Better than the original

Rating: 9/10 (2 June 2011)

Now that is not to say the original Kung Fu Panda is a bad movie, actually it is a very entertaining movie and one of Dreamworks' better films. It's just that I preferred this sequel, I felt it had more heart and energy although the first film is not at all devoid of those qualities.
My only slight quibble with Kung Fu Panda 2 is that I think it could have been a tad longer. Other than that as a sequel and as a film, Kung Fu Panda 2 is an excellent film and ideal for the entire family.
The animation is absolutely stupendous. The backgrounds are so colourful and rich and the characters are all believable in facial expressions, movement and how they're designed. Also the action sequences are both riveting and fast-paced and Hans Zimmer's score has a lot of flair and rousing and energetic themes to it.
Kung Fu Panda 2 has a lot of energy. Not just in the likable characters(every single one of them has a personality and are delightful to watch) and crisp pacing, but also in the sharp and hilarious writing and fun and heart warming story.
The voice work is superb across the board. Jack Black and Dustin Hoffmann stand out among those who return, and I liked how Po and Tigress'(nice voice work from Angelina Jolie) relationship is further explored here, but overall the standout was Gary Oldman who is absolutely brilliant as the villain Shen the Peacock, who happens to be of now my personal favourite Dreamworks villain because he is actually given layers in alternative to being the standard villain you love to hate.
Overall, a great film and better than the (entertaining) original film. 9/10 Bethany Cox