Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) User Reviews (318)

Kung Fu Panda has its Empire Strikes Back

[C22Man · 7/10 · 22 September 2015]

Kung Fu Panda 2 is pretty much everything a sequel should be. It builds upon its characters, it crafts a plot that is larger as well as more personal and its themes are even deeper than before. It sees Po (Jack Black), who has now been fully accepted by the furious five, forced to battle against a peacock named Lord Shen who plans to conqueror China with a new weapon. It doesn't seem like much on the surface, but Po begins to have flashbacks of why his parents abandoned him and it links directly back to Shen himself. Stories like this are brilliant because the set-up and main goal is relatively simple, but there is a very heartfelt and surprisingly emotion core to the film that is just fantastic.

This feels like its Po's story, and it might annoy some people that the other characters aren't developed more, but for me it was the right move. It makes you always engaged in the journey that he goes through, you want to know what happened to his real parents and he grows as a hero as a result of everything that he goes through. Po himself is again a lot of fun and it impresses me how well balanced the character is, being naive but lovable at the same time with Jack Black adding his usual drive to the role. The furious five are still are really enjoyable team and I think the writers did a great job in giving them all the right amount of lines as well as making them a team you can connect to. Master Shifu has a more limited appearance, but he's still good fun when he shows up.

Arguably the best thing is Lord Shen (Gary Oldman). This is a villain who is both intimidating and really funny, and so many times it's either too much of one or the other yet here they get it spot- on. He is never too serious and he is never too goofy, it is a perfect balance. He has a backstory that explains his actions and connects to Po's spiritual journey. The animation on him looks marvellous and Oldman is absolutely brilliant as usual.

I think one of the main reasons the film works so well is because of the emotion impact it has. The characters all have legitimate reasons for what they are doing and they're feelings as well as flaws are shown fully. The scenes with Po and his adoptive father Mr. Ping (James Wong) are really touching as well as being amusing. The flashbacks are truly moving and even tear inducing. I believe it shows that you can be serious and even somewhat sombre if you can get the balance right. The jokes are consistently funny here, mostly due to Po's behaviour and a lot of Shen's lines. Once again with DreamWorks the animation is absolutely superb with this being some of their sharpest and most vibrant that they have ever produced. Pretty much everything from character designs to the scenic shots of ancient China look fantastic. The more 2-D style in Po's flashbacks is also a nice touch and helps it standout. The speed of the animation is another plus. When it is used for slapstick the quick pace makes everything seem even funnier, and it does a similar thing for the action scenes by giving them even more energy. The score (by Hans Zimmer and John Powell) is another positive, crafting the right amount of soothing melodies and backing the action effectively with some more upbeat compositions.

I think balance is the key word here and it is where Kung Fu Panda 2 succeeds. The story itself is an excellent continuation and the way it unravels as the film goes on is just wonderful. It has plenty of comedy and well placed humour, but it never shies away from darker and more emotional material. I found myself both moved and laughing in equal measure. As said I think the main characters are all great, the animation is spectacular and the villain is outstanding. It is exactly what you want in a sequel and I can't wait to see where the series goes next.

A very pleasant surprise!

[ceeingred13 · 8/10 · 29 February 2012]

Having seen and enjoyed (if not been bowled over by) the original, I was surprised and delighted by this movie that seems to prove that Dreamworks, while still not quite on a Pixar level (Yet!) could soon catch them up. It handles much more sensitive material than the first movie and tackles some truly dark and heavy subject material, but manages to keep it from becoming a drama by dropping in comedic material in a manner that is never jarring, out of place, or desperate. Lord Shen made for one of the most delightful villains of recent movie history. His push against the future contrasting with Po's struggle with the past was wonderful to watch. Po's talks with his father brought a tear to my eye in more than one moment in the film. This company and production team have firmly established themselves as formidable storytellers and I'm eager to see what's next.

Too Awesome

[TourettesPersonal · 8/10 · 26 May 2011]

My biggest fear about sequels is it's gonna end up pretty bad and ruin the first one. But I remember, Dreamworks already understand how to make a true good animated movie so I don't have to worry. Now the sequel just got more awesome. Non-stop action and non-stop laughs. The heart is also there. "Kung Fu Panda 2" is just as good as the first one.

