enough. One day, there was a news of a public special occasion that the Dragon Warrior will be selected at the Jade Temple. Po has to be there to witness such a historical event. Pretending to his father that he will be selling noodles at the event, he arrived late because he has trouble hauling the heavy noodle cart on the stairs that lead to the temple. The gate were now all closed. The strangest thing happened when master Shifu was about to pick the Dragon warrior. Po, attempting every thing just to catch a glimpse of the event, literally fall on the very spot. Nobody can believe it even Po himself, except Oogway, the old (turtle) master who says that everything that happens in this world is not an accident. The main villain is the Snow Leopard "Tai Lung" who eventually escaped from his prison and threatened the whole village for his revenge. His main reason was not being chosen as the Dragon Warrior and entrusted the ultimate kung fu secret which is supposedly written on the scroll inside the temple. The great battle has to happen between the Dragon Warrior and Tai Lung. The whole village has to be evacuated. At this time, Po has been handed the scroll but he did not know what to make of it. Finally, it was his father that gave him the real answer to the scroll, the answer lies in the secret noddle recipe.