The filmmakers additionally go a little further to surprise in the finer storytelling details. Po does persist throughout but has moments of doubt when he literally shouts out, asking, “How are you going to turn me into a dragon warrior?” Shifu’s eventual strategy to this leads to an exuberant sequence in which he and Po battle fiercely over the last remaining dumpling and Po finally has his moment of clarity. Also, the finale avoids merely striking the typical crowd-cheering note (although it certainly has that) but ends with an intimate and very funny dialogue exchange.

Indeed, funny is something this film is frequently for children and adults alike and much of the credit goes to Jack Black, whose simple comedic voice puts a new spin to the martial arts on display (his delivery of the phrase, “Skidoosh” will have kids imitating it like crazy). It may sound like oblique praise to say this, but Black was practically born to voice this panda. Dustin Hoffman is also an ideal choice to voice Shifu as he brings some real gravitas to the story (even though I couldn’t help noticing that since Shifu means “master” in Chinese, it would make him Shifu Shifu). On the villainous side, Ian McShane from Deadwood brings some juicy ferocity while Angelina Jolie convincingly dials herself down to a more serious presence as Shifu’s most trusted disciple.

If one really stops to think about it, there are not that many high concept movies that really sell themselves instantly at the title like Kung Fu Panda does. And not many of them end up being very good as they lazily depend on stock clichés to pass as entertainment. The one thing Kung Fu Panda is not, from its filmmakers to ultimately its titular character, is lazy and their enthusiasm goes a long way to turn a time-tested premise into a fresh, skillful entertainment and silence the naysayers.

Bottom line: Pretty close to brilliance.