The trailer makes us dubious but this is Dreamworks. Anyways, "Kung Fu Panda 2" is a great continuation of the series. The story still has a heart and some scenes can almost move you to tears. The movie has bigger and more Kung Fu action & yes, the action never stops. It's all kick butt action.

I like it how they improved the editing. Remember Megamind, It feels like you were flying in every flying sequences. They did the same thing in "Kung Fu Panda 2". Fast Moving Action that it's fun to see it even if it's in 2D. I don't really bash 3D though. The jokes are obviously everywhere. Even in serious scenes it suddenly has humor.

The new comers from the cast did a great job. Gary Oldman is definitely good at being a villain in movies even if it's animated. Michelle Yeoh made her character likable. Jean-Claude Van Damme is awesome even though his scenes were few. This movie still has the same style from the first movie. Magnificent flash animation in the intro, flashbacks, and the dream sequence. Nice music score. And a lot more.

I just said this movie is as good as the first movie but if I had to pick which Kung Fu Panda movie is better then it would be the first one. It's more heartwarming but Kung Fu Panda 2 is already good enough as a sequel because it's bigger and too awesome. Unfortunately, It's too awesome it moderates the depth a little bit but it's entertaining at its best. To be honest, this could be the best movie of the summer so far.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is a bit darker than the first

[logesh-925-957913 · 7/10 · 26 May 2011]

Kung Fu Panda 2 is a bit darker than the first – as most sequels are – but there's nothing here that will damage your kids.

Kung Fu Panda 2, little moments that undermine traditional action-movie tropes to hilarious effect.The film is funny, but never outrageously so, reducing the laughs to find poignancy with Po's parental quest. The movie is a visual feast, accentuated with a crisp, effective deployment of 3D, moving with stunning fluidity and fierceness, packed with extraordinary detail.

The set-pieces in this movie are more exciting than most action movies. True, animation gives you a lot more breathing room when it comes to imaginary battles, but there were fights and clashes in this movie that were just stunning.

Hans Zimmer's score is an energetic.

characterization Gary Oldman as the film's primary antagonist Lord Shen who is an albino Indian Peafowl and Victor Garber as Master Thundering Rhino, a Javan Rhinocerosia are awesome.

The focus on character is so surprisingly sharp that the conflict seamlessly fuses with the rest of the material, becoming accessible to

everyone in the audience.

Overall, the messages are great - be honest, help each other, love your friends and family, be true to yourself, stick together.

A perfect sequel to go with the original film.

[ja_kitty_71 · 10/10 · 4 July 2011]

I had seen the teaser trailer for the awaited sequel for Kung Fu Panda...and I was psyched! Now I had seen Kung Fu Panda 2, and I find that both the original film and this sequel are both AWESOME!

Po is now enjoying being the Dragon Warrior. But then a band of bandit wolves were attacking the Artisan Village for metal. But during the battle, Po noticed a symbol on the bandit leader's armor that triggered a memory from his past - thus letting the wolves escape. Po asks his father Mr Ping ,where he came from, but all the goose can tell him is that he found Po as an infant in a vegetable crate behind his restaurant and adopted him.

Afterwards, Master Shifu had receive word that Master Thundering Rhino, leader of the Kung Fu Council protecting the metropolis of Gongmen City, has been killed by the white peacock Lord Shen with his massive weapon, which threatens to destroys Kung Fu tradition. So Po and the Furious Five are sent to stop him. Now I know I would say this too: that is all I will tell of the film, folks, you will have to see the film for yourself how it ends.

So overall, I love really this film from beginning to end, perfect to go with the original film.

The peak of dreamworks

[benowen-91207 · 9/10 · 12 May 2019]

If I knew that I would give a sequel about a panda doing kung fu a 9 out of 10 I wouldn't believe it But my god this is how you do a sequel. I love the first movie, but the blend of comedy, Acton, atmosphere, plot and heart gives an actual emotional experience that completely trumps its predecessor There is no obvious flaws about this movie, it takes what 1 did good and improves it flaws to create an experience that's great for both kids and adults

The return of awesomeness.

[AfricanBro · 7/10 · 10 March 2024]

The adoption conversation was funny, I had to pause the movie because I was laughing too much. It's pretty much as good as the first movie. I think my favorite part of the first two movies are the villains. I love that they're menacing, their motivations are believable and they're memorable characters. I think the main characters all feel similar to the first movie. On paper there are changes, like Po has learnt Kung fu and all, but he's still just this clumsy, lovable panda. The animations great, not a huge step up from the first but it didn't need to be because it was already good.

