This animated feature is based on a 2003 novel, but there are a lot of similarities to Kung Fu Panda (2008) and its subsequent franchise. Even though the novel used here came before that 2008 blockbuster cartoon, this film can't help but feel as if it's in the shadow of Kung Fu Panda. There's also shades or echoes of Pixar's Turning Red (2022), but that film did a good job of developing its core relationship, which culminated in a more powerful and emotional climax. This film tries for that emotional climax, but the development of the core relationship here didn't feel as deep as it could have or should have been. The core relationship here instead felt very bare bones and not as fleshed out to be super impactful.
Brandon Soo Hoo (Teen Titans: The Judas Contract and From Dusk till Dawn: The Series) voices Tom Lee, a 15-year-old boy living in San Francisco. He lives with his grandmother. There's no explanation as to what happened to his mom, dad or other grandparents. His grandmother's house is weirdly decorated, so much that people accuse her of being a witch. In fact, Tom is bullied at school because of his grandma's house. It's odd that Tom would be bullied for that and not anything that he himself did or anything personally about him, which is part of the failing of this film. It doesn't really give us much about Tom personally. He's just an average teenage boy, which might be the point, but it makes the narrative less engaging. There's some indication that Tom is a skateboarder but the film doesn't do much with that.
Henry Golding (The Gentlemen and Crazy Rich Asians) voices Hu, a warrior who is known as a zodiac. He's part of the mythology that's related to the Chinese calendar, which assigns a specific animal to a particular year. What's revealed is that like Turning Red, Hu can transform into one of those animals, and that animal is a tiger. Hu is like a werewolf but instead of a canine, he becomes a giant cat and he can do so at will. He doesn't have to wait for a full moon for example. His job is to protect Tom's family. He's been around said family for all of Tom's life, but Tom has never met him before.
This film has to then put in the work of developing the relationship between Tom and Hu. There's no explanation of what happened to Tom's father, but Hu steps in as a father-figure for Tom. If one has seen The Karate Kid (1984), it seems as if Tom and Hu are meant to be akin to Daniel and Mr. Miyagi. This feature even references The Karate Kid. Having to build that relationship from scratch is more difficult, but The Karate Kid did it, so it's not impossible. The film simply has to put in the time to build that relationship, which is set up as the core relationship here. Unfortunately, it doesn't. The film instead spins its wheels introducing a variety of characters in the vein of Ocean's Eleven (2001), but, aside from a couple of action moments, those characters don't add much and divert from the Tom and Hu relationship.
Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) voices Loo, an evil witch who commands demons that want to take a magical medallion or necklace away from Tom. Loo knows that Tom was given that necklace from his grandma and that the necklace has world-changing power. She's wicked and Yeoh gives a vocal performance that is delicious, as well as perfectly sinister and fun. Loo is revealed not only to be a witch but also a mother. Yet, the film doesn't really do anything with that aspect either. It's revealed in a manner similar to Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) or even the recent Argylle (2024). Loo is fine as a villain, but she would've been better if she were developed more.
The animation looks like that from Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), which is funny because there is a fight scene between Loo and Tom's grandma that reminded me of the fight scene between Yoda and Dooku or Yoda and Palpatine in the Star Wars prequels. Speaking of which, Dave Filoni who was a producer and director on The Clone Wars was also a director on Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005). There were times that this feature was giving me the same vibes as that 2005 Nickelodeon series. Except, that 2005 program did a better job of developing its core relationships and characters, which may not matter to younger kids who seem to be the target demographic here, but those Filoni shows are simply examples of how something like this could be done better.
Rated PG for action/violence and suggestive references.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 24 mins.
Available on Paramount +.
