I was hoping for a sequel to live up to its predecessor and after seeing The Hangover Part II and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, I started to think maybe I was hoping for the impossible. But then came along Kung Fu Panda 2, a just as good sequel that offers everything you loved about the first one and expands the story in to the next chapter while still making it fun, entertaining, and appealing to all.
Po (Jack Black) is enjoying his role as The Dragon Warrior and keeping everyone safe along with his other kung fu buddies, The Furious Five (Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, and David Cross are all back). But when Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), the villainous and remorseless white peacock, creates a weapon that will end kung fu and bring China to its knees, Po and The Furious Five must once again come to the rescue. But it won’t be easy because this is personal for Po and he must find peace within himself in order to find the strength he needs to be victorious.
The amazing thing about this animated sequel is there are two stories rolled up in to one. We have the battle between good and evil: Po and Furious Five vs. Lord Shen. But then there is this other plot about Po’s past and how it became that a goose became his father. Po has a mysterious past and uncovering that will help him heal and be able to know where he came from and who he really is. And all of this material is streamed together so nicely and it’s an epic story unfolding right in front of your eyes.
Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson maintains what audiences enjoyed the first time around. Po is still the same out-of-shape, hungry panda he was in the original. He still has a lot to learn, but we know he has the talent and ability to do so. He did not become The Dragon Warrior for nothing. But the movie becomes more personal and emotional on almost every level.
And having a villain such as Lord Shen (who is voiced amazingly by Oldman) makes everything that much better and certainly gives Po and the gang something to fight for. He is almost the exact opposite of Tai Lung from the first one. Lord Shen is intelligent, quick, and sneaky. And while he has some exceptional fighting capabilities, he also has an army of wolves and weaponry. In a lot of ways he is much scarier and dangerous than the first villain.
Kung Fu Panda 2 has excellent animation and exciting fighting sequences. While the beginning of the movie is good, it really takes off in the third act. The mood and tone definitely goes up a few more notches. It almost matches the original in visuals, thrills and energy. But the villain is better, the story goes deeper, and Po is considered a real action hero in this excellent sequel that accomplishes something that other sequels fail to do: taking the story and audiences to new and better places. Kung Fu Panda 2 is simply awesome.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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