I can see why I loved this as a kid. I think I my love for Kung fu panda stems from a cartoon network show "Chop Socky Chooks" which came out around the time of the first movie, if I remember correctly. I enjoyed it. Kung fu panda two is a worthy sequel, I don't think it's a major upgrade on the first movie but that was already good.

One of the greatest sequels ever made.

[Achyut_Prashast_Singh · 10/10 · 20 January 2021]

Kung Fu Panda 2 is a rare sequel that comes close to outdoing the first film. I personally think this is the best of the series, as not only does it improve on the already brilliant aspects of Kung Fu Panda, but also adds an unexpected emotional weight to the characters and proceedings. It still continues to be funny, but trust me, the emotional moments are bound to hit you in the feels. I almost cried watching those moments, and there itself knew this was one of the strongest entries in the franchise.

Kung Fu Panda 2 soars really high, and as the tagline on the poster says, delivers "twice the awesomeness". The action sequences involve more than just martial arts; the rickshaw chase sequence is still stuck in my head, and hands down one of the best scenes in the film. The story this time is actually more plot-driven, but also adds greater weight to the characters. Philosophy continues to be here, and it feels stronger whenever served. The voice acting is still a strong aspect, and I can't imagine the film without those voices. And the score, of course, remains a treat to the ears and a worthy aide to the proceedings.

In short, Kung Fu Panda 2 does what most action movie sequels do: intensify the action and give characters bigger and more lethal missions to deal with. But what it also does is make them fully realized so they stay with you even after the credits have rolled. This has to be one of the greatest sequels ever made, and of course, one of the most exciting animated action comedies out there. As an adult, I can assure you there's a lot for you, whether you're a kid or not.

Very predictable in terms of the content

[nameesh · 6/10 · 29 May 2011]

Well, the movie was a total waste compared to the 1st part. It seemed to be forced upon people to watch a Sequel of a beautifully done movie during the 1st part. I don't think people should make sequels with non-sense content like this.

Seems like the Dragon Warrior seems to make a fool of himself all the time. And needs someone to rescue, which I think is so stupid. Many time we can laugh at the dumbness of the Panda.

There were few moments when movie was very interesting, especially the Panda's chase around the city. Otherwise, it seemed like those old fashioned movie where hero(s) family is destroyed by villain and hero takes revenge.

My rating is only basic on the graphic content for the movie, have tried to portray things very realistically. But yes, 1 very disappointing thing is the 3D effect, somehow putting on the glasses makes the brightness go down. Many times the clarity is missing big-time.

The best of the series

[justin-fencsak · 10/10 · 20 April 2019]

If kung fu panda was star wars then this one is esb . This was back when jack black was at its peak with Angelina back when she was married to brad Pitt. This is also the first DreamWorks cartoon to be directed by a woman and has found great success in China. The success of this and the end of the trilogy has spawned a t.v. series and countless merchandise.

A clichéd amusement

[salmanzaheer9 · 7/10 · 9 June 2011]

I went a little late to see this movie. I admit I was a little skeptical at first to go watch an animated movie as 90 minutes mean a lot to me. Though my love for the cute Panda took the better of me and I went to see it.

The movie was full of laughs. It was light; it had me on the edge of the seat during all the action, and the graphics were simply beautiful. But though this movie flowed through perfectly without giving me a second to feel bored, the clichéd story made it almost easy for me to predict that everything would get right in the end... and so it does!

As I watched Po battle Shen(the peacock), I went like, 'Oh we know in the end Po would be this big hero!'Those around me did not like me being a spoiler but fact is fact. Po is the hero in the end and then we go on to the end of a happy ending, with a room for a sequel left behind as well(Surely wouldn't miss that!)

So over-all, it was a good movie, with nice and funny lines and cute animations. The action is intense and the movie is good if you don't like to boggle your mind over the story much. Wouldn't recommend it for those who are mature and think this movie would be different than the other kids movies. But if your a teenager, go ahead and enjoy the movie and the elder sisters of the kids who come to see this title(!). It is definitely worth a watch.

