Pandas

The fun family IMAX film, Pandas is wonderfully entertaining and educational. It is a documentary about the journey following one particular panda living in captivity, to its release into the wild. The movie begins when Chen Chen is just a pup, living with other baby pandas in captivity. Based on the black bear research of Ben Kilham, this lucky panda is released and followed in the wild. The American researcher, Jacob Owens and the Chinese researcher, Bi Wen Li work together to help bring Chen Chen into her natural environment. Along the journey, she has some awkward moments and challenging times. I won't tell you what they are because it would give away a big part of the movie.

My favorite scene is the beginning when we see Chen Chen and the other pandas playing together. In many ways, they seem just like little kids happily playing. My other favorite scene is when Ben Kilham is playing a peek-a-boo game with a black bear behind a tree (say that 10 times fast). The music, by Mark Mothersbaugh, is really child-like, which adds to the fun playfulness that we see with the pandas. The narration by Kristen Bell is spot on with her happy tone and soothing voice throughout the film. The sweetness in her voice adds to the enjoyment of the movie.

My favorite character has to be the adorable Chen Chen and also the researchers. Chen Chen is always entertaining because she is so cute, loving, has a great personality and is very curious. I especially love the part when the researchers say they will always be there for her whether it is in ten or 20 years. The message of this film is that, through research, working with others and a lot of patience, pandas and other endangered animals raised in captivity can be successfully released into the wild. The message also is that it is important to save species from extinction because "once they're gone, they're gone"

I recommend this film for ages 5 to 18 and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed by Abigail Zoe L., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, visit kidsfirst dot org.

Interesting film...but sometimes it was boring. You need to see this film because there are cute pandas. For me, something was not enough. They could do a really good film, but they didn't. For children, it was really interesting and informative.

The IMAX documentary "Pandas" is made for children. Half of it is pandas frolicking, the other half is zoologists from the US and China talking about how they're trying to stop the pandas from going extinct and have been introducing captivity-raised pandas into the wild.

Nothing special, but it does give one an idea of how the only surviving members of the genus Ailuropoda live.

PANDAS is a cute animal documentary, that also doubles as a travelogue for the country of China. Follow Chen Chen as she struggles to make it in the wild. Made for IMAX, with it's beautifully vast mountains & expansive forests, the brief 40 minute run-time does make you re-think the price of the Upgrade. Few things are cuter than a fluffy, 30 ft. baby panda, but Pandas might play better at the local science museum, rather than your Cineplex. Overflowing with cuteness, but painfully short, you leave the theater feeling slightly panda-teased. I give it an "I wonder if Chen Chen Can Whoop Po" rating. #Pandas #RatedG #GioseesMovies

I thought it was a nice little insight into the conservation of pandas. If you want something cute, cuddly, and also short. This is it.