The original “Kung Fu Panda”, released in 2008, was a shining jewel amongst Dreamworks Animation’s muddy output thus. It was an original story, well-told and beautifully rendered. So the expectation for the 2011 sequel couldn’t be higher.
Luckily, “Kung Fu Panda 2” is an exceptionally beautiful film.
Not only is the film visually sumptuous but the story itself (and the jokes) express a real heart that is so often missing from Dreamworks’ output. Leaving aside the cynical deconstruction of morality tales, “Kung Fu Panda 2” is joyfully adventurous and extraordinarily emotional. As our hero Po (perfectly voiced by Jack Black) leads the Furious Five against a new threat, we begin to discover his past and slowly but surely a deep mythology is set up around this black and white belt. Aided by some stunning 2D flashbacks we begin to learn how Po became Po, and it all lends incredible resonance to his mission. All of this leads to a natural and well-thought out conclusion and leaves the audience incredibly satisfied. Teeing the film up vey nicely for a third sequel, “Kung Fu Panda 2” ended with me only wanting more.
Like I said, the film is stunning to look at. Director Jennifer Yuh displays a varied visual palette as we travel across this world. From sumptuous hills to the hustle and bustle of the city, Yuh and her team of animators have imbued this world with a wonderful look and the detail on display is also excellent. The fight sequences themselves are brilliant and very clever in their construction. Add into that some extraordinary set-pieces and some great character moments and “Kung Fu Panda 2” is the finest looking film Dreamworks have made.
Speaking of those characters, the voice cast is impeccable. As the Furious Five Angelina Jolie, David Cross, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and the one and only Jackie Chan are excellent. I would love to have seen more of Monkey (Chan’s cheeky primate), but only because it’s Chan. Dustin Hoffman also returns as Master Shifu and proves that he is the best man for voicing martial arts Red Pandas. As the main villain Gary Oldman puts in a devilish turn as Shen, a knife-happy peacock, and there’s also a great performance from Michelle Yeoh as an old ewe soothsayer. All of them are provided with unique personalities and each comes with at least one or two wonderful moments.
I can’t really think of much else to say about this film except that it is pure entertainment from start to finish. It really packs a punch both with it’s action and visuals, but also with it’s sneaky emotional core; nearly had me in tears for real. Trust me, rent this film, it’s well worth it.
I can’t wait to buy this film on DVD.