Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) Reviews

• An emphatic return with a darker story; great movie with lots in it for the adults as well

  MosHr2011-05-25

  The question that has been floating around about Kung Fu Panda 2 is if it is Shrek 2 or Toy Story 2 of animated sequels? Well, I'm happy to say it's Toy Story 2 kind of animated sequel - a genuine good movie that takes risks and succeeds rather than rehashing the first movie. Po isn't as much of a gastro-kung-fu fighter and fanboi from the first movie but has grown in his personality; he's less the Jack Black as a panda and more of a character that stands on it's own. However, Po is now the tragic hero in a Greek style prophecy which foretells of a warrior in black and white who would defeat a certain Lord Shen who has invented a new weapon that could spell the end of kung-fu. As Po learns that he is adopted, he struggles to find out about his past and the strange symbol from his nightmares. The heavy subject matter doesn't weight down the movie and is continually and cleverly able to escape into funny moments without losing gravitas. It successfully weaves the topics of fatherhood, friendship and family into a colorful story that even though we know how it will end, it gets there very very emphatically. I'm really glad that Kung Fu Panda 2 didn't go the route of being a purely children's movie and didn't go the route of being built on jokes of Po's eating and Po's weight. I suppose the fortune cookie philosophy of master Shifu is slightly missed but purely a small quibble in a good movie. As a final note, maybe it's because of my eyesight with a weaker left eye, I barely noticed the 3D at all. Highly recommended movie.

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• Furry, Ferocious, and Fun!

  rgkarim2011-05-27

  Furry, Ferocious and Fun! This Memorial Day weekend I watched Kung Fu Panda 2, the sequel to the action packed comedy starring Po (Jack Black) and the fearsome five. The first movie was a fun kids movie that had a lot of catchy one liner phrases, a few kick butt actions scenes, a lot of situational comedy, and a story that was about working hard and finding your inner strength. Now three years later, the fellows at Dreamworks have presented a sequel to this animal centered comedy, which follows after the two duds we saw in Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After. Is this sequel following the same path that the last Shrek films took, or does it shine on its own? My answer to this question is that it does indeed shine on its own. The story starts out with a background story about the villain Shen (Gary Oldman) and his lust for power to rule over China, eliminating any forces that try to stand in his way. Not long after the introduction, Po and the gang come back into the picture before Po is called to Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) to learn about finding inner peace. However, the peaceful air is soon disturbed by a pack of wolf soldiers and an action fight sequence soon starts that puts most action movies to shame. As the wolves retreat Po, along with the fearsome five, set out to defeat Shen and find inner peace. Over the course of the journey, Po provides that classic comedy that made him famous in the first film as he uses phrases like awesome, so hardcore, and freaking in providing that awkward and childish enthusiasm that makes him stand out. His enthusiasm is still balanced out by his lack of stamina and large girth comedy which is cleverly integrated into both combat and non combat scenes. Clumsiness also plays a role in Po's ability to make us laugh, as what starts out as the stylish moves of a kung fu master quickly turns into a blundering mistake that somehow seems to work for Po. All of these aspects are brought together by Jack Black's voice work as he finds a way to bring a juvenile tone to the comedy, while still sounding wise and honorable during the serious scenes. Perhaps one of the strongest aspects about this movie is the balance of story, action, and detail. The story, or should I say stories, are detailed enough to provide character development that older audiences will like, but at the same time is catchy, simple, and fun enough to allow younger audience members to get a gist of what's going on. The integration of action and chase scenes keeps the pace of the movie going while also keeping the attention of the audience glued to the screen, a plus for those that have a hard time sitting through a movie. What really brings all of these strengths together though is the camera and musical works that add that finishing touch to the movie. The camera work is smooth and not really jumpy and allows one to see what's going in almost every scene. An exception to this style occurs in some of the fighting seen at the end, but it's not too bad so most should be able to slide ignore it. While the camera's capture the action, the music that plays during every scene has been selected to bring out the emotions of the scene and make you feel it deep in your heart. Whether it be fast flying punches, sad flashbacks, or the findings of inner peace and the acceptance of the past the music catches all of these emotions in a brilliant combination of strings, percussions, and other orchestra instruments to make you feel like you are in the movie. Although this movie has a lot, and I mean a lot of good aspects, there are still some weaknesses that one may find. The comedic styles of Po can get a little stale at times, especially hearing the word hard core about ten times. A second thing is that Po pulls off a little too much Yoda at some points in the movie, I won't say too much more to avoid ruining the movie. Perhaps a third thing one might not like is how long it takes to finish off the final battle. Although the movie is only an hour and half long, some might find the final battle dragged out a little too long and want it to just end, this was not a problem for me however. Overall Kung Fu Panda 2 is a sequel that is a must see, especially for kids and fans of the series. Even if you haven't seen the first one yet, which was the case with my cousin, one will be able to find some part of this movie to enjoy. Laughs, actions, drama, story, and heartfelt emotions are all in this movie and the wide appeal to many audiences makes this a great movie for a youth group or friend outing. Thus my Robbie Rating for this movie is 9.8-10.0. I hope that you enjoy this movie as much I did. Recommended audience members: Kids, Dreamworks fans, Kung Fu Panda lovers, action lovers, comedy lovers, etc. People who should avoid this movie: Horror fans and fans looking for a movie with blood, because it doesn't have any of it.

