Skadoosh! Kung Fu Panda 2 has just hit theaters and all I have to say is that it is totally worth the price of admission. If you loved the first one there is no doubt in my mind that you will equally love the sequel. By managing to keep the heart and soul of the first film, Kung Fu Panda 2 strays far away from the typical pitfalls of most follow-up films, and it does that by staying close to a relatable story while maintaining the fantastic humor and charm that made us all fall in love with the first.
Just as Po (Jack Black) has transitioned into his awesome new life of Kung Fu, a new villain has emerged in the likes of a peacock named Lord Shen (Gary Oldman) who has created a powerful weapon that would allow him to take over all of China and destroy kung fu altogether. In this film, it’s up to the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five to stop Lord Shen while also helping Po figure out his true identity…because clearly a panda is not the legitimate son of Mr. Ping (James Hong) aka the duck who owns a noodle shop.
If you don’t remember, the Furious Five is comprised of Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Crane (David Cross). None of those characters have lost their signature touch, but if you ask me Mantis and Monkey have stepped up their comedic game.
I had a blast watching this animated adventure. I think it’s the perfect family film and will be the best one of the season. Young or old, everyone can appreciate the good clean humor along with the idiocracy and intelligence of a fuzzy and funny panda. I thought the voice acting was terrific and the visuals were even better. Throughout the film there were a handful of flashbacks to Po’s days as a child, but these flashbacks were a mix between digital and hand drawn animation (or so it looked that way) which was a great way to change up the style throughout the film. Additionally, this world was much more expansive than the first film which gave it a bit more of that Chinese authenticity (think big!). There was one chase scene that was just like an extremely fun roller coaster ride, except it was through a Chinese city, and it featured Po and the Wolf Boss (Danny McBride) battling like 5 year olds on a runaway cart… it was hysterical.
I guess since I saw it in 3D I should probably touch it. I tend to lose myself in films I enjoy and as such end up forgetting that it’s in 3D. With that being said, I think animated films are the only ones that can pull off using 3D and believe that it did provide a little bit of depth to the film. Does it need it? Probably not. Shold you see it in 3D, completely up to you.
As far as the negatives are concerned, I really don’t have any complaints. Obviously there are going to be one or two serious parts in the film, lessons learned, things of that nature, but even with one lull about two thirds into the film I felt that it was easy to overlook because you end up having so much fun watching it and leave completely satisfied. For that, I say a job well done director Jennifer Yuh Nelson!
Overall, Kung Fu Panda 2 is one of the few sequels in recent memory that has lived up to its expectations and matched the quality of the first. It had the heart of the original and still managed to go a bit bigger, like a sequel should. With Dustin Hoffman returning as Master Shifu and new cast members Michelle Yeoh, Danny McBride, Victor Garber, Dennis Haysbert and Jean-Claude Van Damme lending their voices to some other crazy characters, Kung Fu Panda 2 promises joy for anyone that can still tap into their inner child and temporarily escape the world around them. You catch it in theaters everywhere this Memorial Day weekend.
Rating: A jubilant sequel for those who love awesome pandas, martial arts, and good clean comedy (7.8/10)
P.S. Hans Zimmer and John Power were in charge of the music, so that definitely helped the film a lot.
Recent Comments