Kung Fu Panda - I love KUNG FUUUUUU

[Cikomyr]

Hi people! After NC's most recent review of Kung Fu Panda I and II, I just knew I had to go through a marathon of all movies and shorts (will try the TV series later), and I gotta say, these movies really stand up to the passage of time and memory. Beautiful pieces, makes me want to watch more of the Wuxia genre all over again.

there is just one thing that is bugging me. In the 2nd movie, when

Mr. Ping tells Po how he found him, he mentions that young Po didn't wanted to put on pants. And Po even mentions "why did I feared pants?". After watching the heartbreaking scene of Po's mother's death, I still don't understand what was the deal with the pants. Just a funny side-thing that had no meaning?


Otherwise, feel free to discuss the movies, or the whole franchise. I have read somehwere they are in production for the 3rd of the serie, and Dreamwork have plans to go for 6 chapters!!

[Beacon of Chaos]

I have very fond memories of the first film, but never saw the second. How well does the second compare?

[Starwulf]

I have to say, I find it kind of stupid for them to be waiting so long to bring out the third movie. 2016 is when it's due out according to wiki, which gives it a 5 year gap between the 2nd one. By the time it releases, any hype for it will have stagnated for sure. Not to mention if they want to release 6 movies, they really need a bit closer together set of release dates, otherwise the 6th one won't be out until like 2031(sticking with the 5 year gap bit), nearly 2 1/2 decades after the release of the first movie. People who loved it and were excited about it when it first released will be grown up, and likely not going to enjoy it anymore ><

Other then that, I love me some Kung Fu Panda!!!! The TV series is actually remarkably good, I just hope the third movie doesn't ignore what's happened in the tv series, there have been some excellent characters introduced, especially Tai Lungs nephew, whom has had a few episodes about him.

[Closet_Skeleton]

I've only seen the first one on tv but it just isn't really very good. Mostly the writing and dialogue drag it down. Its almost like Dreamworks gave up on hiring writers after the original Shrek.

[Delusion]

I have very fond memories of the first film, but never saw the second. How well does the second compare?

It starts a bit slow IMO, but I think its easily as good as the original thanks to having better Villain and some nice character development.

[Cikomyr]

I have very fond memories of the first film, but never saw the second. How well does the second compare?

The only weak moment in the city chase scene. Everything else strung very strong cords, a very, very good villain as well as emotive scenes.

[Ramza00]

I have very fond memories of the first film, but never saw the second. How well does the second compare?

It is very well done and it is a proper sequel. It does have some weak spots but the highs and overwell tone outweight the weak spots.


The villian is superb
The pacing of the growth of po is excellent
And po and lord shen are perfect complementaries of each other. Po wins in the end for he could find growth where shen can not, even though shen is in every way his better.

[Avilan the Grey]

KFP was definitely the movie that showed that Dreamworks Animation had grown up and was ready for great things. It was as good as any Pixar movie. Then they released Megamind, How To Train Your Dragon and KFP II, all worthy challengers to Pixar's dominance as well!

I have to wonder what went on inside the company; what happened for them to suddenly put out these great movies (Yes I have all the Shrek movies and yes I like them, but they are definitely a step below)?

[Partysan]

Ah yes, I love those movies, although my martial arts fanaticism might have a lil' bit to do with that. I know the SotFF, but I still need to watch the tv show. i kinda even forgot that was there, how good is it?

As to the second movie, I found it to be mostly great, with excellent visuals, nice character development for Po and Tigress (who has a special place in my heart), a stylish and somewhat believeable villain and some nice emotional scenes. The gags were nice too, but I found they broke the etmosphere with silly (to avoid saying cheap) jokes too often. I realize that this is an intended effect, but it was overdone. Also, the final technique I could see coming from the very beginning, but that's alright I guess.

One of the things i dislike about all of KFP is that due to the animal bodies of many fighters, the actual kung fu behind their moves is lost to the viewer. I know this isn't a problem for most people, but I find kung fu to be utterly beautiful, so I mourn a bit. This might also be why i like Tigress a lot, she just has two arms and legs... I also have a thing for defrosting ice queens, though.

