Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five (2008)

Great Film overall

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

"Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five" is a short film that runs for slightly over 20 minutes and came out a couple months after the very first "Kung Fu Panda" back in 2008, probably as a DVD feature. Since then there is a second movie, several other short films and even a television series. The third feature movie will come out in 2016. In this short here, Po tells us and a class of rabbits 5 little stories about Kung Fu masters. It's really more about morale than comedy although here and there you find some slapstick. It's certainly suitable for children and especially those who enjoy the movies should like it too. My favorite from the stories is the second one about the snakes (maybe an 8/10) as it perfectly illustrates the biological aspects of venomous and constrictor snakes and I quite liked the way they displayed it with all these bands.The director Raman Hui has worked on quite a few animated movies and was the co-director of the third "Shrek" movie. The animation style in this "Kung Fu Panda" short is very similar to the full length movies. What I also found interesting were the different animal motives in the sequences, such as sheep for helpless and intimidated animals and crocodiles and bulls for antagonists. There's probably more. This one here won 4 Annie Awards (animation Oscars) and I can see why. I had a good time watching and I recommend it.

If you are looking for another adventure from Po and the Furious Five, you will be disappointed.I purchased this DVD under the impression that it was a second movie or adventure for the "Kung Fu Panda" storyline.In reality, this is a "Special Features" DVD which should have come as part of the original "Kung Fu Panda" DVD - to make it a 2 DVD set (the "Kung Fu Panda" DVD I bought only had the one disc).To actually pay a full retail price, the same price as the "Kung Fu Panda" DVD, is a massive rip-off which people should be made aware of. If i had have known, i would not have bought it.Although this is my own fault, I failed to look at the running time in the fine print at the back cover - which is something like 24 minutes. But when you have been marketed something pretending to be another story/adventure - you don't look at the running time in the fine print on the back.I loved the "Kung Fu Panda" DVD, and was really looking forward to a second movie, so thats why my disappointment is bitter, because this DVD failed to deliver that.

Well, lets just say that the producers did not try on making this side feature. It doesn't look like its too much beyond story board. The only tie-in is the whole Kung Fu Panda part.Anyway, you get to see little bits a pieces of the 5 main characters aside from Jack Black's panda. Yes, to the serious fan of the movie I guess they are OK. But to anybody else, they are a waste of time. And there is nothing more than that.Overall, not much can be said. It isn't good and its not even in CGI. Lets hope next time they can make a side feature that actually has the same animation skill as the main feature. "F"

this is a short animated film dealing of course,with the furious five,from original Kung Fu Panda movie.i thought it was OK.it has some great lessons for kids,and it's kinda cute,especially the bunnies.minor spoiler****it's really a bunch of mini stories about the past of each of the furious five,in which each one learned a very important virtue.each member gets around five or six minutes each.***end of spoiler.anyway,this little short is fun and easy to watch for the kids,and entertaining enough for the grownups.they got quite a bit of info into the short running time,and none of the characters gets short changed in terms of screen time and story.for me,Kung Fu Panda:Secrets of the Furious Five is a 6/10