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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Kung Fu Panda
DreamWorks Animation


8.0

based on 33 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 76 votes
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Rate this movie

FILM:

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

MPAA RATING: PG for sequences of martial arts action

Starring Jack Black, Lucy Liu, Dustin Hoffman, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, and Jackie Chan

Enthusiastic, big and a little clumsy, Po is the biggest fan of Kung Fu around…which doesn’t exactly come in handy while working every day in his family’s noodle shop. Unexpectedly chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy, Po’s dreams become reality when he joins the world of Kung Fu and studies alongside his idols—the legendary fighters Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey—under the leadership of their guru, Master Shifu. But before they know it, the vengeful and treacherous snow leopard Tai Lung is headed their way, and it’s up to Po to defend everyone from the oncoming threat. Can he turn his dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master into reality? Po puts his heart-and his girth-into the task, and the unlikely hero ultimately finds that his greatest weaknesses turn out to be his greatest strengths. (Dreamworks)

GENRE(S):	Action \| Animation \| Comedy \| Family/Kids
WRITTEN BY:	Cyrus Voris (story) Ethan Reiff (story) Glenn Berger Jonathan Aibel
DIRECTED BY:	Mark Osborne John Stevenson
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: November 9, 2008 Theatrical: June 6, 2008
RUNNING TIME:	88 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Light and goofy, yet the fight scenes, which are the heart of the film, are lickety-split mad fun.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Tasha Robinson

Yet another celebrity-voiced animal adventure, but it stands out from the crowd of similar films with its lightning wit and whirlwind brio.

Washington Post John Anderson

Infectious and inspiring, despite one's best efforts to resist its charms.

The New York Times Manohla Dargis

At once fuzzy-wuzzy and industrial strength, the tacky-sounding Kung Fu Panda is high concept with a heart.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

The stroke of genius is, of course, the film's hero -- the big, lovable bear that is the Chinese panda.

Time Richard Corliss

The new picture provides a master coursed in cunning visual art and ultra-satisfying entertainment.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

The voice cast includes Angelina Jolie as a tigress, omnipresent Seth Rogen as an acupuncturist who's a praying mantis, David Cross as a nasal crane and Lucy Liu as a cheerful viper.

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

Everything about Kung Fu Panda is a little better, a little sharper, a little funnier than the animated run of the mill.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

It's not an instant classic, but it's imaginatively drawn, full of charming characters, alive with action sequences and blissfully free of the snickering scatology and endless pop-culture references.

Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer

The animation is consistently sporty and there are some choice comic riffs on martial arts movies.

Empire Chris Hewitt

Rudimentary plot and merely decent gags aside, this is the finest DreamWorks Animation effort since the first Shrek, chiefly because of its astonishing visuals and kinetic kung fu sequences.

New York Post Kyle Smith

Po speaks loudly and carries big shtick. Let the rest of the world cringe at our hyperconfidence, our charisma, our pure awesomeness.

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

The result is a genuinely pleasing kung fu movie that kids and grown-ups can enjoy.

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

It's the overriding spirit of the movie that forms its greatest appeal: Here's a movie that isn't intent on conquering the world but simply entertaining you for a breezy 90 minutes.

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

This movie leaves 'em laughing - and gasping.

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

Thanks to a witty script and the recognizably goofy but absolutely earnest delivery of Black, Kung Fu Panda has a human soul, too.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is probably the best movie so far this year about a kung-fu fighting panda.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

Beautifully animated, the celebrity voice performances are terrific, and the action sequences negotiate the fine line between being physically convincing and becoming too intense for the young children.

Premiere Jenni Miller

It was definitely a great idea to give Kung Fu Panda the IMAX treatment. The fight scenes, quivering whiskers and moist noses, foggy mountaintops, and fluttering peach blossoms are equally impressive on the huge, curved screen.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Not one of the great recent animated films. The story is way too predictable, and truth to tell, Po himself didn't overwhelm me with his charisma. But it's elegantly drawn, the action sequences are packed with energy, and it's short enough that older viewers will be forgiving.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

This is a solid family film material, although one suspects the children will get a little more out of it than their parents.

