Genre: Documentary
Director: Tadashi Mouri
Cast: Rhyhin and Shuhin
RunTime: 1 hr 40 mins
Released By: GV
Rating: G
Official Website: http://www.pandaful.jp/

Opening Day: 5 March 2009

Synopsis:

Rhyhin and Shuhin, 4-years-old twin brothers, are the first Giant twin pandas to be born naturally and raised in the breeding facility at Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama prefecture in Japan. While Ryuhin is playful and mischievous, Shuhin is gentle and they wrestle around with each other .Their mother, Mei-mei, the big mama was born in the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center in China and came to Shirahama in 2000, Despite the fact that it is difficult to breed pandas in captivity, she not only has given birth successfully 5 times, but also she raised the twins on her own. She is now caring 7-month-old twins Aihin and Meihin. The pandas all live a carefree happy peaceful life, without knowing the wild life.

Movie Review:

If there is one thing this reviewer doesn’t understand, it’s how people think koala bears are one of the cutest creatures in the world. He has never been too impressed with the marsupial’s laziness – it doesn’t help that his memories of the furry animal is limited to them sleeping and lounging on tree branches. For that matter, this scrooge of a reviewer doesn’t see why people are fascinated over pandas too. Sure, Jack Black may have been hell of a hoot as Po the Kungfu Panda, but come on, what’s so appealing about bears clad in black and white fur, loafing around zoo enclosures and doing nothing except for munching on bamboo shoots?

And you know they don’t break into a lean mean Kungfu fighting machine in real life.

Which is why, this reviewer was assigned the task of understanding this endangered species with this Japanese documentary. It tells the story of two pandas that were born and raised in Japan (that explains the cutesy Japanese voiceover narrated from the panda’s point of view) as an international effort to breed and promote the continual existence of the endangered animal - God bless these kind souls. The picture also introduces viewers to other pandas born in the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center in China, and how they go about living their lives in captivity.

You know instantly that this is one educational family picture you have to bring your children to. How else can you explain the lovely 2D animation introduction which explains the origins of the panda? The movie enchants kids with this short but memorable clip, and would probably educate a few ill informed viewers as well. From there on, expect to see nothing but pandas, pandas and more pandas.

You’ll get to see a panda suffering from fake pregnancy, a panda suffering from anxiety, a panda that gives birth to five baby pandas: get the point about the movie already? Obviously targeting at children between the age of 5 to 15, and possibly female viewers (cue those unanimous “aww…” in the theatres when an adorable panda falls off a tree or rolls down a slope), this 100 minute picture may be a little difficult to sit through if you are expecting thrills and spills. Also, if you are expecting picturesque landscapes, you won’t be seeing much of them here because most of the movie was shot in the panda enclosures.

The documentary is nicely segmented into digestible sections which chronicles the pandas’ lives through the months. The more sentimental viewer may develop a bond with these creatures as they grow from cuddly beings into giant creatures. You’ll also get to see how detached the Japanese caretakers of these pandas became so attached to the animals that tears were seen rolling profusely from their eyes when the pandas were shipped back to China – how sweet, indeed.

Pardon this reviewer if he sounds a little uncaring, or for that matter, sexist, in this review. Sure, this documentary has informed him more about pandas. And he finds it a joy to see the movie ending on a hopeful note with room for imagination as the narration reminds viewers of the long history of pandas, and the how it’s placed in the bigger context of things today.

But if you ask him whether he finds pandas lovable – it would be the same kind of sentiments he has towards koala bears. Yes, he should be damned.

Movie Rating:



(An educational and wholesome family picture you’ll want to bring your kids or girlfriends to)

Review by John Li