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PANDA SAGA

Stunning views and a so-so story in China

By David DicksteinPublished: February, 2005

For ages 5-9

China: The Panda Adventure
IMAX/Warner Home Video; G; 49 minutes;
$15 (DVD)
Available Feb. 1
Stunning visuals and so-so story make this a middling effort released in 2001 and shown in 2-D on IMAX screens ever since. Maria Bello stars as Ruth Harkness, a fiercely independent New York socialite whose husband, Bill, died while observing the rare and unstudied panda bear of 1936 China. She is determined to pick up where her husband tragically left off, retracing Bill’s steps in hopes of saving the pandas from a poacher. A cliché-laden script and one-dimensional characters are mercifully overshadowed by breathtaking cinematography and adorable pandas. Grade: B

For ages 3-5

The Adventures of the American Rabbit
MGM; G; 82 minutes; $15 (DVD)
Available Feb. 8
This 1986 animated fantasy lacks in richness and quality, but has its comical moments. The feature follows the adventures a superhero rabbit named Rob (voiced by Barry Gordon). By day he’s a pianist in a band, by night (or whenever trouble is afoot) he saves folks from dam bursts and a Jackal biker gang. What sets Rob apart from all the other superhero hares out there is his feet become roller skates and his fur turns red, white and blue. Patriotic and pleasant, but strictly for children of the age when rabbits are known as “bunny rabbits.” Grade: B-

For ages 4-9

Mulan II
Disney; G; 79 minutes;
$30 (DVD), $25 (VHS)
Available Feb. 1
When we last hooked up with Fa Mulan, she was getting hit on by Captain Shang after she disguised herself as a man to save China from the Mongolians. The lower-quality, but worthy sequel to the animated 1998 Disney feature continues where cupid left off. Shang, now a general, proposes matrimony, but before he and Fa can live happily ever as most Disney couples do, they must complete a secret mission assigned by the Emperor (voiced by Pat Morita). Meanwhile, Mushu tries to break up the lovebirds for fear that his guardian gig will end if Mulan marries into the Shang family. Returning voice cast members include Ming-Na as Fa and B.D. Wong and Donny Osmond as the speaking and singing voices of Gen. Li, respectively. Just as he did with Donkey on the Shrek 2 video game, Mark Moseley replaces a character originated by Eddie Murphy. Mushu sounds just fine. DVD bonuses include an animated music video performed by bubble gum singing group Atomic Kitten and an entertaining look at China’s rich history and culture. Grade: B

The Cat Returns
Disney; G; 75 minutes;
$30 (DVD)
Available Feb. 22
Japan’s Studio Ghibli has produced some of the best anime feature films to date, notably “Princess Mononoke” (1997) and “Spirited Away” (2001). No wonder Disney and its boutique subsidiary Miramax jumped at the chance to distribute these films in the United States. Unfortunately, “The Cat Returns” is not up to the same caliber. Still, the story of a young Japanese girl who courageously prevents a strange cat from being run over by a truck and is formally thanked at a mysterious cat kingdom is a charmer. Grade: B+

For ages 6-12

Shark Tale
DreamWorks; PG; 92 minutes;
$30 (DVD), $25 (VHS)
Available Feb. 8
A couple of clever moments save this undersea computer-animated feature from being classified as a hook, line and stinker. Although a whale-sized commercial hit from the makers of “Shrek,” reeling in $309 million worldwide during its fall theatrical run, the movie gets water-logged from a formulaic story and jokes that miss more than hit. Plus, the star of the voice cast, Will Smith, is so darn annoying as a small fish named Oscar who poses as a shark killer to build himself up and save a vegetarian great white (Jack Black) from embarrassing his godfatherly father (Robert De Niro). A Pixar film this ain’t.
Grade: C