[DJ Yung Crunk]

Let's not kid ourselves here, the Kung Fu Panda franchise is a children's franchise and, like most children's franchises, has its crosshairs aimed squarely at your wallet. I don't mind this. I mean, hell, noble intent in the entertainment industry might actually be to the detriment of the product. I only bring it up because of the rather alarming Kung Fu Panda fandom (pandom?).

Alarming in the sense that, not only do they exist, but they seem to be all over the place. This is something I honestly have trouble grasping. Yeah, I saw KFP 1 & 2 and I enjoyed them but I left the theatre having practically forgotten everything about them and yet here's a quite large community of people who are disturbing emotionally attached to these popcorn flicks. I had a conversation with one of these people once. In real life too, I might add. They were going on about how emotional the scene of Tai Lung confronting Dustin Hoffman was and how it affected them and how rarely that happens in films these days. I had to use every ounce of willpower I had to not fling myself out the door and run until I couldn't run anymore. It was surreal, it was like that scene in that film whose title eludes me where the protagonist gets choked up over footage of trash blowing in the wind.

I kid, though. Trash blowing in the wind is probably a bit more substantial than Kung Fu Panda. It's competent, sure, but I find it difficult to give it points for that given its lack of ambition. The plot and dialogue is almost crushingly mediocre, everything overemphasized and blown up to acommodate the kiddies. Always hopping from one cliche to the next like it handed out bingo cards in the lobby. I wouldn't mind it so much if the voice actors gave a damn. They mumble through their lines with all the glass eyed apathy you'd expect. Even Jack Black's trademark outbursts of enthusiasm seem fairly rigid and by-the-numbers (not that they were especially sincere before.)

The action scenes and set pieces are quite good. Honestly if you're going to see a film titled "Kung Fu Panda" riveting, well acted human drama probably does not rank amongst your expectations. It's all well-choreographed and well-edited so that's a plus. I mean, thank god they chose kung fu, the "progressive rock" of martial arts, with all its flowery extraneousness. It translates pretty well into CGI animation. The film also looks quite lovely too, it's a fairly Hollywood surface look at ancient Chinese aesthetics but, once again, you only have yourself to blame for seeking historical accuracy. They hit all the right notes at the right times, although interior scenes can appear a hell of a lot more drab than some of the sweeping majestic outdoors moments.

In a nutshell; they're alright. I'll watch them if they're on but I won't go out of my way. I guess I'm just baffled that so many people are so attached to it, is all.

[Avilan the Grey]

(Stuff)

Let's just say I disagree strongly with everything you wrote.

I think I can sum up my love for KFP in this sentence: Kung Fu Panda is not a CGI movie with Kung Fu in it. It is a Kung Fu movie that happens to be CGI.

[Psyren]

KFP is awesome and easily my favorite Dreamworks movie of all time. The sequel is on par as well, which almost never happens in animated film.

I have an unanswered question of my own, about the first movie:
What happened to Tai Lung? It's implied that Po killed him but nobody ever comes right out and says it. It's pretty out of character for Po to have done so as well.

My favorite part about the first movie was the interplay between the two masters, Oogway and Shifu. You could really see how Shifu, despite being a kung fu master and teacher himself, had some growing of his own to do; too often the Miyagi figures are Sue-ified in their perfection and that definitely didn't happen here.

[Tvtyrant]

KFP is awesome and easily my favorite Dreamworks movie of all time. The sequel is on par as well, which almost never happens in animated film.

I have an unanswered question of my own, about the first movie:
What happened to Tai Lung? It's implied that Po killed him but nobody ever comes right out and says it. It's pretty out of character for Po to have done so as well.

My favorite part about the first movie was the interplay between the two masters, Oogway and Shifu. You could really see how Shifu, despite being a kung fu master and teacher himself, had some growing of his own to do; too often the Miyagi figures are Sue-ified in their perfection and that definitely didn't happen here.

