What could be cuter than a panda? And who could be funnier and more endearing than the chubby, self-deprecating Jack Black? That’s the logic behind Kung Fu Panda, but unfortunately it just doesn’t add up.

Po (Black) is a lazy dreamer who works in his father’s noodle shop, but fantasizes about a far greater life. His father is acrane, which doesn’t seem to matter to anyone, nor does the fact that all the villagers are eerie little glassy-eyed pigs, rabbits and birds. Po is inadvertently selected to fulfill an ancient prophesy, which forces him to compete with his idols, the legendary Furious Five: Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. After a few days of training with not-so-zen master Shifu (an obscure animal identified as a "red panda"), the still pudgy Po can (of course) out do the Five, who have been in rigorous training all their lives, and save the village from destruction.

The moral of the story? Even if you’re an oafish slacker, you can surpass gifted, disciplined pros — all you have to do is believe in yourself. At least Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Ian McShane and Jackie Chan all do admirable voice work. The secret to enjoying this film is not to think too hard. Rated PG.

--LJM