Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) - Get Ready to Feel the 'Awesome-Tacular' Thunder....Again!

Rating: 9/10 (19 April 2012)

I was one of the many fans of the first 'Kung Fu Panda' movie. It was an entertaining piece of animation, and the action was quite enjoyable for an entire family. Now, DreamWorks Animation has brought us "Kung Fu Panda 2". The sequel now brings some action-packed fight scenes, and some exciting new characters. The film brings us back to the tale of the Dragon Warrior, Po, portrayed by Jack Black, who has spent the rest of his life as the Dragon Warrior, learning the sacred teachings of Master Shifu, and fighting crime with the Furious Five (Tigress, Viper, Monkey, Crane, Mantis). Now, a villainous peacock named Emperor Shen, voiced by Gary Oldman, has been planning revenge to the land of China, and has created a deadly weapon that could destroy China, and the existence of kung-fu. But while Po and the Furious Five must team up to defeat Shen, Po faces problems of his own, by trying to understand his origin, who he really is, where did he really come from, who were his real parents, and how did he live with a long-necked goose for a father. Then we have our movie, and it's awesome! From start to finish, this movie is entertaining as hell. The voice talent is just super, since the ensemble from the previous film has returned, such as Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, David Cross, and Jackie Chan. Now, there's Gary Oldman, who's one of the most perfect actors to play villains in the history of cinema. He resembles the previous villain, Tai Lung, perfectly. You really love to hate this guy, and he delivers the role in such a powerful way. The animation is gorgeous, the humor is hilarious, and the heart of this movie made me cry of joy. Also, the fight scenes are both exciting and family-friendly, and we also receive some interesting character development on Po's character, and the movie perfectly reveals his origin. But, the ending of the movie will make audiences go "wow". But it mostly means that a "Kung Fu Panda 3" may be in session. Fun characters, great storyline, terrific animation, and incredible fight scenes. What a family-friendly piece of entertainment. Go check it out with your kids, they will love it, and so will you. "Kung Fu Panda 2", in my review, "family-friendly action, funny and moving".