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have the same ambition? In "Fantasia", didn't Mickey the apprentice yearn to qualify for full-fledged sorcerer? So, Po joins a kung-fu group that is chock full of familiar Hollywood voices. The boss, Master Shifu is spoken by famed actor, Dustin Hoffman, who'd never be able to pass for Chinese. Well, after a bit training, and maybe harking back to his "Rainman" mumblings, his voice does succeed.

There's also Monkey, voiced by the movies' most simianly agile of all kung fu athletes, Jackie Chan. Another non-Chinese voice, Tigress is portrayed by Angelina Jolie. Yeah, that super star Angelina of paparazzi fame. And as if one sexy female character isn't enough, there's the slinky Viper, acted and slithered by Lucy Liu, an Asian-American actress/model who could lure any prey, especially males, into her lair at any time.

When panda Po is anointed Dragon Warrior by the great tortoise, Oogway, as voiced by Randall Duk Kim, all his former teammates get very jealous of him. However, they relent and all help him in his battle with the ultimate bad guy kung fu villain, portrayed by Ian McShane, named Tia Lung. The funny name sounds like a guy who's been smoking too long. And Oogway; isn't that sort of like the name of useless cleaning products sold house to house?

With all kinds of troubles, difficulties, heroism, wham-bam exaggerations, coincidences and other well-known cartoon devices, Po the Kung Fu panda triumphs. If the story ended any way other than happily ever after, you can bet Walt Disney would rise up from his frozen box and let Spielberg have it right in the face with a big fat cartoon pie.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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