No replay value. Flat, Predictable, and Charmless

[bl-606-352256 · 4/10 · 23 June 2011]

Some characters voiced by famous people were barely used (especially the snake, monkey, and bird). I didn't see the first movie, but they just seemed like baggage that couldn't be cut. I feel bad for David Cross getting about 3 lines and none of them being comedic. This was an all star voice cast, and it was mostly wasted.

There was no emotional build up in the plot or development of the characters. It just stumbled through a series of henchmen fight scenes. You knew how the movie was going to turn out in the end. In fact this was one of the most predictable movies I have ever seen. Let alone the plot, scenes, and character types we've seen 100 times before, I found myself predicting the ends of the characters lines way too many times. There was no charm to this movie. Compare to a Pixar movie, they both use clichés, but Pixar films are actually remembered. Nobody in this film really had a developed personality besides Jack Black's character.

Visually, the entire film seemed to be colored an ominous red and gray. It made for a very uncomfortable movie as the whole thing looked like it was over a fire. Compare to Mulan, where there were scenes in the white snow or woods. That was visually memorable. Who cares about the good CG animation, its like buying a 3 year old expensive crayons. In addition I was confused by the purpose of a lot of the non-kung fu action scenes. I felt like I was watching a video game someone else was playing. They went on for forever. I was later told this would normally be in 3D, makes sense. These scenes are time filling garbage.

Review was harsh, but honestly they created this for the quick cash so I don't think they care. This has almost no replay value and won't stay in your memory for long. It won't bore you to death or anything, I didn't have a bad time watching it, but something irks me when they pull movies like these out of a can and I come here to find it has a rating of about 8. That's on par with Aladdin/Fantasia and above Cinderella/Dumbo. Lets be honest, its about a 4.

Enjoyable family film that adds a bit of darkness, and a lot of scale, to the strengths of the first film

[bob the moo · 2 June 2019]

I'd not seen the first Kung-Fu Panda film since it had come out in the late noughties, and I hadn't seen any of the other ones at all until it my toddler started watching them and I picked up 2 and 3 for her. After watching the first one loads, I managed to move her to the second, for my own variety as much as anything else. The plot sees Po trying to settle into his new role as Dragon Warrior, at the same time as a banished son returns to the city to use a new powerful weapon to seize control of the city and country. It has a slightly darker tone than the first film, because it touches on Po's backstory, and it carries itself with more dramatic sequences than the first film did (where we only got to see the power and anger of Tai Lung in a handful of scenes - mostly the film was about Po's training).

This slightly extra weight adds to the characters and the narrative, and at the same time the scale of the film feels bigger as we move into a city, with the stakes high. This means the action sequences feel like they mean more, and in return the actions is bigger, more polished, and fits well with the gravity-defying excess of the genre that the film is referencing and drawing from. It did this well in the first film too, but here it feels much more satisfying in the scale of it all. At its heart though the film remains funny, entertaining, easy for families, and with good moral messages throughout. As with the first film, the use of Chinese culture swings from mostly feeling well used and cleverly adopted, to being a bit cheap - but mostly it works well.

Animation and production is of a very high standard, and the voice cast is even deeper than in the first film, with people like Oldman, Yeoh, Haysbert, Garber, Van Damme, and McBride joining an already very starry cast. Black doesn't always work for me, but he keeps Po funny but likeable, while Oldman manages to bring gravity to his performance and have good comic timing too.

In my mind, the Kung-Fu Panda films were sort of 'lesser' films because I always saw Pixar's deeper content as being superior to Dreamworks stuff, however this second film lifts from the already good first, and is a very enjoyable and satisfying family film.

The Vidiot Reviews...

[capone666 · 7/10 · 12 December 2011]

Kung Fu Panda 2

Being on the endangered species list is a good indicator of how successful your species is at martial arts.

That is why the giant panda in this animated movie must be some sort of anomaly.

When Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), a malevolent peacock, learns from a mystic (Michelle Yeoh) that a panda will overthrow him, he orders the race's annihilation.

Years later, Shen's shocked to discover a panda, Po (Jack Black), survived the genocide to become a Kung Fu Dragon Master.

Welding a cannon, Shen sets out to conquer China and destroy Po and his Furious Five (Seth Rogen, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, David Cross, Lucy Liu).

