by Katt Jurado, Reviews
Tigress! Mantis! Monkey! Crane! Viper! Panda! Evil Peacock! Wait – what?! Po is back, along with The Furious Five, in this must-see sequel. With its great animation, inspiring message, and beautiful visuals, Kung Fu Panda 2 is a delightful movie for everyone across the board.
Po is sent on a mission with The Furious Five to save China from the evil Lord Shen who has created a weapon that will eliminate the need for Kung Fu. Zealous to protect his beloved art form, Po easily fights off the first pack of wolves with his friends. However, a symbol on the enemy causes flashbacks from early panda-hood. Fighting the pain, he presses on in hopes of blocking out the past. But his desire contradicts with the teachings of Master Shifu, who tells him to find inner peace.
One thing that makes Kung Fu Panda 2 a great sequel is that it’s what a sequel should be: a continuation. The characters are expanding and growing, thus creating different situations between them. It takes a compassionate look at battles within hearts while on the journey to self-discovery. The best form of this is in Po himself. Having been the underdog (under-panda?) in the first movie, the second should have him all put-together but just as in real life, it is not that easy. Po is a better student of kung fu, but still has plenty of accidents both in his fighting and in life. Instead of being defeated by these mistakes, he gives himself a moment to be embarrassed (or denies his mistakes), but in the end, he uses his mishaps to try and make things better. Po being a bit of a screw-up allows the audience to empathize with him. Master Shifu has come a long way as well, having the line referencing their relationship in the first movie, “…it was not a problem within you but within me.”
The beginning of the movie tells of the history and exile of Lord Shen in Piying Xi, a classic Chinese shadow play style. It was a great choice both visually and metaphorically. Visually, it is gorgeous, colorful and has a beautiful flow, while still being a sad story to learn. Metaphorically, because key characters in the movie wrestle with where they come from. The traditional Chinese storytelling is a very classy touch.
From there you move into the masterful animation we’ve all come to expect from Dreamworks. The bar has now been set even higher. Every element the animators touch, (be it grass, fur, feathers, smoke, explosions, water, sand, snow, etc.) was obviously heavily researched as to the earnest motion of said component. There is a subtle transition in the movie from night-to-day that is flawlessly executed.
There are other montages done throughout the movie, each having its own animated style. For all of you who loved the montages in Up: get ready. These definitely rank high on the tissues scale. It’s an incredibly moving point in the movie in which the Soothsayer tells Po, “Stop fighting. Let it flow.” At this point, there is a priceless mixture of animation which shows Po’s back-story and, at the same time, shows Po learning a life lesson.
Thusfar, I haven’t been enjoying the revamped 3D fad, so I shuddered to put on those dorky glasses as the lights dimmed. But wouldn’t you know it? The movie hadn’t even started yet and I was sold on the Dreamworks logo (it’s a special logo for the movie, I’m not a total fry.) This is the first movie I would recommend seeing, specifically in 3D.
Amongst many others involved, a big high-five should go to the Scenery and Music Departments. The landscapes in this movie are breathtaking as well as the architecture. The cave-in in which Po and Master Shifu speak, the peaceful “Musician’s Village,” even Lord Shen’s palace is stunning. The original music for this movie was done by Hans Zimmer and John Powell, so it’s no surprise it was wonderful. The amount of fun they must have had on this project is obvious, particularly in a scene iwhere Po and The Furious Five are fighting off a pack of wolves in the local “Musician’s Village.” The village’s instruments are used for both defense and attack during the scene and obviously still make sounds as they’re used. It makes for a very cool blend of different art forms.
As far as the voices go, Jack Black is as charming as always. Dustin Hoffman and Angelina Jolie have a moment in the sun but the star in Kung Fu Panda 2 is actually Gary Oldman as Lord Shen. There’s a fascination about the bad guy being a peacock. That being said, Gary Oldman took a great creative leap away from what you would figure a bird to sound like. Instead of the high-pitched squawking we have come to expect from any animated bird, he uses a smooth and almost hypnotic tone, even when he yells! With a mixture of beauty, mystery, viciousness, and wickedness, Gary Oldman crafts Lord Shen into a complex character. His voice matches the grace that the character was woven into and, as much as the blood boils at Lord Shen’s Panda genocide, he’s an enticing figure to watch. Every aspect of this character is alluring, but Gary Oldman as the voice sends him sailing into the top ten list of Bad-Guys-You-Hate-to-Love.
Another earned shout-out goes to Michelle Yeoh as the Soothsayer. You may recognize her voice from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She is a wise character who plays with a more peaceful tone instead of the threatening, baying goat. Pretty much every line she has, you will remember; much like Mr. Myiagi.
This movie touches many different topics and if you think the morals of the story are just for kids, think again. During the first part of the movie, Po’s adoption is addressed. Throughout the movie Po questions where he came from and who his family is. At one point in the film, Lord Shen even uses this information to taunt Po, telling Po that his parents didn’t love him. In actuality, Lord Shen is basically projecting his own insecurities of love onto Po. Adoption is not something that’s discussed so candidly in many movies, especially movies for children, but the messages that are sent are positive and empowering.
Beyond a strong stance on adoption, there are many other big-picture ideas. One of the best being that Po and Lord Shen share similar characteristics. They are both struggling with painful pasts and are too proud to allow themselves to feel what’s going on inside their hearts. Po chooses to be positive about his lot and optimistic about his future. He works towards inner peace as an outlet. Lord Shen allows bitterness and despair to crumble his foundation and continues to try to control his destiny. It is a great dynamic to watch; done purposefully as foreshadowed consistently by a reoccurring yin/yang symbol. The relationship between Po and Lord Shen further illustrates the lesson that you are who you chose to become.
If there’s anything about this movie that’s not completely wonderful, it would be that there are a few parts in which the action is a little too much. Some scenes have more movement than necessary, and the 3D effects aren’t essential.When you look at the bigger picture, though, that is a very minor set-back.
Kung Fu Panda 2 is a great sequel and is even more if not every bit as enjoyable as its predecessor. The plot is strong, the key characters are well-developed and the visuals are mesmerizing. Kung Fu Panda 2 is entertaining and funny, while also being very moving and heart-warming. Make sure you put it on your list of movies to catch. Oh, and enjoy the teaser at the end!
ComicsOnline gives Kung Fu Panda 2 – 4 out of 5 awesome animated sequels!
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