Kung Fu movies have long been a cult staple in the action movie industry, due to their over-the-top choreographies, the stunning amount of physical strength and agility that is necessary to perform such movements, and the gripping fight scenes that promise to get the adrenaline racing. Dubbed Kung Fu movies, complete with poor translations and accented versions of English, are also cult classics due to the inherent comedic factor of the sum of the parts. An inventive take on the whole genre exists in Kung Fu Panda, an animated film by DreamWorks Animation starring the voices of Jack Black, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Lucie Liu, Angelina Jolie, and others. In keeping with other popular DreamWorks title, Kung Fu Panda promises to be entertaining for children and adults alike, usually by combining fun slapstick humor for the children with subtle jokes geared towards parents, all the while maintaining a plot that is fresh and intriguing.

DreamWorks Animation came into being in 1997, originally called DreamWorks SKG, when director and producer Steven Spielberg teamed up with music executive David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg. The aim was to use computer-generated graphics to create feature films, an idea which was carried out by DreamWorks SKG’s first film, Antz. The film was a critical success as well as a box office success, grossing about $171 million worldwide. In 2000, DreamWorks Animation was created as a division of DreamWorks SKG, and it would be the animation studio dedicated to creating animated films both in the traditional fashion and in the cutting-edge computer-generated way. The year 2004 marked the end of traditional animation as far as DreamWorks Animation goes, and since then it has worked solely on computer-generated feature films, generally geared toward children but still entertaining for adults and teenagers as well. The Shrek series has been DreamWorks Animation’s most successful venture, both in the realm of profits and critical reception. Other popular titles include Madagascar, Shark Tale, Over the Hedge, and the recent Bee Movie.

Kung Fu Panda deals with the adventures of Po, voiced by Jack Black. Po is a panda, apprentice noodle-maker, and major kung fu enthusiast. Regardless of his interest in kung fu, Po happens to be an extremely lazy panda, perhaps the laziest animal in all of ancient China, and it seems that he is destined for a life of sluggishness. The opposite is true, though, when a prophecy names Po as the “Chosen One”. Among other duties, the Chosen One is tasked with the important job of stopping the evil warrior Tai Lung from wreaking havoc on China after his escape from prison. Po is not alone in his travels, though, because Sifu, a kung fu master voiced by Dustin Hoffman, accompanies him and helps Po realize his inner potential. Sifu is responsible for the training of some of the greatest warriors in the entire world, and is thus a suitable foil for the lazy kung fu enthusiast. The five greatest warriors are each represented by animal stances that are used in the art of kung fu: Tiger, Monkey, Viper, Crane, and Mantis. When the forces of these great warriors combine with Sifu’s mentorship and Po’s prophesied greatness, they are able to pursue Tai Lung and put a stop to his evil.

The soundtrack for Kung Fu Panda will be influenced by traditional Chinese music and composed by Hans Zimmer, who will be visiting China eventually to immerse himself in the culture as well as to acquaint himself with the Chinese National Symphony. Hans Zimmer is responsible for the scores of several DreamWorks films as well as many other notable blockbusters. Composer John Powell will also be contributing to the score, which is the first such cooperative effort between the two composers in eight years, their previous work being featured in The Road to El Dorado. These two qualified composers promise a sweeping soundtrack that should suitably fit the plot of Kung Fu Panda.

The premise of the film revolves around Chinese martial arts, specifically kung fu, although the term as it has come to be known in English varies from the actual Chinese meaning. In English, “kung fu” can refer to the entire field of Chinese martial arts, while in Chinese, the same term refers to a person’s expertise in any skill, not limited to martial arts. Regardless of that fact, “kung fu” has come to reference any of several styles of Chinese martial arts. An integral part of the original practice of kung fu is the strengthening of the body and mind and the pursuit of excellence in martial arts. Those who practice Chinese martial arts must commit themselves to honing their bodies through training and hard work in order to succeed. Motivation, self-discipline, and time are the three main components that go into mastering martial arts, because the interest in the skill, the required efforts and patience to go about mastering the skill, and the investment of a reasonable amount of time into putting these things into practice.

One could say that Po has the motivation to be a kung fu master, since he is so very enthusiastic about the skill. Self-discipline, though, is something he lacks since he is one of the laziest creatures in ancient China. His discipline comes through the presence of Sifu, the kung fu master who has trained so many of the world’s greatest warriors. Sifu knows exactly what needs to be done to extract the hero from Po, allowing Po to live up to his name and his destiny as the Chosen One. Po certainly can invest time into learning martial arts, since he has to track down Tai Lung after preparing himself for the battle ahead. With that in mind, the movie stays true to the original philosophies laid forth by the first kung fu masters who pioneered the martial art form as we know it today.

Another important aspect of kung fu is to keep putting time and effort into the skill, rather than to just reach a certain point and then rely on what one has learned. Po, as a very lazy and sluggish panda to begin with, may find himself, at certain points, unwilling to put the required effort into his martial arts practice. But the urgency of the situation as well as the presence of the kung fu master, Sifu, will allow him to reach inside himself, past the urge to just lay back and let the world go on around him, and fulfill his prophecy as the Chosen One.

For many reasons, Kung Fu Panda looks to be another DreamWorks classic. From the natural comedic element that Jack Black brings in his interpretation of any character to the gripping plot and the unconventional setting, Kung Fu Panda should be a hit with parents and children alike. Perhaps even enthusiasts of Chinese martial arts would enjoy the more light-hearted representation of the ancient fighting style, as well as the physical representations of the different fighting styles in the form of actual characters. Regardless of the reason, Kung Fu Panda should appeal to enough movie goers to provide DreamWorks with another classic to add to their repertoire.

Kung Fu Panda premiers June 6, 2008.