Kung Fu Panda versus Wall-E
Tuesday, July 1st, 2008Two excellent CGI movies have come out this summer, both from completely different computer animation studios.
Kung Fu Panda. From Dreamworks Animation, the studio that brought us Shrek (all three of them), Shark Tale, Madagascar, Over the Hedge, and the Bee Movie. Mostly “meh” movies, some good, some not. Kung Fu Panda featured the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, and Jackie Chan.
Wall-E. From Pixar, the studio that brought us everything great about computer animation: Toy Story (both of the them), Monsters, Inc., the Incredibles, Cars, and Ratatouille. Mostly fantastic movies, pretty much each and every one. Wall-E featured the voices of essentially nobodies, with the exception of Sigourney Weaver and John Ratzenberger. There was very little speaking involved, so this isn’t surprising to see.
This however, might be surprising: between the two movies, I preferred Kung Fu Panda.
To me, it was the more entertaining of the two. It had characters that I (and my kids) could better relate to. It had a story that was more compelling. It had much, much more action and intensity. And, as far as I’m concerned, more humor.
Now, that doesn’t mean that Wall-E was horrible – not by any stretch of the imagination. It was a wonderful, warm, captivating film. The two movies are very close in quality in my mind. On a scale of 1 to 10, Wall-E would rate a 7 while Kung Fu Panda would garner an 8.
I think in a lot of people’s minds, any Pixar film automatically gains additional awesome points just by virtue of being a Pixar film. Because of Dreamworks’ lackluster history, films from that studio might lose awesome points by the same criteria. But as far as I’m concerned, even additional Pixar awesome points doesn’t bring Wall-E up to Kung Fu Panda’s level.
Am I alone in thinking this? Is it impossible to compare the two movies because their style and presentation are so drastically different? Should every Pixar movie simply win by default?
Kung fu panda was funnier, but Wall-e was a better movie.
That’s kind of where I was on the issue.
I loved Kung Fu Panda, but Wall-e was touching in a way that only maybe Toy Story also was (i still get kind of worked up at the idea at the end when buzz and woddy have traded roles on the subject of flying).
That last sequence in Wall-e, from basically when he first pulled out the boot in the trash-room and tried handing it to Eve until he finally came back. It was unreal the first time I watched it. I’ve never felt something so heavy from an animated film before. Kung Fu Panda was fun and entertaining, but his whole “there’s no secret ingredient” climax had nothing on the spark-like kiss that Eve gives to Wall-e to bring him back at the end of that movie.
The music and characterization of Wall-e in that scene moment when he pushes past eve was so incredibly touching. Maybe it was just me though (and my wife, she actually cried at the end).
But whatever. Like I said. If asked, I would say that Kung Fu Panda was funnier and probably a better kids movie, but Wall-e was something else entirely.
You have all the rights to prefer KFP over WALL-E, but to compare them is like compare Super Bad to Finding Neverland. They’re both good in their own way but very different in every way.
If I want some good laugh and nice Kung Fu moves, I take KFP. But If I want to see something truly special with someone special to me, I’d watch WALL-E with her.
Kung Fu panda, it was funnier, it was more artistic, and i enjoyed more. The best CGAnimated movie of all , Pixar and DW included.
Here is a link of the “making of KFP”
http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=4549&page=1
I understand what others are saying about how can you compare KFP and Wall-e as they are so very different movies, however, keep in mind that these are the ONLY 2 animated movies of the summer. You can’t compare KFP to Incredible Hulk!
I do have to agree, if you could only see one animated movie this summer, Wall-e would be the choice. It was spectacular!
Wall E rockssss go walle
p.s i like kung fu panda but wall e is better
i went to see wall e the other day and i thought it was
really funny and the story line was good
my favorite characters were probally the crazy robots
especially the make up one and the the one with chainsaw arms
I am attracted to EVE.
More artistic Kung Fu Panda than WALL-E Carlos?, you are nuts xDD
i’ll vote for kungfu panda. for sure it entertains me more and more relateable to childhood
Carlos, you are dead wrong. There is not even a chance that Panda is “more artistic” than Wall-E.
Most experts are predicting that Wall-E win the Oscar by a landslide.
umm have you guys even looked at the international box office….kung fu panda is rocking wall*e like there is no tomorrow…..sorry to disappoint you but kids dont like wall*e as much and though it may appeal to adults, most adults hate animated films…these are things you have to think about when reviewing a movie as well…
why r u guys supporting kung fu panda……wall e its so emotional and captiviting and one of the most loveable charecter ever produced by any animated film…..kung fu panda is just one of those stupid comedies….dreamworks is good some of their films are better than pixar’s but mostly pixar’s are better
you call wall-e emotional? oh, no, I think you mean naive? wall-e as a character maybe good, but the storyline is just stupid. why the human want to return to the earth? any good reason? where is democracy US often advocated? panda is definitely better film overall than wall-e.
@ Matt,
I can’t be the only one who thought “electric spark kiss of miraculous amnesia cure” was a bigger and cornier deus ex machina than “There is no secret ingredient.” The build to the latter was so much better, and while idealistic, it’s not nearly as corny, and I love how the line was dropped in a subplot rather than smashed into the main arc.
Plus, Po > Wall-E as a protagonist. He was cynical – he reflected a real human being, not an idealized romantic figure. After being insulted for so long, keeping his optimism all the while, the scene where he rails against Shifu, who only believed in him at another’s behest, unable to provide any answers – where he releases all the pent up frustration and self-doubt? It was incredibly real and resonant.
Plus, a plot that worked with no romance. How refreshing is that? It focused on the relationship of a teacher and student – in this way, it reminds me of a PIXAR classic, Finding Nemo, my favorite animated film.
Wall-E is touching, sweet, and deep, but Kung Fu Panda is the greater film. No heavy-handed morality and idealistic romantic notions – just charm and realness and ambition, handling a cynical world with a bit of good-hearted, optimistic humor.
Difficult to say which of the two is better. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. Kung Fu Panda has terrific animation. Animation is all about timing, and its done to perfection in Kung Fu Panda. The fight scenes are incredibly complex from a technical standpoint, and Wall-e is more of a character driven movie. Trying to judge which of the two is a better movie is like trying to compare apples with oranges.
I loved both movies. Please stop putting in stupid comments with box office records to use that as a reason why one movie is better than the other.
I can say without flinching that Kung Fu Panda was the better film. It had more entertainment value, and, I feel it had more heart. This is not to say that I didn’t think Wall-E isn’t also good, but I do believe that the shiny PIXAR logo has blinded people to the movie’s flaws. If Wall-E was edited down a bit, and all the cg humans were “off camera”, I think the story would have been stronger, and the live action integration would have been flawless. That movie.. would have possibly been the clear winner. I don’t agree that the story is unique either. It’s only as unique as Kung Fu Panda is, and I none of the kids at the theater watching Kung Fu Panda fell asleep, or complained afterward. I don’t want to vote for a movie based on technical achievement, I vote on rewatchability..