Kung Fu Panda

Secrets of the Furious Five

  • Title: Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five
  • IMDB: link

Secrets of the Furious Five is offered as a bonus disc with select two-pack versions of Kung Fu Panda (read that review).  The story involves Po (Jack Black), after the events of the film, becoming a larger part of the community and sharing his knowledge of Kung Fu with a group of young students by instructing them that Kung Fu isn’t only about fighting – it also teaches important virtues.

At only 23-minutes it’s sadly short (especially since it’s the main feature of the disc), but in terms of story it works well enough.  Through more traditional 2-D animation flashbacks Po tells the unruly students tales of each of the Furious Five and how they learned valuable lessons about patience, courage, discipline, compassion, and confidence.

As an extra-bonus disc it’s a nice addition.  I wouldn’t buy it separately, but getting it thrown in for the same price, or even a buck or two more, you get what you’d expect.  Although the animation style used in the short is fine, I’m a little disappointed it doesn’t more closely resemble the film (except for Po’s scenes).  I can see why DreamWorks decided to package this with the original as it doesn’t stand-out on its own, but if you are a fan of the film, like me, I’d suggest spending a couple more bucks if only to learn how to draw the characters (pretty cool) and give your kids a little insight into the styles of Kung Fu used in the film, and the animals which inspired them.

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The Legendary Awesomeness of Kung Fu Panda

  • Title: Kung Fu Panda
  • IMDB: link

“Legend tells of a legendary warrior whose Kung Fu skills were legendary.  His enemies would go blind from over-exposure to sheer awesomeness.”

The son of a noodle making goose (James Hong), Po (Jack Black) the Panda dreams only of Kung Fu.  His wishes are granted when Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim) names him the Dragon Warrior.

The pronouncement is met by skepticism by the Furious Five, the best warriors of the valley who include Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross), and sheer incredulity by their teacher Shifu (Dustin Hoffman).

Despite his large size, and even larger heart, the Panda is destined for greatness and possibly the only one who can stop the evil Tai Lung (Ian McShane) who has broken out of prison and is returning home to face the newly proclaimed Dragon Warrior and take the Dragon Scroll (which holds the secret of ultimate skill in Kung Fu) for himself.

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They Know Kung Fu

  • Title: Kung Fu Panda
  • IMDB: link

The makers of Kung Fu Panda could have gone about their job a lot of different ways.  They could have made a send-up of the Kung Fu genre in line with what Shrek has done to fairy tales, or they could have given us a totally neutered beast with cartoon violence a la Wyle E. Coyote.  Thankfully they chose neither, and elected instead to make the most bad-ass Kung Fu movie allowed the Computer Animation genre today.

Po is a humble, walking and talking Panda Bear whose dreams for Martial Arts super stardom are held back by his father’s noodle shop that occupies his time, and the extra hundred pounds hanging off of his belly.  But when he accidentally falls into the ceremony held to name the oft-anticipated prodigy Dragon Warrior, he stumbles into destiny as an ancient turtle grandmaster of the art, Oogway, gives the title to the reluctant and obese bear.

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