Kung Fu Panda: One Light Saber Up

Our family has gotten into a routine of enjoying a movie while eating our popcorn dinner on Sunday nights. This week's movie was Kung Fu Panda, and this was at least our third watching as a family, so right off the bat it's obvious we give it six thumbs up.

Synopsis: Po, a rotund panda bear who adores the Furious Five Kung Fu masters but has no martial arts skills whatsoever, is accidentally chosen as the all-powerful dragon warrior when he lands himself in the middle of a legendary Kung Fu ceremony. Under the tutelage of master Shifu, Po trains to take on the dreaded Tai Lung who has escaped from prison and threatens to wreak havoc on the village.

Highlights: Characters we can connect and sympathize with, clean humor and a good storyline keep the film entertaining for kids and adults.

Snags: The lesson Po learns is that there is no secret to greatness. He looks at his reflection and realizes that what he sees is what's great in him, not something secret ingredient he's been searching for. From a Christian standpoint, this is a missed opportunity to teach that we are not great in and of ourselves, but only because of Christ in us. However, as a secular movie it does encourage kids (and adults, perhaps) to accept themselves for who they are and not try to become someone else.

There is also a lot of animated violence, but its fanciful nature -- animated animal characters twirling through the sky -- keeps it from becoming objectionable. At least once a character is whacked in the groin, which was unnecessary, I thought.

Conclusion: This is one our whole family has enjoyed repeatedly. Although it may not offer much in the way of life lessons, it is a safe and enjoyable watch for a family. One light-saber up.