Kung Fu Panda ; animated family film review (Advance Screening)

ANIMATED AWESOMENESS: Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu), Po (Jack Black), ShiFu (Dustin Hoffman) and Tai Lung (Ian McShane) in Kung Fu Panda.
Image: Paramount Pictures/Dreamworks.

Panda With Po-tential by Linh

Kung Fu Panda is Dreamworks latest venture into CGI animated family entertainment and its star-studded cast of vocal talent is a definite drawcard.

Besides the CGI, the film is impressive in its use of comic timing and character idiosyncrasies to highlight humour and fun throughout.

The film's story is set in ancient China in the Valley of Peace, where a chubby and clumsy Panda named Po works in his father's noodle shop. Po dreams of becoming a Kung Fu Master who fights alongside his idols, The Furious Five (Tigress, Viper, Monkey, Crane and Mantis). In order to fulfill an ancient Chinese prophecy, Master Oogway calls for a competition to determine the next Dragon Warrior to defend the city against the ruthless Tai Lung. Po unexpectedly is chosen and he must work harder than he's ever worked before to learn the art of Kung Fu, and protect the city from an oncoming threat.

The affable and huggable Jack Black voices the cuddly and good natured Po (Panda) and is an instant favourite with the audience as he starts from scratch to become the next Kung Fu hero. Po's childlike mannerisms and determination to conquer his quest to fulfill the prophecy endears him to all.

Dustin Hoffman gives a stern but solid vocal delivery as Master ShiFu (Red Panda), the one who must train Po to become the Dragon Warrior. ShiFu is at first reluctant to waste his time on a fat, lazy Panda, but realises he must put his prejudices aside to fulfill the ancient prophecy and save the city.

Master Oogway (Tortoise)is voiced by Randall Duk Kim, and is the wisest and most elite of Kung Fu masters. He is the Yoda of the film spurting words of wisdom and encouragement when Po loses hope and confidence in himself.

The Furious Five comprising of Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Viper (Lucy Liu), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen) and Crane (David Cross), provide some of the comic relief and drama as Po struggles to learn the skills necessary to fight Tai Lung.
Together the quintet are a powerful force to be reckoned with, and individually they are equally formidable.

Ian McShane lends his voice to the vengeful former student of Master ShiFu, Tai Lung (Snow Leopard) who has escaped from his imprisonment to earn what he believes is his destiny to be the next Dragon Warrior. His fight scenes with Po are both hilarious and compelling as the animated Kung Fu action sequences delight and beguile.

Kung Fu Panda is wonderfully entertaining for the entire family, with its brightly coloured and stylised drawings and brilliant animation. There's a message for everyone in the film - believing in yourself to achieve your dreams is one for younger audiences, while the more mature can heed the message of turning your weaknesses into your strengths to overcome life's obstacles.


Kung Fu Panda screens in cinemas from June 26.

Speed Racer; family film review

TEAM EFFORT: Trixie (Christina Ricci), Mom (Susan Sarandon), Pops (John Goodman) and Sparky (Kick Gurry) help rebuild the Mach 5 to get Speed (Emile Hirsch) into the Grand Prix in Speed Racer. Image: Warner Brothers Pictures.


Maximum Visual Velocity by Linh

Directors and writers Larry and Andy Wachowski of The Matrix Trilogy fame, have given Japanimation an innovative visual twist in their latest film Speed Racer.
Speed Racer is the film adaptation of the 1960s cartoon television series, and is a combination of eye-popping visual effects infused with every colour of the spectrum. The CGI of all the racing sequences are supported with a dramatic heartbeat of family values and the fight against corporate corruption.

The film tells of a young race car driver named Speed Racer whose older brother, Rex Racer, was allegedly killed in a cross country race as a result of race fixing. Speed and his family resist the temptation to drive for dodgy businessman and owner of Royalton Industries, EP Arnold Royalton, who consequently threatens Speed with impending poverty and oblivion if he refuses to join the corporate giant. Remaining loyal to his family racing business, Speed teams up with the mysterious Racer X to win the Grand Prix and expose the corrupt cheats in the racing industry.

The ensemble cast is impressive, yet their talents are mostly wasted as acting prowess takes a back seat to the whizz-bang, optically vibrant imagery on screen. However, all the leading players make a lasting impression and add a special quality to their characters.

Emile Hirsch stars as the baby-faced man-boy, Speed Racer, whose real talents lie behind the wheel of a race car. Hirsch keeps the adrenaline pumping in all his race car scenes amidst the brightly coloured landscapes and video-game style race sequences. All the car-fu (automobile martial arts) in mid air and off the cliff edge were awe-inspiring and would have any racing fan on the edge of their seat.

Christina Ricci plays Speed’s childhood sweetheart, Trixie, and is his eye-in-the-sky as she keeps watch in her helicopter during his races. More than just a pretty face, Trixie can jostle the throttle and burn the rubber in a race car with the best drivers – much to Speed’s delight. Christina Ricci may not have much to say as Trixie, other than “Cool beans” or “Hubba bubba”, yet she can certainly pack a punch with her fists and kicks butt with her fast legwork.

John Goodman is perfectly cast as the patriarch of the Racer family, Pops Racer, whose skills and talent lies in car building and strategic driving/planning. Pops has been in the racing game for a long time and understands how the greed and corruption in the racing industry ruins lives and breaks up families. John Goodman is wonderfully robust and quick witted as Pops, even cracking jokes faster than Indiana Jones cracks whips.

Susan Sarandon is the mother of all mothers as Speed’s mum, Mom Racer. Sarandon makes Mom perkier than Jane Jetson, more womanly than Wilma Flinstone and is the emotional glue that keeps the Racer family together in times of trauma and tragedy. Not only is she adept in her pancake making and peanut-butter-and jelly sandwiches artistry, Mom also helps build cars alongside Pops.

Star of television series Lost, Matthew Fox gives a slightly subdued performance as the mysterious Racer X. Perhaps his character’s got something to hide? Fox brings a strong competitive streak to Racer X, who’s most animated in the car racing sequences and really comes alive on the track.


Other notable performances include British actor Roger Allam as the villainous EP Arnold Royalton whose tantrums are legendary; Australian actor Kick (Christopher) Gurry is hilarious as the Racer family’s sweet and sensitive resident mechanic Sparky; Korean superstar Rain as the reckless and ambitious driver Taejo Togokahn is superbly suited as the ally to Speed and Racer X; Paulie Litt is excellent as Speed’s annoying younger brother Spritle, along with his cheeky pet chimpanzee Chim Chim and a supporting cast of many cultures help highlight the international appeal of motor racing as a sport and passion.

Speed Racer seduces your senses by luring you into a fantasy world of vivid colours, chaos, cars and chromatic intensity. The Wachowski brothers have created a fun and family-friendly escapade which may set the benchmark for future fantasy or science fiction films with the use of visual/special effects.



WINNERS' CIRCLE: Kick Gurry, Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Christina Ricci and Emile Hirsch watch on as Paulie Litt and Chim Chim celebrate in Speed Racer. Image: Warner Brothers Pictures.