PANDA PLAN: The Magical Tribe

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray from director Derek Hui and Well Go USA comes the next adventure of the cutest panda and his friend with PANDA PLAN: The Magical Tribe.

Jackie Chan, in trying to return his panda friend home, might have made a bit of a miscalculation Hu Hu, the panda, finds himself walking into a primitive tribe that has pretty much isolated itself from the outside world. When the Chieftain (Ma Li) sees the panda, she is told by the High Priest (Zhang Zidong) that the arrival of Hu Hu could spell catastrophe for the tribe. Jackie, on the other hand, has found himself captive by other tribesmen and has to fight his way out with a game of whack-a-mole of sorts. That’s when he realizes he is in the same village as Hu Hu and they see him as The Messenger.

Now, to prevent the disaster from coming, Hu Hu and Jackie need to reach the summit and summon the gods so that heaven and earth will be in balance again. Someone else has a better idea: Lord Tu Lu (Yu Yang) knows that he cannot let someone not of the tribe get the credit for saving them all. Qiang Shan (Qiao Shan) is called upon to take out Jackie. Even when he tries to escape with Hu Hu, the mountain has other plans for these two.

Jackie actually begins to find a connection with the Chieftain and the dual personality Qiang Shan. They learn from each other about Hu Hu, their differences that are not so different, and friendship. That is if Lord Tulu can control Ben (Ke Da), Ba (Wang Chengsi), and Bo (Song Muzi)!

Chan as himself, is a man who is so connected to his panda friend Hu Hu, he wants to do what is best for him. In this isolated village, he is up against some very strange individuals and their even stranger beliefs. What I like about Chan in this role is that he mixes comedy, slapstick, and martial arts for this family film. It’s nice to see him take on the mantle of panda protector as well. Li as the Chieftain is responsible for a whole village of people who have a whole lineage of beliefs that are hard to be separated from. She is fierce but also learns from Chan that there is more to life, and she should experience it all.

Shan as Qiang has double duty in the film. Starting out as a man on a mission of destruction, a whack on the head turns him into a protector of Chan’s messenger. It is very funny to watch him interchange his role and how it always comes about. He is charming, sweet, and vicious all in the same film, which is hilarious. Yang as Tu Lu is a son who clearly has mommy issues and doesn’t want to lose his position in line for the throne. Using the Three Stooges to help him, he constantly cannot control his hostility.

Ke Da, Chengsi and Muzi as Ben, Ba and Bo are the three who can’t seem to get it together. They want to please Tu Lu, but every time they step forward with information, it never pans out for them. Then again, when you play stupid games you win stupid prizes!

Other cast include Wang Yinglu as Sha Yi, Wang Xing as Wang Xing, and Feng Man as Historiographer.

Well Go USA Entertainment is a theatrical and home entertainment company specializing in bringing the best Action, Genre and Independent films from around the world to North American markets. As a leader in independent film distribution, Well Go USA Entertainment’s titles can be seen across a variety of platforms including theatrical, digital, subscription and cable VOD, packaged media and broadcast television. Well Go USA Entertainment currently releases three to five films per month. To see more, please visit www.wellgousa.com.

The Bluray includes the Bonus Features of English Available and Trailer for PANDA PLAN: The Magical Tribe.

PANDA PLAN: The Magical Tribe is a film for families who love pandas for one. Also, it is a film filled with silliness, slapstick comedy, and martial arts that isn’t vicious. Watching the village come alive, realizing there is so much more to life than they could have imagined, it includes friendship, love, and hugs. All of this is because of Jackie Chan and Hu Hu.

From start to finish, the film is charming, full of adventure, and a wonderful sequel to the 2024 original PANDA PLAN. So, get the family together, get your best panda stuffed animals, panda blanket, and panda pajamas, cuddle up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, and be part of the action. Remember, it is all about helping others and chasing a few butterflies here and there that make life wonderful.

In the end – it’s time to uncover ancient secrets the panda way!