Review: 'Kung-Fu Panda 2'

Peacocks of the world, be afraid; be very afraid! Po is out to kick your butt and then some.

In this wonderful, often visually imaginative sequel to the 2008 animated blockbuster, Po is first seen stuffing his ample panda cheeks with dumplings and rolling around playfully, with his goose-daddy, Mr. Ping, looking on lovingly. 

Things soon change for the worse for our Panda as the peacock in question, Lord Shen, sets out to destroy kung-fu, and all of China for that matter, with his own arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. Gary Oldman lends a menacing voice to this arch-villain, and knowing it’s Jack Black as Po, the growing paunch on his cute belly seems all the more appropriate. It would be fun to see Po teamed with Shrek in an episode of “The Biggest Loser-The Animation Version”. 

The story, written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, abounds with clichés about family values, belief in oneself to overcome impossible obstacles, but somehow it all works here, and director Jennifer Yuh Nelson keeps the action moving swiftly. For once the 3-D version is worth a look, especially a jaw-dropping scene inside a sky-scraper tall pagoda where this reviewer became dizzy looking down from the perspectives shown. The 3-D technique is used in Kung-Fu Panda, not just to startle the audience with random special effects shots (as in too many other recent films), but to give the entire film a cohesive visual splendor that never lets up. The animators’ color palette is enormously inventive and often spectacular to behold.

Abetted by his pals, the Furious Five, Po sets out to defeat Lord Shen and his very evil cohorts. Unless you’ve seen the original, you might not recognize the voices of Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross) and all concerned do the film proud. Dustin Hoffman is back as Master Shifu, carrying the wisdom of Ancient China and the weariness of old age with him as he preaches to the young Po to search for his inner peace.

Of course, Po has another agenda to attend to first.

Young viewers will find much to excite them and hold their interest in the numerous well-staged fight sequences. What makes the film work so well is that embedded in all the fight scenes, raging battles and explosions is a truly touching story of Po.

Our hero, finally realizing that he is not the natural son of a goose, seeks to understand why he was abandoned by his birth parents. This is done in moving flashbacks that truly tug at our hearts. Po’s plaintive cry of “Who am I?” can be taken for just face-value in the film but adult viewers will also appreciate the humanity of such soul-searching; even if in this case uttered by an animated Panda bear. 

It is this blend of video-game, fast and furious action and genuine tenderness that make Kung-Fu Panda 2 rise many notches above the usual kiddy fare the studios grind out every summer. See it and enjoy.

Now showing at the Edwards; for movie times, click here.