As the latest installment of the franchise is in cinemas, we invite you to relive the classic 2008 movie, where the story began.

    The film stars a panda named Po (Jack Black), who is so fat he can hardly get out of bed. He works for his father, Mr. Ping (James Hong) in a noodle shop, which features Ping’s legendary secret ingredient*. How Ping, apparently a stork* or other billed member of the bird family, fathered a panda is a mystery*, not least to Po, but then the movie is filled with a wide variety of creatures who don’t much seem to notice their differences.

    They live in the beautiful Valley of Peace with an ancient temple towering overhead, up lots of stairs, which Po can barely climb. But climb them he does, dragging a noodle wagon, because all the people of the valley have gathered up there to watch the choosing of the Dragon Warrior, who will engage the dreaded Tai Lung (Ian McShane) in kung fu combat. Five contenders* have been selected, the Furious Five: Monkey (Jackie Chan), Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross). Tigress looks like she might be able to do some serious damage, but the others are not as impressive. All five have been trained by the wise Shifu (Dustin Hoffman). Anyway, it’s up to the temple master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), an ancient turtle, to make the final selection, and he chooses the hapless and pudgy* Po.

    Now, if Po can master the martial arts and somehow turn his greatest weaknesses into his greatest strengths, he will fulfill his destiny* as the hero who saved his people during their darkest hour.

    The film is imaginatively drawn, full of charming characters, alive with action sequences and free of pop-culture references.

    Here are some lines from the film:

    One meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it.

    Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift — that’s why we call it the present.

    The secret ingredient of my secret ingredient soup is ... nothing. To make something special, you just have to believe it’s special. (SD-Agencies)