Po (Jack Black) dreams of being China's next great kung fu hero (though he tells his Dad he dreams of noodles which makes him very happy) working alongside the Five Kung Fu Masters - Crane (Tobias from Arrested Development), Snake (Lucy Lui), Mantis (Seth Rogan), Tigress (Angelina Jolie) and Monkey (Jackie Chan).

Alas, poor Po is just a Panda and a clumsy food obsessed one at that. But it just so happens that today is the day that the master will choose the Dragon Warrior - the only one who will be able to read the Dragon Scroll. By the time poor Po gets to the top of a literal mountain of stairs (that makes the Uni of Glamorgan look the the great Plains) they have already started and closed the doors.

Try as he might, he can't get in - that is until the fireworks attached to his chair go off after a timely delay landing him in the path of the master as he chooses the warrior. The five masters are suitably miffed, along with their teacher but he proclaims that there "are no accidents".

So as the five and their teacher try to get rid of Po - their enemy begins his escape from an impenetrable fortress... Will Po be able to fulfill his destiny?

I loved this movie. Jack Black braught the main character to life in his own unique way - but ably supported by the kind of family humour that we've all come to love from Dreamworks Animation - the people who braught us Madagascar and Over the Hedge.

But even better is the fact that although it was lighthearted and funny, it also made me think, which is rare of an animated comedy. Perhaps its because it reassured me that everything happens for a reason and that we don't always understand how what is happening now can possibly be in some greater plan?

This is probably going to end up in my DVD collection. If you are taking notes, siblings

see also:
Arthur Christmas, Up, Flushed Away, Cloudy with a chance of meatballs

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photo © Dreamworks Animation.