Village Voice Ella Taylor

Perfectly pleasant, very good-looking, modestly funny, dispiritingly unoriginal variant on the nerd-with-a-dream recipe that's been clobbered to death in animated films for at least a decade now.

Los Angeles Times Carina Chocano

The action, heavily influenced by Hong Kong martial arts films, is beautifully choreographed.

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

The essence of the film is slapsticky, chopsocky action, rendered with great verve and accompanied by bromides having to do with the need to believe.

Chicago Reader Andrea Gronvall

Tongue-in-cheek dialogue, inventive slapstick and fight sequences, and luminous production design make this a treat.

Austin Chronicle Josh Rosenblatt

Po (Black) may be an animated panda bear, but make no mistake: Deep down he's really just a nerd with a pop-culture obsession.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Stephen Cole

The film lacks the comic ingenuity of the best in CGI critter movies. It's not fun-for-the-whole-family, like "Shrek." Still, it's a howl and amazement for anyone under 12.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

Kung Fu Panda goes nowhere surprising even as its images unscroll handsomely before our eyes. The sound could go out in the theater, and you wouldn't ask for your money back.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

This is an unashamedly old-fashioned children's movie, and a predictable message is part of the mission. But that's okay; what the movie lacks in surprises, it makes up for in whimsical fun.

NPR Bob Mondello

Though the film's simple story is squarely aimed at tots, DreamWorks' digitizers have referenced Eastern visual styles -- everything from delicate Chinese screens to flashy Japanese anime -- to enliven the look of the film.

Variety Todd McCarthy

A nice looking but heavily formulaic DreamWorks animation entry.

USA Today Claudia Puig

Though occasionally visually inventive, Kung Fu Panda is a disappointment when it comes to matters of simple black and white: the script.

Film Threat Pete Vonder Haar

It's impressive enough to look at, and the voice talent – especially Black and Hoffman - doesn't disappoint, but all the CGI wankery and high-end talent only barely allows Kung Fu Panda to rise above cliché.

The average user rating for this movie is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 76 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Cale A. gave it a10:
WALL-E is at least a 9, and so is Kung Fu Panda. I don't know why the score is low right now. This is not to be missed. do yourself a favor and watch it at 1080p res bluray etc. I'm hoping that score will go up when it releases on dvd and bluray in a couple weeks. a must see. I rarely give out 10s, im very picky, but this animation is my personal flavor. they did an amazing job. very much appreciated.

Morten J. gave it a7:
This movie is really funny, with a lot of "kung fu" fighting and the voice acting is great too. I really recommend this movie.

Dave F gave it an8:
A much better movie than I expected. I am no fan of Jack Black, but his casting was on the mark and he carries the character well. This movie was cute and my kids loved it.

Rishi I gave it an8:
Very enjoyable movie for both kids and adults. A simply movie formula done extremely well. The fight scenes were surprisingly good as well, Wo Ping would be proud. The animation is excellent and brings the story of a likable Panda to life.

Daz L gave it an8:
Such an enjoyable film to watch with a great cast backing it up. Perfect film to watch with the family or if your just in the mood for a laugh.

Jason D. gave it a10:
I thought this would be good fun but quite frankly I was awestruck to the point of tears at some of the staggeringly beautiful backdrops and scenes. Admittedly I am a sucker for visuals but I was not the only one in the theatre gasping and breathless with astonishment at times. For me then, the best computer animated film to date, even with the standard so high overall

CJ A. gave it a9:
This movie was action packed and hilarious! The humor in the movies was great and kept laughing until the very end. A great movie for all ages!

Kung Fu Panda DreamWorks Animation

Kung Fu Panda
DreamWorks Animation