Movie review: 'Panda' is pleasing pu-pu platter of delights

The nicest surprise about "Kung Fu Panda" is that it's so much better than the goofy-cutesy title would lead you to expect. It entertains with consummate skill and aims to please without (pardon the pun) pandering. The latest computer-animated feature from DreamWorks pushes the envelope of quality as ambitiously as its Pixar rivals.

You sense that something special is unreeling after just a few moments. The film is framed in widescreen Cinemascope, a big, bold format for epic stories of heroism. And the opening moments give us just that. In ancient times, Jack Black intones, "legend tells of a legendary warrior whose kung fu skills were the stuff of legend!"

The hero is a chubby panda who takes on all comers in a slam-bang anime sequence.

Shaking off the dream is our protagonist, Po, a cute, cuddly CGI bear who imagines a life of martial arts heroism while slinging noodles in the family restaurant. His dad is a goose named Mr. Ping (James Hong), which is the kind of thing that just naturally occurs in this fantasy world.

The village is abuzz with excitement because for the first time in 1,000 years, a tournament is being held to select the Dragon Warrior. The five contestants, representing famous martial arts styles, are Mistress Tiger (Angelina Jolie); Mantis (Seth Rogen); Monkey (Jackie Chan); Crane (David Cross) and Viper (Lucy Liu). Their trainer is tiny, impossibly unruffled Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman).

To the surprise of all, the wise and ancient creator of kung fu, Oogway the tortoise (Randall Duk Kim), chooses slow, clumsy Po instead. It's not just because of the honor involved. The Dragon Warrior must defend the village from snow-leopard Tai Lung (Ian McShane), a former student of Shifu.

Anyone who's ever seen a chopsocky movie knows what comes next. The lovable underdog develops astonishing martial arts skills (training like a fiend to earn steamed dumplings) and saves the day. Directors John Stevenson and Mark Osborne thrive in the martial arts genre because its simple rules of good guys vs. bad guys gave them plenty of room to concentrate on comedic characters. There's not a lot of unnecessary exposition standing in the way of the gags. Still, the traditions of the genre are treated with affectionate irreverence, not mocking parody. "Panda's" creative team loves the films that inspired them.

The story oscillates between humor and sincerity as it explores the tension between strained family relationships and conformity to traditional codes of honor. The film never panders for our tears; its misty moments are guilelessly touching. At heart, "Panda" is a parable about loyalty, individualism and the fine line between good and evil, told with lots of acrobatics, stunts and gags. The action scenes are less manic than balletic with an undertone of loopy slapstick. Classic kung fu fighting always verges on the absurd anyhow, as any Jackie Chan fan understands.

But it's not all about action. The backgrounds are meticulously composed and lush with the kind of visual spectacle you might see in an Asian art film. The music is a suitably orchestral score by Hans Zimmer rather than a grab-bag of contemporary pop tunes.

The character animation is outstanding; Po's expressions are bug-eyed, slack-jawed marvels to behold. And the vocal performances are uniformly strong. Black's turn as the endearing buffoon-hero is a perfect match of casting and character. Hoffman is a dry delight as the unflappable Shifu, who adds shadings of worldly sophistication and sarcasm to even throwaway lines.

Appropriately for a film where food plays such a key role, "Kung Fu Panda" is a pu-pu platter of savory delights, ridiculously enjoyable for film-literate audiences and impatient kids alike.

Colin Covert • 612-673-7186