Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Animation, Action, Adventure |.
Kung Fu Panda is computer-animated wuxia action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne, and stars the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong and Jackie Chan. The film is set in a version of ancient China populated by anthropomorphic talking animals and revolves around a bumbling panda named Po, a kung fu enthusiast. When an evil kung fu warrior named Tai Lung is foretold to escape from prison, Po is unwittingly named the “Dragon Warrior”, that was destined to defeat him.
The film was originally conceived by Michael Lachance, a DreamWorks Animation executive. It was originally intended to be a parody of martial arts films, but director Stevenson decided instead to make an action comedy wuxia film that incorporates the hero’s journey narrative archetype for the lead character.
In the Valley of Peace, a land in Ancient China inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, Po Ping the giant panda is a fan of kung fu who idolizes the Furious Five – Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Viper, and Mantis – a quintet of kung fu masters trained by Master Shifu the red panda. However, Po feels unable to pursue his dream of learning kung fu because he has to help his adoptive father, Mr. Ping the goose, in his noodle restaurant.
Grand Master Oogway, an old Galápagos tortoise, is Master Shifu’s mentor and friend. He has a vision that Shifu’s former protégé, the evil snow leopard Tai Lung, will escape from prison and return to the valley to exact his revenge for being denied the Dragon Scroll, which is said to hold the secret to boundless power. Panicked, Shifu sends his messenger, Zeng the goose, with a request for the prison to tighten its security.
Directors: Mark Osborne, John Stevenson
Writers: Jonathan Aibel (screenplay), Glenn Berger (screenplay), Ethan Reiff (story), Cyrus Voris (story)
Stars: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross
►Cast:
| Jack Black | … | Po (voice) |
| Dustin Hoffman | … | Shifu (voice) |
| Angelina Jolie | … | Tigress (voice) |
| Ian McShane | … | Tai Lung (voice) |
| Jackie Chan | … | Monkey (voice) |
| Seth Rogen | … | Mantis (voice) |
| Lucy Liu | … | Viper (voice) |
| David Cross | … | Crane (voice) |
| Randall Duk Kim | … | Oogway (voice) |
| James Hong | … | Mr. Ping (voice) |
| Dan Fogler | … | Zeng (voice) |
| Michael Clarke Duncan | … | Commander Vachir (voice) |
| Wayne Knight | … | Gang Boss (voice) |
| Kyle Gass | … | KG Shaw (voice) |
| JR Reed | … | JR Shaw (voice) |
| Laura Kightlinger | … | Awed Ninja (voice) |
| Tanya Haden | … | Smitten Bunny (voice) |
| Stephen Kearin | … | Gong Pig / Grateful Bunny (voice) |
| Mark Osborne | … | Pig Patron (voice) |
| John Stevenson | … | Rhino Guard (voice) |
| Jeremy Shipp | … | Blind Gator (voice) |
| Melissa Cobb | … | Bunny Mom (voice) |
| Kent Osborne | … | Pig Fan (voice) |
| Emily Burns | … | Bunny Fan 1 (voice) |
| Stephanie Harvey | … | Bunny Fan 2 (voice) |
| Riley Osborne | … | Baby Tai Lung (voice) |
| Kresimir Mikic | … | Bogomoljka |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia