A Rollicking, Ravishing & Riveting Second Chapter That Lives Up To Its Hype.

Rating: Null/10 (8 April 2016)

Making excellent use of all the ingredients that made its predecessor an instant classic, the follow- up chapter to Kung Fu Panda is another rollicking, ravishing & riveting adventure that lives up to its hype, adds more depth & flesh to the arcs of all reprising characters, further expands the world we dived into in the first film, and is a worthy sequel that even surpasses the original in few aspects.
The story of Kung Fu Panda 2 presents Po now living his fulfilled dream, serving as the Dragon Warrior, & protecting the valley with his fellow kung fu warriors whom he once idolised. His latest adventure begins when Lord Shen returns from exile with a fearsome new weapon & has plans of conquering all of China, following which Po & his friends attempt to stop him before he could destroy the entire kung fu tradition.
Directed by Jennifer Yuh in what is her directional debut, the film begins on a promising note with a prologue that quickly briefs us through the villain's background & how all of it is connected to Po's very own past, after which it dives into the present and sets the stage relatively quick, just like the previous feature. For a first attempt, Yuh's direction is highly commendable for she exhibits a very firm grip on all aspects.
The writing staff does an equally impressive job with the script by further evolving the characters' arcs, brilliantly balancing the elements of comedy, drama & action in one tightly-structured story & putting up a better sketch of the Chinese culture. The computer animation is lively, zestful & more complex than before, thanks to its energetic camera-work, rich colour tones & apt lighting that give its images a vivacious look n feel.
Editing is carried out amazingly well for its 90 minutes of narrative is expertly paced yet there are a couple of moments it could've done without. The flashback sequences are brought to life with care and a few of those segments are genuinely touching. Hans Zimmer & John Powell contribute with a familiar yet improved score. And Jack Black plus the rest of the reprising cast deliver exactly what was expected from them while the new additions are no slouch in their given roles.
On an overall scale, Kung Fu Panda 2 heads into a slightly darker territory but it never discards the effervescent wit, unbridled passion & unadulterated quality of the original in doing so. Packing in just as much fun, madness & awesomeness as the first film, exquisitely steered under Yuh's direction, and marking another creative high for DreamWorks Animation, Kung Fu Panda 2 is another triumph of its genre that's highly enjoyable, wildly entertaining & immensely satisfying from the first frame to the last. Definitely recommended.