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• Po's Fist Hungers for Justice, I Hunger for More Po

  aaronx472011-06-24

  "Kungfu Panda 2" is an excellent sequel to an excellent preceding film and a truly fun film to experience with your family and friends. It is as enjoyable as watching through the first time, maybe even better. Here, the elements from the first film are improved and crafted for this sequel to create a wonderful, stunning, and memorable adventure that will surely entertain all its audiences and leave them hungry for more Po. The plot of this movie is much more enveloping than that of the first film. Po, now the Dragon Warrior is a hero protecting the citizens of China with his fellow friends, the Furious Five, as well as his master, Master Shifu. But then, a threat endangers all of China as well and threatens the existence of Kungfu. This threat is organized by the peacock, Lord Shen, who is after the destruction of China, and the extinction of Kungfu. Now Po, the Kungfu Panda, with the Furious Five, are determined to stop Lord Shen from destroying China and the existence of Kungfu, despite that Lord Shen has designed a very powerful weapon (something like a catapult). But doing so takes Po into learning the truth about the past, about who his parents are, and about who he is. "Panda 2" is also the first "Panda" film to be shown in 3D, which wasn't quite bad. Depth was practically conspicuous throughout the film and is certainly not a bad choice in how to enjoy this film. "Kungfu Panda 2" is definitely a film worth watching in 3D. With a more threatening premise, and the addition of 3D, "Panda 2" also improves on the action scenes. The fighting scenes were very entertaining and should keep kids and adults hooked. The animation movements and CGI in "Kungfu Panda 2" are also excellent and awesome. The backgrounds, and the setting are all very detailed and the complex movements of the characters are simply perfect. Bravo! Another element welcome to the "Panda" movies is romance. In this movie, Po will start to have a relationship with another creature (No, I won't tell who he had it with). Speaking of relationships, the movie will also get emotional as Po begins to discover the truth about his past. Humor plays an essential role in this film and will leave you laughing in your seats. I think the jokes here can give you more laughs than the jokes from the first film. "Kungfu Panda 2" will definitely keep you laugh your head off. Apart from all these, I was also amazed in how they could use a peacock as a skilled martial arts creature. At first, I thought, how could they use a peacock, full of feathers, as a martial arts villain. Then "Kungfu Panda 2" revealed it all and I was stunned by their work in crafting a feathery bird, into a dangerous, and ruthless villain. In terms of recommendation, I would recommend this movie to all ages. The humor will appeal to little children, as well as older audiences alike, and the fighting scenes will appeal to teenagers, or and older audience. 3D is definitely worth it for experiencing this film. After analyzing the box office performance of "Kungfu Panda 2", I feel pitiful for the movie, especially when Dreamworks have crafted a wonderful and amazing film for audiences to enjoy. I do hope that the box office performance of the film rebounds and becomes a great hit in the box office world. I also do hope that this movie will be successful enough for the sake of "Panda 3". So yes. Po's fist hungers for justice. But I hunger for more Po! Prince AJB's Rating: 10/10 (Excellent) Thank you for reading my review on "Kungfu Panda 2". I hope my review is useful for you.

