Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda 2

Panda in 3-D

Po (Jack Black) and the Furious 5 are back in dazzling 3-D in the highly anticipated sequel to the successful Kung Fu Panda, which grossed over $600 million.

While the first movie focused more on Po’s struggles to become the Dragon Warrior, the sequel delves deeper into Po’s past—where he came from, and the importance of looking internally and letting go of one’s fears and demons to find “inner peace.”

The secret sauce in these films is how relatable Po is. It’s easy for the audience to identify with his aspirations to understand his roots and to defend and protect his friends, family, and country.

[youtube]YdaMGcOyfjM[/youtube]We’re made to understand why he’s the only panda in his village and why his father is a goose. We also witness Po maturing as a warrior, emotionally and spiritually.

In the first film, he defeats the Furious Five and the powerfully wicked Tai Lung to become the Dragon Warrior. In the sequel, Po teams up with his new family and together they kick some serious butt. The ubertalented Gary Oldman is perfectly cast in the role of the cunning, sinister, and calculating Lord Shen, an albino peacock with ambitions to destroy China.

Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson and her talented team at DreamWorks Animation really outdid themselves on this sequel (and let’s face it, most sequels are barely watchable). In addition to creating a solid, contiguous storyline, Kung Fu Panda 2 was also created in 3-D, which meant that every detail, surface area, and texture on the set had to be painstakingly designed and created from scratch.

For inspiration, the production team visited several locales in China, including Chengdu in Sichuan Province, which is home to the majority of China’s pandas.

In addition to visually stunning landscapes and awesome 3-D sequences, Kung Fu Panda 2 has one of the most star-studded voice casts of all time including Jack Black (Po), Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Lucy Liu (Viper), Seth Rogen (Mantis), Dustin Hoffman (Shifu), Gary Oldman (Lord Shen), Michelle Yeoh (Soothsayer), Danny McBride (Wolf Boss), and Jean-Claude Van Damme (Master Croc).

Children and adults will laugh, cry, and be blown away by the amazing visuals and action scenes. There is also a great soundtrack, a solid storyline, and characters that the audience will be invested in. The plot is based on traditional Chinese culture, which further legitimizes the film.

[etRating value=“ 4”]