Po is Back

Rating: 8/10 (24 November 2012)

In this animated sequel, we rejoin Po (Jack Black) and the Furious Five in the routine rescue of a small village being stripped of any metal in their possession. While success appeared a forgone conclusion, something Po observes on an opponent leaves him dumbstruck and sends him flashing back to his childhood. Outraged by his combat failure, the Five and Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) inform him that he is not to join them in their duties.
Elsewhere, we learn that the party behind the plundering intends to use the metal for raw material in a weapon; a weapon that "stops kung fu". Upon hearing that it was a panda that nearly thwarted the effort, he's noticeably unnerved. The reason being that a soothsayer forcibly assisting him long ago told him that a panda would be his undoing. Meanwhile, Po has returned home to his father to unravel the mystery.
I don't know if I was expecting a second film after the first one, and it would stand up on it's own without one, but I enjoyed this sequel immensely. The origin story, the identity struggle, the final confrontation and most of the intervening events are highly entertaining. A worthy follow-up.