Jack Black is fun-loving and round and even a little grisly, so it makes perfect sense that his animated persona would be a panda.

A "Kung Fu Panda" to be exact.

In this animated tale, Black lends his voice to Po, a clumsy and overweight bear who loves snacking yet longs to be an elite kung fu fighter.

So, as the title suggests, there's a lot of karate in this movie, which would seem to be a turnoff to anyone squeamish or in the non-boy demographic.

Plus, much homage is paid to the cultish genre with slow-motion and stop-motion (a la "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") fighting scenes. Jackie Chan even does the voice for the Monkey.

But it looks like DreamWorks Animation has taken a cue from the superior storytellers over at Pixar: "Kung Fu Panda" is about a lot more than kung fu, and it's also more than a place for Black to unleash his over-the-top zaniness.

Po is a waiter at his dad's noodle restaurant who has an unhealthy obsession with the Furious Five fighting team. Despite his girth, Po dreams of being just as brave as Tigress! Viper! Mantis! Crane! Monkey!

OK, so pandas aren't the most lithe creatures in the forest. And besides, Po's supposed to take over the family business, and definitely not to join the Furious Five.

But Po is determined. And if animated movies have taught us anything, it's that dreams - no matter how ridiculous - can come true if you want them badly enough.

So, with a cast that includes the voices of Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu and David Cross, "Kung Fu Panda" takes us on a physical and spiritual journey toward making Po the best fighter that China's ever seen.

This comes in the form of traditional lessons in honor, patience and the belief that there's no such thing as accidents. The ideas are basic, but the Zen-like dialogue should be thought-provoking enough to please the thinkers in the crowd. The film takes advantage of its Chinese setting and features beautiful animation of temples and peach trees. Even some of the fighting sequences are works of art.

It still may be a bit dark for very young kids, especially since Po must face an evil and frightening nemesis who has no problem attacking the beloved Furious Five.

But "Kung Fu Panda" is a big step forward for DreamWorks Animation, known more for wacky movies like "Shrek" and "Madagascar" - fun films that are more flash than heart.

Thanks to Black's subdued zaniness and earnest performance, though, Po may just be more popular this summer than "Wall-E," which arrives June 27.

An animated panda can dream, right?

"Kung Fu Panda"; running time: 1 hour, 35 minutes; rated PG; 3 stars.