31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly Good, January 24, 2006
This movie is better than I expected. I thought it would be really corny and dumb. But it was really good actually.
The Chinese actors in this movie really are speaking Mandarin. A good friend of mine who is Chinese was watching this movie with me, and translated the Chinese dialogue for me. It was authentic and fit with the movie. For instance, when the girl Ling and her grandfather are arguing in the back of the tractor at the beginning of the movie, the girl is complaining about this spoiled brat white kid. The grandfather is telling her to be quiet. Then when the cart crashes, the grandfather starts complaining that they've got no respect for old people.
That nice little authentic touch, which was never translated on-screen, added a lot to the movie in my opinion. The only part my friend couldn't understand was when they went to the Tibetan village, because the people there were speaking Tibet dialect, not Mandarin. That just makes it more authentic.
The scenery for the movie is quite beautiful. They must have had to travel far from the cities of China to find such an unpopulated, beautiful place. Shots of the city were authentic also, but it is good that the movie didn't spend much time there.
Usually I like to take a movie and rip it to shreds, nitpicking each and every flaw I can find and criticizing it mercilessly. With this movie, I would rather not do that. Seeing a cute little baby panda happily running and stumbling along is a sight rarely seen, and is so cute that it makes me want to ignore anything that might be wrong with this movie otherwise.
When the mama panda gets trapped in the bear-trap, man that really makes you feel bad. To me it was an even worse feeling than when Bambi's mother died. Fortunately, it all turns out good in the end.
If only the same could be said for pandas in real life. Now I see why it is such a shame that there are so few of them left. Only 1,000 left? I hope the population has grown since this movie was made. It's been 10 years since then.
You know, cuteness rarely does it for me. Too much cute usually makes me gag. But the cuteness in this movie just won me over. Mainly because it is so authentic. A baby panda rolling off of a log and landing on its head just can't be faked, and it is extremely cute to say the least.
You can't watch the baby panda in this movie and feel nothing, unless you are just cold and dead inside.
In conclusion, this is a very good family movie. As another reviewer put it, it's a movie you can watch with your kids and actually not feel bored. Recommmended.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For Kids, May 29, 2006
I think all the people who reviewed this film have to watch it again from the prospective of a child. Of course the basis of the story isn't plausible, that is the fun of it. This movie is the epitome of a childs' dream adventure. When you are watching it remember that the movie isn't targetted towards adults, it is supposed to be this fantastic adventure where kids get learn things without parents and have an amazing time. So get over yourselves and look at the movie from a different point of view. I love this movie I challenge anyone to disagree with my prospective. Hope you enjoy!
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23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
What makes a young persons adventure?, August 27, 2004
They must fight their own battles. This means they will probably disobey adults. I'm sure no one has ever seen a teenager disobey an adult. That would not be realistic would it? I'm sure no one has ever seen a teenager put themselves in danger. Anyone that thinks teenagers don't disobey adults and put themselves in danger is living in a world I have not seen. I guess that clarifies what I think of the one reviewers bashing of this movie.
Now as for the movie, if you enjoy movies like "Alaska" or "Fly Away Home" where a family is put in a difficult situation and they are trying to save animals, you will probably enjoy this movie. Great acting, sets, music and scenery make this a wonderful family movie. Any film about saving animals is a plus in my book. Especially if they are in danger of extinction. If you feel there is a real issue with the teenage boy not following orders, what better time to discuss it with your teenagers than while you watch the movie together.
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