Jackie Chan is back playing Jackie Chan in the sequel family adventure comedy Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe.
Jackie Chan is at the point in his career where he’s an icon that’s an industry on himself. Icon. Legend. Super Star. Superlatives do not do justice for the 72-year-old. Beyond the stunt work, the mega box office hits, the multi-platinum musical career (the real ones know…), and philanthropist amongst other things. At this point it feels like Jackie is doing what Jackie wants and if he wants to make movies about his adventures with a CGI panda then … well, Jackie is going to make movies about his adventures with a CGI panda then.
Not to be coy, these movies (including the original that came out in 2024) are literally Jackie playing Jackie. Not in the way that the Police Story films are Jackie playing a character named Jackie (it happens so often if you’re a fan of his work you honestly just go with it). No, Jackie is playing Jackie Chan, action movie icon. It’s a funny tongue and cheek thing yes but there’s a sincerity to it all that feels genuine that’s always been a trademark of Chan’s work. Recently the actor’s lighter fare has been more closely hued to his persona (see: Panda Plan, and Ride On) along with the mega budget action spectaculars (the recent Tony Leung co-starring actioner The Shadow’s Edge).
Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe is a part of that family friendly Jackie filmography but adding a component of magical fantasy that feels apart of his bigger action epics that wasn’t present in the original. Well, as much as a movie about a panda that has a human like personality isn’t a magical fantasy. In this sequel we find Jackie (and Huhu the panda of the title) being transported into an alternate reality (take that marvel with your multiverse) of a tribe based land with evil weather patterns and a dangerous mountain. Jackie and Huhu must save the magical tribe of the title. Well actually, they think that Huhu has to sacrifice herself to appease the gods and quell the mountains anger and Jackie will have none of it.
There is a lot of moving parts but it’s not an arduous a task to watch this charming and harmless affair as one would think. Chan and company keep everything moving as fast as a film can move with entertaining action scenes and oh-so-twee scenes of Huhu being Huhu (you won’t mind and might actually find yourself saying “aww” a few times). Yes, it does have its issues but generally is a animable film that’s message of acceptance, family, teamwork in a family film can’t be too terrible especially with a film as skillfully made as this one (and the original). It’s also refreshing to see a film where the bad guys aren’t bad just misunderstood or misguided by dogmatic rules.
One could do a lot worse than Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe. See if in a theater if for nothing else than to see a giant cloud panda god on the big screen. When is one ever going to see that? Also be sure to stay for the End credits which is a full-on musical number and sort of mini-sequel to the film.
Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe is in theaters April 17th
Jackie Chan is back playing Jackie Chan in the sequel family adventure comedy Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe.
Jackie Chan is at the point in his career where he’s an icon that’s an industry on himself. Icon. Legend. Super Star. Superlatives do not do justice for the 72-year-old. Beyond the stunt work, the mega box office hits, the multi-platinum musical career (the real ones know…), and philanthropist amongst other things. At this point it feels like Jackie is doing what Jackie wants and if he wants to make movies about his adventures with a CGI panda then … well, Jackie is going to make movies about his adventures with a CGI panda then.
Not to be coy, these movies (including the original that came out in 2024) are literally Jackie playing Jackie. Not in the way that the Police Story films are Jackie playing a character named Jackie (it happens so often if you’re a fan of his work you honestly just go with it). No, Jackie is playing Jackie Chan, action movie icon. It’s a funny tongue and cheek thing yes but there’s a sincerity to it all that feels genuine that’s always been a trademark of Chan’s work. Recently the actor’s lighter fare has been more closely hued to his persona (see: Panda Plan, and Ride On) along with the mega budget action spectaculars (the recent Tony Leung co-starring actioner The Shadow’s Edge).
Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe is a part of that family friendly Jackie filmography but adding a component of magical fantasy that feels apart of his bigger action epics that wasn’t present in the original. Well, as much as a movie about a panda that has a human like personality isn’t a magical fantasy. In this sequel we find Jackie (and Huhu the panda of the title) being transported into an alternate reality (take that marvel with your multiverse) of a tribe based land with evil weather patterns and a dangerous mountain. Jackie and Huhu must save the magical tribe of the title. Well actually, they think that Huhu has to sacrifice herself to appease the gods and quell the mountains anger and Jackie will have none of it.
There is a lot of moving parts but it’s not an arduous a task to watch this charming and harmless affair as one would think. Chan and company keep everything moving as fast as a film can move with entertaining action scenes and oh-so-twee scenes of Huhu being Huhu (you won’t mind and might actually find yourself saying “aww” a few times). Yes, it does have its issues but generally is a animable film that’s message of acceptance, family, teamwork in a family film can’t be too terrible especially with a film as skillfully made as this one (and the original). It’s also refreshing to see a film where the bad guys aren’t bad just misunderstood or misguided by dogmatic rules.
One could do a lot worse than Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe. See if in a theater if for nothing else than to see a giant cloud panda god on the big screen. When is one ever going to see that? Also be sure to stay for the End credits which is a full-on musical number and sort of mini-sequel to the film.
Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe is in theaters April 17th
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