Much Ado About Nothing

Maybe I just needed to relax and laugh because it’s been a tough couple of days in the emotions department. Or maybe I am reading too much into it by chalking it all up with psycho babble? Because this movie is actually funny. In a nutshell - it’s hilarious. It’s great fun that not only will entertain your 5 year old but us old ‘uns, too. Kung Fu Panda stars the voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman and Jackie Chan. There are others but I can’t remember who they are. The most notable and recognizable names are these. Jack Black, as usual, steals the show. I’d love to see the original script and compare it to the dialogue we hear because there was a lot of Jack Black-ness in this movie that could not have been scripted.

Jack Black voices the star of the movie - Po, a portly panda with dreams of being a  kung fu master. Po is a clumsy mess of a panda who many figure won’t amount to much. He pants after climing 4 steps, reaches for his aching back frequently and is only motivated by his love of some tasty treats. Po is familiar and I found it easy to identify with him. Po is the “son” of a duck who enthusiastically owns and runs a noodle restaurant in a small village in China. Po’s destiny of running the family business takes a turn when he is inadvertently chosen as the hero who will save the village from a super bad guy that escapes from prison. I won’t go into too much more detail. But suffice to say the movie brings a message that is positive and welcome. One mustn’t judge another by appearances alone and you can be everything you dream to be if you just believe in yourself.  This sure beats the bathroom humor found in a lot of other kid’s movies that claim to be family friendly. I genuinely had fun watching this movie and it was a blast to laugh along side my 5 year old. I get a kick out of what she finds funny and it’s usually the same stuff that I find funny. It’s a lethal combination of giggles and belly laughs - mostly her giggles and my belly laughs!