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• Too Awesome

  TourettesPersonal2011-05-26

  My biggest fear about sequels is it's gonna end up pretty bad and ruin the first one. But I remember, Dreamworks already understand how to make a true good animated movie so I don't have to worry. Now the sequel just got more awesome. Non-stop action and non-stop laughs. The heart is also there. "Kung Fu Panda 2" is just as good as the first one. The trailer makes us dubious but this is Dreamworks. Anyways, "Kung Fu Panda 2" is a great continuation of the series. The story still has a heart and some scenes can almost move you to tears. The movie has bigger and more Kung Fu action & yes, the action never stops. It's all kick butt action. I like it how they improved the editing. Remember Megamind, It feels like you were flying in every flying sequences. They did the same thing in "Kung Fu Panda 2". Fast Moving Action that it's fun to see it even if it's in 2D. I don't really bash 3D though. The jokes are obviously everywhere. Even in serious scenes it suddenly has humor. The new comers from the cast did a great job. Gary Oldman is definitely good at being a villain in movies even if it's animated. Michelle Yeoh made her character likable. Jean-Claude Van Damme is awesome even though his scenes were few. This movie still has the same style from the first movie. Magnificent flash animation in the intro, flashbacks, and the dream sequence. Nice music score. And a lot more. I just said this movie is as good as the first movie but if I had to pick which Kung Fu Panda movie is better then it would be the first one. It's more heartwarming but Kung Fu Panda 2 is already good enough as a sequel because it's bigger and too awesome. Unfortunately, It's too awesome it moderates the depth a little bit but it's entertaining at its best. To be honest, this could be the best movie of the summer so far.

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• Packs twice the punch, in every way!

  neji1072011-05-22

  Let me preface by saying I was rather unimpressed with the first Kung Fu Panda. As entertaining and well-choreographed as it was, it didn't pass my bar for mediocre DreamWorks animated movies. It was amusing and had some heart, but all-in-all was pretty expected. Now when I got a chance to see a preview of Kung Fu Panda 2, I was rather indifferent to seeing DreamWorks trying to pump out a mediocre sequel and a new franchise. But WOW... was I wrong! I take back everything I said earlier because, man oh man, I have to admit that Kung Fu Panda 2 was one of the best animated films I have ever seen. In in this installment, we find Po and the Furious Five defending the Valley of Peace from evil when a new threat rises. Lord Shen, an albino peacock banished by his parents many years ago, has returned with a technology capable of ending kung fu and conquering China. As the Furious Five embark to destroy the weapon, Po begins to realize that Shen may be linked to his lost childhood past as a panda bear. I won't say any more in fear of spoiling the story, but be prepared for a powerful emotional experience. I found a big improvement was that they toned down all the things that made the first movie irritating: over-the-top Jack Black antics, overused slow-mo effects, and dialogue silliness. That's not to say Kung Fu Panda 2 doesn't have humor; actually, it has exactly the right amount at the right time. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot at the jokes in the first movie, but the sequel had me (and the whole theater, for that matter) genuinely laughing! The characters have fully matured and been fleshed out to the point where even Jack Black fits comfortably as Po, though regrettably the Furious Five barely get any screen time. Of course, shining in the spotlight was Gary Oldman as the sinister Lord Shen, whose fantastically evil voice acting tops even Ian McShane's as Tai Lung and is the ONLY way that a peacock could possibly be made scary! The 3D was also showcased quite well, enhancing most of the visuals throughout the movie without being a headache. Maybe you call it blasphemy, but the comparison must be made. Kung Fu Panda 2 was put together with such a degree of excellence that it rivals many Pixar movies (and in my opinion has a good chance of outshining Cars 2 this year). With some fantastic animation, a surprising and touching story, and convincing voice talent, Kung Fu Panda 2 will easily go down as one of my all-time animated favorites. 9/10

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