Kung Fu Panda

Chosen by prophecy but doubted by all, Po is an unlikely choice for the mystical title of the Dragon Warrior—a clumsy panda thrust into the world of kung fu as a deadly enemy threatens the Valley of Peace. Under reluctant guidance by Master Shifu and the Furious Five, Po must embrace who he is to unlock the power that no scroll can teach.

Kung Fu Panda landed as a broadly pleasing animated feature, winning over most critics with its visually inventive action and good-natured humor, though a handful felt the story coasted on a familiar underdog formula and that Jack Black's Po was a character we'd seen before. The animation itself was the clearest point of agreement — even skeptics acknowledged its craft — while the debate centered on whether gorgeous visuals and comic energy were enough to compensate for thin storytelling.