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    Kung Fu Panda 2

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    “Kung Fu Panda 2” is not as good as the first film, but that’s ok. I found that the humour was weaker, but in every other way it’s the equal of 2008’s “Kung Fu Panda”. More importantly, it’s a true sequel. The characters have learned lessons from their first adventure together and must now apply them to face a powerful new threat. It rewards you for having seen the first chapter and that’s awesome.

    Having fully embraced his role as the Dragon Warrior, Po (voiced by Jack Black) and the furious five – Masters Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Viper (Lucy Liu), Mantis (Seth Rogen) and Monkey (Jackie Chan) must take down a new opponent, an albino peacock. This sinister Lord Shen (Gary Oldman) has transformed his family’s fireworks into weapons of war. His army threatens not only China, but also Kung Fu itself!

    I love the premise of this film. In the first picture, we saw Po become the greatest Kung Fu master. Where do you go from there? The idea of some new bad guy showing up and out-muscling not only one, but 6 martial artists (7 if you count Dustin Hoffman’s Master Shifu) look like chumps is ludicrous. Who then, will their opponent be? The answer is technology. I don’t know if it was intentional, but the metaphor here is terrific. Lord Shen has essentially invented cannons and if you extrapolate on that, guns. The first criticism anyone has for a Kung Fu action movie set in modern day is that the heroes and villains don’t use pistols; they use their fists instead. Why? Because your fist is nothing compared to a bullet. You can spend years training your technique and meditating, but what’s the point when anyone can pick up a Glock and kill you effortlessly? That’s how this peacock proves himself a foe worthy of Po and his friends. It doesn’t matter that they have all this training. He can literally point his feathers towards a target and reduce it to rubble. That’s what I call good thinking and good writing! The film takes it even further by giving him an army of wolves and adorning Lord Shen with metal blades, which he throws when he fights. That’s a smart opponent. He knows he can’t out Kung Fu Po, so he cheats by using knives. It’s an extension of his use of technology. Great stuff.

    With the major threat to our heroes being cannonballs and explosions as well as an army of wolves, it automatically makes the action different and varied from the first film. You’ve still got dizzying sequences where impossibly quick punches and kicks are thrown, but it’s new and fresh! The picture also capitalizes on the foundation the “Kung Fu Panda” built (and this will tie into the next praise) by making Po the lead, but also putting the Furious Five right in the middle of the action. It’s the story of the entire group of martial arts animals. They’re doing moves like you’ve never seen before. They’re hitting opponents in specific order, tossing each other, using their different sizes and skills in ways that humans never could. It’s like I pointed out in the first film; “Kung Fu Panda” 1 & 2 make the most of the medium.

    You get plenty of action. Good humour throughout as well. The animation looks terrific. The voice actors are comfortable in their roles and fully committed to bringing these animals to life. It’s all fine and dandy, but without strong characters, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s also where I see so many animated films drop the ball, but not here. You will be treated to character development and nice quiet moments where you get to learn more about these animals when you see “Kung Fu Panda 2”. Lord Shen shows himself to be a very interesting character. He’s great in terms of the way he looks, he fights, he acts and his motivations are terrific. There’s even an extra layer to him when you consider what he means to this universe. Our heroes get even more. These creatures are no longer grudgingly accepting Po. They've embraced him as a master and now they’re a well-oiled machine. They’re warming up to each other in ways you would never have seen before and it makes sense because they’ve been through all kinds of adventures. They’re no longer the same critters we saw back in 2008; they’re more. Po gets extra special treatment (as main characters do) when the story begins exploring the fact that he’s clearly adopted. It was hinted at in the first film and now it’s been expanded into a full-on sub plot. It’s nice to see a sequel that took notes and seriously pondered on what could be done next instead of just regurgitating the familiar.

    With this second film, the pressure’s on for “Kung Fu Panda 3”. This picture may not be as good as the first, but it’s still terrific. Will we have a great trilogy of animated adventures? I can’t remember the last time that happened! Even if it isn’t awesome though, this is a special movie. It logically takes the characters you’ve come to love on a new adventure; it’s got memorable moments, great action, beautiful sequences and nice character development. It’s the complete package. “Kung Fu Panda 2” dazzles. It’s satisfying entertainment for young and old. (On Blu-ray, March 2, 2016)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  5.3.2016 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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