Let me take you back to a simpler time. One of optimism, of quality leadership, and epic animation.
Seemingly bound for eternity, Tai Lung defies all odds and escapes a deep dark prison hole underneath a mountain.
It all starts with Master Oogway dropping the prophetic bomb “One often meets their destiny on the road they take to avoid it”, which foreshadows his escape. If Master Shifu hadn’t sent the messenger duck to the prison trying to increase the amount of guards, Tai Lung wouldn’t have gotten the feather he uses to pick the locks containing him.
The subsequent fighting he does is so clean and fluid it’s incredibly satisfying to watch. His leaps and clawing up the walls out of the deep prison hole he was in borders on inspirational.
I’m definitely not overanalyzing this and I know Dreamworks created a masterpiece here.
If anyone has other epic animated/live actor prison escape movie recommendations I’d love to hear them.
Edit: a link to said scene
by latrent
12 Comments
I don’t disagree, but for shits and giggles: How many OTHER animated prison escape scenes are there? 😝
I agree — was just thinking about this. The cinematography is really underrated. For example, notice how the background is out of focus, even though the film is animated, and the filmmakers didn’t need to do that. It’s just incredibly well-shot.
Ian McShane as Tai Lung is among the greatest animated performances in general, isn’t it?
It’s been forever so I thought I’d check it out and… yeah, [it fucks](https://youtu.be/UsZNj9srzR8?feature=shared).
I’m actually cheering for that guy now.
*Action Sequence
It’s the greatest animated *action sequence.* By a wide margin.
Your headline is the most ridiculous shit ever. Fuckin’ Fantastic Mr. Fox has “better” Prison Escapes of all time.
Been a while since I’ve seen it, but I think there’s an escape scene in The Secret of NIMH that was really good.
I’m going to assume you have Chronicles of Riddick as the live action GOAT.
Paddington 2 prison escape/train chase sequence is one of my all time favorites. Beautiful set and cinematography and water tight script
What about Shrek 2 where Pinocchio is wearing women’s underwear. “It’s a thong!” whole theatre had a riot with that. Also the mission impossible homagé.
KFP is like a weird thing for Dreamworks. It wants to be both another typical “derpwerks” film with relying on celebs and pop culture references, but also want to be a genuine movie franchise.
To anyone with encyclopedic knowledge of animated prison escape scenes, I just have to say, you do you.
Well, not many prison escapes involve a martial artist breaking out, rather than a sneak escape.