A sequel with real kick

Rating: 7/10 (23 July 2011)

I guess I will have to make a confession that will get the Dreamworks crowd all worked up: while I enjoyed Kung Fu Panda, I'm not one of the many who hold it up on as high a pedestal as the superior Monsters Vs. Aliens or the movie that may be the epitome of all things cute, How to Train Your Dragon. So nail me to the cross if you want. I also have, in recent times, developed a distaste for sequels. This year we had Pixar's first terrible movie (Cars 2), the disastrously messy Pirates 4, and the carbon copy Hangover 2 (though Deathly Hallows Part 2 is my pick for top movie of 2011)
So while I, as I stated, enjoyed KFP1, I initially had low expectations for it's sequel in place. And with that in mind, I can say I enjoyed Kung Fu Panda 2. Although it's not perfect, it managed to be very entertaining, and a worthy follow up.
The sequel takes place some time after the first movie. Po has continued training to be a true Kung Fu master, but there's one thing he hasn't yet truly mastered: inner peace. Of course, to a panda like Po, Kung Fu is all about kicking butt, but he soon learns that the only way to be a true Kung Fu master is to be at peace with himself. However, a new gang, sent in by a Peacock who seems a ghost of Po's past, has terrorized the village, sending Po and the gang on an adventure to stop him.
Kung Fu Panda 2 works... for the most part. The good news is, it overall provides for an entertaining ride that the whole family can enjoy. The script is filled with tons of funny lines that are bound to have the kids repeating them for hours on end. As well as the voice cast is just as charming this time around; Jack Black still manages to charm as Po, Angelina Jolie still manages to put her street tough kick to good use. However, Gary Oldman, as usual, steals the show. He makes a great villain and it shows.
The animation also manages to dazzle. I can safely say that the animation quality has come a long way since Shrek. I didn't see this in 3D, but I guarantee I would have loved to. There are a lot of moments in the animation where I wanted to reach out and run my fingers through Po's fur, or move my hand along the cannon near the end, and had I seen this movie in 3D, I probably would have reached out and tried to feel them! It reminded me of when I saw Sanctum in 3D earlier this year, where I felt like I was actually underwater.
However there are a few flaws that prevent me from calling it a perfect film, let alone near perfect. For starters, it took me a while to be able to connect with the movie, as the pacing unfortunately is rushed to the point where it moves at a machine gun pace. Thepacing does slightly slow down in the middle but even then, the film still feels like the filmmakers were trying to cram too much in. Also, the story seemed convoluted. There was a story but it was rushed, to the point where I had myself questioning halfway through the film what the movie was about.
Overall, Kung Fu Panda 2 is a very enjoyable film that is not without it's flaws. I would say go into it with an open mind, and don't expect Pixar level entertainment. Oh, and even if you don't go to movies for the actors, it's still worth seeing for Gary Oldman alone.
Overall: 7/10
Pros: The film provides good action, humour, laughs, alongside a stellar voice cast, a terrific Hans Zimmer score and beautiful animation that would convince even 3D sceptics to buy a ticket.
Cons: The film's pacing is rushed, to the near point of being disorienting, as well as the story could have been more fleshed out as well as the villain.