by Ginger Voight

Created on: July 02, 2008   Last Updated: April 06, 2010

If you've ever dreamed bigger than your circumstance, and put in your place because of it, you can relate to the hero of Dreamworks Animation's comedy "Kung Fu Panda". A pudgy panda named Po dreams of his version of superheroes, the Furious Five, and his own place among them. Through an entirely clumsy, chaotic turn of events, our protagonist finds himself right in the spot he so coveted... whether he likes it or not.

Voiced by Jack Black, Po is equal parts silly and sweet and instantly endearing. He fails with such comic finesse, somehow you just know even if he fulfills his destiny as the Dragon Warrior there will always be a part of him that remains innocent. Therefore the audience roots for him, especially as those he so idolized look down on his high hopes and fanciful dreams.

Chief among those who resent his presence in the Jade Palace is Tigress, hand picked and trained by Shifu, the Kung Fu Master, to hold the coveted title of Dragon Warrior and all the powers that entails. Voiced by Angelina Jolie, her cool condescension makes her the last to warm up to kindly Po. The other four members of his new gang, Viper (Lucy Liu), Mantis (Seth Rogan), Monkey (Jackie Chan) and Crane (David Cross) are quicker to befriend the panda in their midst, who ultimately are won over by his earnest efforts to find his place.

But it is the Kung Fu Master Shifu (voiced by the incomparable Dustin Hoffman) that remains both Po's biggest obstacle and greatest chance to achieve greatness. As soon as Shifu realizes he cannot handle Po the way he did his other students, he uses the Panda's one true motivation - food - to teach him exactly how capable he truly is.

As with any story there is a villain. In this story, it comes in the shape of a snow leopard by the name of Tai Lung - who, as a former student of Shifu, has the sacred scroll of the dragon in his own sites.

His greed threatens the sanctity of their peaceful valley; and will show each of the Furious Five, Shifu and Po exactly what they're made out of in efforts to protect it.

Emmy winning writers Jonathan Aibel and Glen Berger spin together a tale that takes up where your fortune cookie left off, and sends the message to its audience - young and old alike - that your greatness depends primarily on your belief to be great.

Directors Mark Osborne and John Stevenson keep the pace marching briskly along, enough Kung Fu action for kids of all ages. It's quite simply feel good family fare.

Four and a half stars.

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