I figured Tai Lung had to die because he was so implacable. They used 1,000 guards and designed a prison solely to keep him locked up, and he still escaped. Even Po's victory at the end was more about Tai Lung panicking than Po being capable of beating him, as noted by the fact that Tai Lung did not retreat after becoming staggered by the landing and wait until he no longer had a concussion.

Heck, Tail Lung could have grabbed a piece of sharp rubble and stabbed Po rather than bounce attacks off of his tummy.

I also liked Shifu as a character.

[SoC175]

BTW, does any one know how canon the KFP series is? And if it's canon, is it supposed to take place before or after KFP2?

[Avilan the Grey]

KFP is awesome and easily my favorite Dreamworks movie of all time. The sequel is on par as well, which almost never happens in animated film.

I have an unanswered question of my own, about the first movie:
What happened to Tai Lung? It's implied that Po killed him but nobody ever comes right out and says it. It's pretty out of character for Po to have done so as well.

My favorite part about the first movie was the interplay between the two masters, Oogway and Shifu. You could really see how Shifu, despite being a kung fu master and teacher himself, had some growing of his own to do; too often the Miyagi figures are Sue-ified in their perfection and that definitely didn't happen here.

He is dead. 100% certain. Also... warrior! It is never out of character for a warrior to kill an enemy.

I love the fact that the Chinese LOVED this movie, to the point where their government started an investigation with the purpose to figure out "How come an American Animation Company makes movies truer to our culture than our own movies?"

[MLai]

I love the fact that the Chinese LOVED this movie, to the point where their government started an investigation with the purpose to figure out "How come an American Animation Company makes movies truer to our culture than our own movies?"
Where did you get this idea? :smallconfused:

[The Glyphstone]

He is dead. 100% certain. Also... warrior! It is never out of character for a warrior to kill an enemy.

I love the fact that the Chinese LOVED this movie, to the point where their government started an investigation with the purpose to figure out "How come an American Animation Company makes movies truer to our culture than our own movies?"

If I remember right, it wasn't the culture, it was the landscapes. They were awed at how our animation companies were able to create a better-rendered China than their internal propaganda companies could.

I can't find any sources though.

[Senator Cybus]

I have an unanswered question of my own, about the first movie:
What happened to Tai Lung? It's implied that Po killed him but nobody ever comes right out and says it. It's pretty out of character for Po to have done so as well.

Well, I always thought, given the mystical glowy nature of the attack, that it did something like permanently destroy the target's flow of chi (or is it qi if you're Chinese? I think qi) - so it doesn't kill you, but it forever destroys your ability to perform kung-fu at the level of a master. IIRC, Tai Lung has acupuncture needles stuck in him while he's imprisoned, to weaken him in just this way.

As to why Shifu or Oogway didn't just do this the first time Tai Lung attacked, presumably it was a mix of sentimentality crossed with a certain reluctance to use such a devastating attack (or devastating from the perspective of people with a reverence for kung fu).

Fan theory, but better I think than "Po just wasted his ass". :smallbiggrin:

[MLai]

@ China landscapes:
I can see that. It would be basically "These white-devil CG artists really succeeded at taking traditional Chinese watercolor landscapes and making them into stylized 3D CG. Why can't we do that?"
Answer: Maybe you should invest more in the Arts?

@ Fate of Tai Lung"
I thought Bo just kicked his ass, and he slinked off to sulk on some mountain. He'll train by himself and he'll return 10-20 years later after mastering a new Secret Technique that will allow him to reclaim his title.
That's what happens in kung fu, y'know.

[Avilan the Grey]

Where did you get this idea? :smallconfused:

The news. No link though other than to TV Tropes citing the same thing, since the movie is several years old.

[TheFallenOne]

It was surreal, it was like that scene in that film whose title eludes me where the protagonist gets choked up over footage of trash blowing in the wind.

American Beauty. Good movie, but yeah, that plastic bag in the wind thing was the most pretentious load of crap I've ever seen in a movie. That guy tries to hard to seem deep and meaningful, and it falls flat horribly.

Disagree with pretty much everything else you said.