Au secours petit panda

Lighten up! This movie IS FOR KIDS! My 9 year old daughter and her Chinese mom really enjoyed this. The admittedly fake storyline (which could have been stolen from any of about nine million family wildlife movies) is overcome by the sheer personality of the panda cub and the terrific scenery. There are very few movies that depict either pandas or the beautiful Chinese panda reserves. The movie also shows the American contribution to the preservation of the pandas; the Chinese government wasn't doing much at all until American naturalists got involved in the 70's.

Kids will enjoy this and you crabby adults will survive it.

Pretty average as far as family films go but it's totally harmless and good for all ages, especially young children. The best part of the film is the scenic shots of China's mountains and forests, and young kids will be delighted to see a cute baby panda bumbling around throughout most of the film. Overall, if you have children and don't want to expose them to more adult-oriented films, this one is a pretty safe and entertaining option.

I do remember 11 years ago (or so I don't know) seeing the trailer for this film, and I wanted to see it in theaters-but I didn't get a chance. But when it came out on video, I got it as a Valentine's Day gift from my mom. When I watched it, I really loved it, though I can remember having only watched it a couple of times long ago-until now, that is.

The film starts when 10-year-old Ryan Tyler goes to China during his spring break to visit his zoologist dad, Michael, who has been working on a project to rescue the dwindling panda population. But there was poacher trouble and Ryan, along with young assistant/translator Ling, decided to rescue an adorable panda cub, which had been "animal-napped" and they must return him to his mother, whom Dr. Tyler rescued from a trap and brought back to the reserve to care for. As they gain maturity and face unexpected adventures, the two youngsters learn to love and respect pandas as they gain maturity and tolerance for each other, of course.

Like I said (a million times), I was shocked by the negative reviews and ratings I would see on the web. I mean, I love films about human/animal relations; this film has heart and a little humor. And I think films like this one would enlist people's sympathies for the giant panda population.

I watched this movie with friends and we laughed the whole way through. This would be fine, if the movie was a comedy, but instead its a bland and ultimately forgettable childrens flick. You can tell that RYAN only got the part because he was Christian Slaters brother, as he hams up the screen throughout its entirety. LING is certainly no better, her fake asian accent is pathetic, as is her acting ability. I realize they are only kids but there have been good child actors before, and these two aren't up to scratch. The real star of the show is the panda, it shows character throughout, especially in the scene when it attacks Ryan on the bridge. This of course excludes the scenes in which it is played by a robot, did the director actually think that thing looked like a real panda? Overall this film is bad, but watchable Family material. The kids will probably love it, but there are better films around. Rehire E.T., the Goonies, or even Toy story, these films are more sincere and watchable then this movie, and will actually be remembered in time to come.

My Take: Harmless yet decent family entertainment. Nothing more, nothing less.

Think MY DOG SKIP with a panda. Here, the little boy happens to be the son of zoologist with a devotion to a Chinese Panda reserve. What if the boy and his friend, daughter of his father's right hand man, happens to rescue a cute little Panda cub from two Chinese stereotype poachers? This is exactly what THE AMAZING PANDA ADVENTURE is about, and it does nothing else. While it isn't a great effort, and surely not above others of its craft, THE AMAZING PANDA ADVENTURE is entertaining, and basically perfect for an evening matinée with the kids.

Newcomer Ryan Slater plays the little kid visiting his zoologist father (Stephen Lang) in a Panda reserve, on the verge of being savaged by officious bureaucrats. He also gets his hands tangled with a plot to save a small Panda cub from the hands of two bumbling poachers, who happen to be Chinese for a change, no less. The movie has very little happening then on, except for mild peril and adventure. Trekking through forests and villages, dodging poachers until reaching into its finale, THE AMAZING PANDA ADVENTURE isn't exactly an exciting or terrific adventure, but for harmless family viewing, it isn't a bad shot at trying. The panda, by the way, is a convincing and cute alternating use of a real cub and a realistic animatronic puppet. The settings are also lush and captures the feel of the moments situations.

Regardless its shortcomings and weaknesses, THE AMAZING PANDA ADVENTURE is nonetheless harmlessly entertaining. Rent it for the kids.

Rating: *** out of 5.