Movie Review - Kung Fu Panda 2

Credited cast:
Angelina Jolie ... Tigress (voice)
Gary Oldman ... Lord Shen (voice)
Seth Rogen ... Mantis (voice)
Jean-Claude Van Damme ... Master Croc (voice)
Jackie Chan ... Monkey (voice)
Jack Black ... Po (voice)
Dustin Hoffman ... Shifu (voice)
David Cross ... Crane (voice)
Lucy Liu ... Viper (voice)
Michelle Yeoh ... The Soothsayer (voice)
Dennis Haysbert ... Master Oxen (voice)
Victor Garber ... Master Thundering Rhino (voice)
James Hong ... Mr. Ping (voice)

I could go on and on about how sequels and how, by definition, are inferior to the originals. I even have a very short list of the exceptions to the rule; movies like Terminator 2 and Bad Boys 2. Kung Fu Panda 2 is nothing like any of those movies, other than the fact it is better than the original. Given the flawless nature of the first one, with a combination jovial innocence, a great lesson and some beautiful animation, the second movie had some large, panda-sized shoes to fill.

The second movie starts sometime after the first, with Po the Panda (Jack Black) continuing his training under the guidance of Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), along with the fab five (monkey, snake, mantis, crane and tigress). However, when an enemy from Po's past tries to take over China with a weapon that not even Kung Fu can stop, the Dragon Warrior must master even more if he can stop Shen (Gary Oldman) and find his own origins.

I went and saw the movie in 3D, which has some good and bad. At points, the 3D enhanced the action with a bit of depth, that made the kids in the audience smile with amazement. However, there are moments where the incredible animation, and the meticulous detail is hazed over due to the 3D. There are points where you could see and count the hair on Po's head, which allows you to really appreciate the hard work of the film.

This film is possibly darker than the original, with the badguy err, uh, the peacock having a dark side, but one that is rateable; he just wanted his parents to be proud of him, something similar to our hero's feelings, looking for his real parents. The five are really entertaining, and we get a little bit more from them this time around. The good and bad part about them is the voice casting being very recognizable in Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, David Cross and Seth Rogen. It's good because they have a certain charisma that shines through with every line. The bad side is that you realize and start thinking about the star, and not the character in the film. It's hard to see the Tigress, because you are thinking about Angelina Jolie's sexiness.

I may not be the target age of the movie, but I truly enjoyed the movie. It had some serious heart, and a couple of touching moments, with Poe trying to come to grips with his past, and accept who he is. The film also had tons of stylized action and plenty of slapstick comedy. There wasn't too many one-liners, as much as the silly slapstick, which had me audibly crack up a few times.

Overall, it was a blast of a movie that can stand toe to toe with the first one. The voice casting was enjoyable, and easily recognizable, and it had plenty of fun, along with some action and beautiful animation. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a family friendly comedy.