Panda vs. Aliens review: One of Stan Lee’s last productions failed to follow his legacy?
Panda vs. Aliens (2021), featuring Stan Lee’s The Unknowns, had the comic book legend as its executive producer by the time of his death in 2018. Slated to “honor Stan Lee’s final endeavors,” the film was finally completed under the direction of Sean Patrick O’Reilly almost three years later. However, critics did not spare any words on the disappointment it brought. For a movie that carried Lee’s name and creation, it was argued that Panda vs. Aliens was a great letdown. However, was it possible any of the 80-minute production’s good points were missed along the way? This review article would attempt to dissect the potential merits of one of Stan Lee’s last works. Warning: spoilers ahead!
Pandy’s hidden lesson: Do not neglect the small things
To be fair, this film was not O’Reilly’s only work which received relatively low ratings. One could perhaps refer to other films of his such as The Legend of Hallowaiian (2018) and Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom (2016), both being animations as well like Panda vs. Aliens. It could only be imagined how the film would have turned out if they rushed it with their original schedule being 2019. Then again, despite the messy plot progression and the confusing scene skips which did not help, there might be treasure concealed in the sea. Take for example the overarching message of the narrative. Pandy, the panda heir of a mighty medallion protecting Nua, knew nothing about the reality of its powers. He was, after all, an actor who exploited the legend of the medallion to propel him towards superstar status. On the night of the worldwide premiere of his latest work, a destructive alien fleet under King Karoth (notably voiced by Chevy Chase) got wind of their transmission from Nua. Against the fiscal implications of their devastation missions, Karoth himself led the fleet to Nua. The exiled son of the king, the pacifist Crusher, tried to rush to Nua in hopes of warning Pandy and the others before the fleet’s arrival, only to find out he was too late. The film would then wind down to Pandy’s path of discovering the medallion’s powers, of course with the indispensable help of Pandy’s friends, as well as Crusher and his alien team.
Pandy’s epiphany in particular, just about when Karoth’s victory seemed assured, likely gave the film’s lesson. As an actor, Pandy never thought what he did was worth it. There was even a scene where he was seen having 29 takes to succeed in a line. When it was revealed later on that what Pandy could conceive, he could achieve through the medallion, he realized that all his films and series were meant to prepare him as the rightful defender of their family heirloom, and in extension, of Nua itself. This would be a reminder that many great people being looked up by society also did not have it easy from the start. Stan Lee himself, among others, took two decades of work in the comics industry before Marvel Comics was officially launched in 1961. The small things in the daily life builds up the person, no matter how long it took. Despite the film’s limitations, this one still managed to get through. Considering how the superhero genre usually focused on the grand order of things, the appreciation of the little would probably be a rarity. Of course, the medallion itself presented an issue as a plot device. When Pandy’s gorilla co-star Bruno, who played the villain for most of Pandy’s works, tried to explore how the medallion worked, it was never really made clear why the legend said “it should not fall into the wrong hands.” In fact, when Karoth tried to grasp the medallion in hopes of tapping its power, it made a sort of resistance to the king’s hand. This caused him to abandon the relic and content himself with blowing up Pandy and friends (which predictably failed, of course). There was also no instance portrayed when the medallion was actually utilized for evil intentions, knowing its supposed history of generational transfer, which may imply that the warning would have been more speculative than real. The lore of this major plot device might have been crafted better, even if this was meant to be for younger audiences.
Bruno’s erratic dynamic: Co-star turned real life villain turned co-star again?
To Bruno’s surprise, even though he was virtually unappreciated in Nua because of his villain role in Pandy’s films and series, King Karoth and his alien army somehow recognized him as an exemplar. Given that the aliens did not know it was all acting, this nonetheless helped Bruno gain confidence about himself. He always thought the villain was an uninspiring role to play, even to the point of asking the writers to at least rework his lines so he could make a better villain impression, assuming he would never have any other role anyway. With Karoth offering him a prize to betray Pandy and his friends, Bruno did all he could to be accepted under the new management. However, when he was also double-crossed by Karoth, rationalizing that traitors would not be a good model for his troops, Bruno’s change of heart, albeit implied than portrayed, helped him find his way back to Pandy. While there were similarities between Pandy and Bruno in terms of self-esteem, the latter felt more difficult to reconcile because even in this era, the villain’s impact to the audience would usually be just as expected. The person was designed to be hated, disgusted, discarded. If the villain would even be admired for some reason, it would likely be rooted with other aspects such as the relatability and the complexity of their characters, flaws and all. There was none of the admiration for Bruno out there. What agitated him further were rumors of him bein removed from the Pandy franchise. It was not like he disliked being the villain. It seemed more like Bruno wanting to play a more meaningful role in the story.
If Pandy’s journey involved appreciating the small things in life, Bruno’s path appeared to delve more into the search for significance. With so many people out there, what could have made each one unique, and for that matter, important? Would it have made any difference if one of us existed or not? Perhaps Bruno’s later vindication was one of the rare dynamic subplots in the film. Near the end, the audience would witness him being with Pandy as one of the heroes. It was as if he was a bad actor forgiven and provided a second chance to make up for his sins. Further exploring Pandy’s relations not only with his friends but even beyond might have been good practice, since it could help better know the personalities of the story and understand their actions.
Saibancho, the verdict
If only it was a way to watch another Stan Lee creation once more, Panda vs. Aliens would probably be not on the top of the list of some reviewers. Then again, despite its linear narrative paired with its simple computer animation, the film should still be commended for at least attempting to integrate valuable life lessons all throughout. While many could be said about its shortcomings, especially from those who might have expected greater things from a production billed as one of Stan Lee’s final works, one should also take into mind the limitations involved. Working in the creative industry was never trouble-free, and it would only be fair for the audiences to demand better from creators. At the least, even if one should be dismayed about the outcome, an encouraging response might well be pondering how they completed at all. There could be a lot of interesting ideas which might never see the light of day in screens. Shutting them down even before taking off may be counterintuitive to creativity.
Perhaps another takeaway would be seen from Crusher, who was exiled for going against the traditions of his people. A closet fan of Pandy, among others he highly regarded from the planets Karoth wanted to destroy, there was always the fear in him of being open about his preferences, much like how adults liking anime and cartoons would be judged as childish and immature, for instance. However, when he gathered up the courage of standing against their traditions, Crusher need not to be shackled by what others thought of him. With his trusted team, they traversed the universe doing what they like, when they want. For him, freedom came with the price of his chance at Karoth’s throne. Yet he realized he gained more when he pursued his dreams instead. There would always be people who might scoff at your life goals, but to remain driven and determined would be a gift to humanity and to yourself.
(Photos from the film courtesy of Arcana Studio)
