Writer: Jill Khoo

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Watch this if you liked: "Madagascar" and "Over The Hedge".

This is the story about a big, fat, slacker panda, named Po, who is the biggest fan of Kung Fu but is obliged to work in his father's noodle shop. Unexpectedly chosen to fulfil an ancient prophecy, Po's dreams become reality when he joins the legendary Furious Five-Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey and their guru, Master Shifu in a quest to defeat the vengeful and treacherous snow leopard named Tai Lung.

Who wouldn't want to watch a fat panda with a huge tummy attempt to master the art of Kung Fu? Especially a panda that has the characteristics and voice of Jack Black!I have to admit that the actors chosen to voice the characters were made for this movie. Jack Black as the oblivious Po with a wide range of humour, Dustin Hoffman as the guru who has no tolerance for stupidity, and Angelina Jolie as Tigress who takes her job way too seriously. And it was nice the way they animated the animals to portray the real Kung Fu stunts you usually see in live-action Hong Kong productions!

The jokes made in this movie were funnier than any of the other DreamWorks animations I have seen before. They were very sarcastic and a tad mature, which on the other hand might make some of the younger viewers go "huh?" But for young adults and teenagers, this movie would make you laugh your bellies out. The storyline was predictable as any other animations, with some heartbreaking moments in the middle, followed by a happy ending and pinches of laughter here and there.

DreamWorks never fails when it comes to special effects - in fact, they seem to improve as they go along. The scene where Po and Master Shifu were having a chopstick fight over a dumpling was fantastic because of the fast-paced movements and creative artwork.

My favourite parts of the movie were all the slow motion moments. The look on Po's face when Tai Lung charged at him during the battle in slow motion was absolutely priceless! Kudos to the director for inserting the right amount of slow motion moments! It made the movie funnier and more enjoyable.

Overall, this movie makes a pretty good watch because of its originality and the way each of the characters were portrayed. With all the horror and action movies that are coming out this year, this is something fresh and relaxing for the audience to just sit back and enjoy.

Cinema Online, 23 September 2008