The Cool Channel DVD Review: Kung Fu Panda [Blu-Ray]
Posted by J.D. Dunn on 01.02.2009
There is no charge for awesomeness... but the MSRP is $39.99
Kung Fu Panda (2008) Director:Mark Osborne, John Stevenson Writer:Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger Starring:Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman and Ian McShane. MPAA: [PG] Runtime: 92m.
This would be the first ever Cool Channel review of a Blu-Ray, and boy did I pick a doozy.
The Film
Kung Fu Panda was the smash family hit of the summer alongside the equally impressive Wall∙E. These types of summer family movies have become old hat in the last two decades, but the technology has grown by leaps and bounds ever since Disney brought back animation with The Little Mermaid back in the late 1980s.
Co-director John Stevenson (Shrek, Madagascar) has a steady hand in creating the film's vibrant look and style, while co-writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger (Fox's King of the Hill) imbue the film with just the right amount of humor and heart.
Jack Black provides the voice for Po, a portly panda who's the biggest "Furious Five" fanboy in his village. Said five includes the ferocious Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Mantis (Hollywood's golden boy Seth Rogen), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross).
The screenplay follows a very Disney-esque formula. Po feels that he is destined for more than just slinging noodles at his dad's noodle stand. He really just wants to learn kung-fu. When kung-fu master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) portends that the evil Tai Lung (the appropriately gravelly Ian McShane) will escape captivity and seek revenge on the valley, he announces that it is time to pick a new "Dragon Master."
Of course, Po, through his own clumsiness lands smack dab in the middle of the ceremony to crown the Dragon Master and winds up getting chosen. You'd be amazed at how often that device appears in 1970s kung-fu films.
His destiny puts him at odds with kung-fu trainer Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) and the Furious Five, especially Tigress, who was Shifu's standout pupil. Shifu vows to make Po quit his training and go home so they can find the real Dragon Master. Po is too stupid and stubborn to quit, though, and, naturally wins over at least four of the five.
When Shifu's own plan to keep Tai Lung from escaping backfires and provides Lung with the means to escape (a fact Oogway also foretold), Shifu is forced to train Po in the best way he can for the ultimate showdown.
The story is fairly formulaic. The misunderstood oaf is destined for greatness but stuck in a world content with mediocrity, so he strikes out on his own, forgoing his comfort zone and ends up facing powers stronger than he could ever imagine – and matching them. Star Wars had the same basic plot. So did Shrek. It's timeless and malleable, and that's why it works.
Black makes Po exceedingly likable. He's spazzy and annoying to his stuff peers, but that's why we love him. He's… well, he's Jack Black with more fur. The other voice actors, outside of the hilarious James Hong as Po's father, are so reserved in their performances that they really seem selected for name value alone (and appropriately so, because this is Black's vehicle).
In the end, Kung Fu Panda delivers exactly what it promises – a fun family film that adults and kids can enjoy together – and it has top-notch action scenes to boot. A-
Video
I don't think it's hyperbole to call Kung Fu Panda one of the most gorgeous films in the last decade. The animators and directors have truly mastered CGI to the point of photo-realism in many scenes, and yet movements are now smooth (an annoying tradeoff in early CG).
This Blu-Ray release features one of the finest 1080p transfers you'll see all year. I haven't seen Wall∙E on Blu-Ray, but it's hard to imagine anything looking as pristine as this. Colors are vibrant, lush, and painstakingly detailed.
Being CGI, there is no "print," so to speak, so the movie simply moves pixel for pixel in a breathtaking visual transfer. If you're looking for a film to showcase Blu-Ray's capabilities to your friends (or customers), forget The Dark Knight, this is the disc to get.
Look closely, and you can see the individual hairs that make up Po's fur or the cracks in the wall surrounding the temple. Take in the discreet way the mists of the Shaolin temple valley come off without blurring the background. Prepare to be awed by the warm orange glow of the valley lanterns. Truly, this is one of the most amazing movies of the year from a visual design standpoint, and the Blu-Ray preserves it excellently. Alas, I only wish I had a Blu-Ray drive in my computer to take screencaps.
Audio
The audio is nearly as impressive as the video transfer here. Presented in English in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Dolby Digital for the other languages, the film rocks in the up-tempo action scenes.
The dialogue is crisp and doesn't get overshadowed by any of the sound effects (one problem I sometimes have with DVD). While the directors never over emphasize the surround capabilities, the film constantly has ambient sound emanating from the rear speakers, whether it's the echo of the valley or the rabble of the townspeople in the village.
Most impressive are the fight scenes. Take a listen to your subwoofer rattle as Po's belly shakes like a bowl of jelly in the climactic showdown. To the film's credit, the smaller, just-as-important sounds, like Tai Lung's wincing as he bites his own tail, come across with equal emphasis.
Extras
Lots of fun stuff here once you're done with the film. Most of them are self-explanatory. One glaring omission is the second disc that comes with the standard DVD release.
Dragon Warrior Training Academy
What Fighting Style are You?
Learn to Draw Po (HD)
Help Save Wild Pandas (HD)
"Kung Fu Fighting" the music video (HD)
Inside the Chinese Zodiac (HD)
Do You Kung Fu? (HD)
Food Network segment at Mr. Ping's noodle house.
Blu-Ray Exclusives
Storyboards with the animators.
A visual trivia track (one of my favorite Blu-Ray exclusive features).
BD-Live capabilities.
The Film: 8.5/10 The Video: 10/10 The Audio: 10/10 The Extras: 7.5/10
The 411: An incredible Blu-Ray release for what was already a fine film. This is one of those discs to get to showcase your home theater system, but for those just wanting a fun night at home with the kids, the film has loads of humor, cute animals and action for the whole family.