An ominous origin tale, Kung Fu Panda 2 delivers equivalent slapstick action to the first, but with a new level of story complexity.

Besides, why waste your time decimating the panda population, when their lack of sex-drive will do the job for you? (Green Light)

Both funny and touching

[RemusGrey · 10/10 · 27 June 2015]

This movie's concept is pretty similar to How to Train your Dragon. Darker and maturer story and plot. But it is different in one way, the comedy is still there and it is a stronger comedy. This is a perfect sequel Dreamworks has done. Stronger comedy with a darker and maturer story, but Dreamworks remembers that this is a movie for kids and they never went "over-maturer". But they still made a movie that can entertain adults also. And also this is really touching which can tear up some others. I call this the best sequel and best movie of 2011.

P.S. Don't let adopted kids watch this as this story has Po finding out that he is adopted and may upset adopted kids.

I'm the only one or few who like better Kung Fu Panda 1 & 3!?

[Leasebergfladstad · 6/10 · 30 December 2018]

The third movie Kung Fu Panda 3 reminded more and especially relived memories and feelings for the first movie Kung Fu Panda and the villain Kai at least looks more scary as a bull and was against pandas as Shen too.

The reasons why I dislike Kung Fu Panda 2: 1. I especially didn't like there was too serious and dark theme at the same time for lighthearted, funny, non-serious and innocent characters as Po who are just especially one of my most favorite characters.

2. There are more plot holes.

3. It's focusing more on the Furious Five.

4. The villain Shen is a killer rabbit villain who looks less scary as a peafowl, even though he was just responsible for Po being separated from his family and killing his mother, but Po let go of it a little too easily and was happy even before he knew it and/or after since he had no experience of it.

The plot holes: 1. It seems first Shen wanted to weaponized fireworks because he was power hungry to conquer China as he was a evil psychopath, his parents was worried about him because of his evil nature and tried to kill all pandas too make sure the prophecy about a warrior of black and white as pandas would stop him to conquer China wouldn't come true, but other source says Shen wanted weaponized fireworks to impress his parents and business of Gongmen City at first. How can Shen become power hungry to conquer China because he wanted to weaponized fireworks or his parents exiled him who had nothing to do with China, kill all pandas if Shen didn't want to conquer China at first and believe his parents would be proud of him for killing all pandas and conquer China when they weren't even evil too and even let his cannon crush him if he want to conquer China anyway? Shen would at least get his will to conquer over a kingdom since he was at least a prince who are the only heir after his parents to conquer over their own kingdom, usually royalties who have and are jealous of their older siblings who are the next to rule over their kingdoms and advisers who dislike their job or never get any praise and honor, become power hungry and will only conquer over their own kingdom instead of entire country or the world that have nothing to with them. How could Shen believe his parent would be proud of him to weaponized firework and conquer China if his parent weren't evil too? Would Shen want to take revenge on his parents? It were his parents who banished Shen because he want to conquer China and massacred pandas, but why did Shen still want to seek revenge when his parents was nevertheless died before his return?

2. Why did Shen want to make an end of kung fu? Even Shen was a kung fu master too, kung fu had nothing to do with his backstory, his main goal was to conquer China and kung fu could be useful to conquer China. Shen created a cannon that would put an end of kung fu, but it's not only kung fu it should make an end of if there are anything else are as powerful or more powerful than kung fu, as chi.

3. The kung fu masters seems more weaker. How could the kung fu masters believe even only one cannon could put an end of kung fu and conquer China and didn't even knew first that Shen at least had more than one cannon and could create multiple cannons quickly that they should rather stop him from doing instead and how could even Po believe a cannon figurine was Shen's actual cannon when and didn't even laugh just because of it was too small too put an end of kung fu and conquer China? Aren't kung fu masters smarter, too quick and has high strength to hit the cannons and wasn't there other more kung fu masters than just Po, Furious Five, Shifu, Storming Ox and Croc who could also go to stop Shen if they needed more help? Cannon is too slow and heavy to swing fast enough and can only shoot on one place at once if there are more kung fu masters than cannons and are in different directions, even Tai Lung was shown to be cunning and swift enough to avoid firing weapons and was able to defeat the Anvil of Heaven, the Furious Five and Shifu on is own, Tigress hit the cannon down to the bottom floor of Tower of the Sacred Flame, Kai easily defeated many kung fu masters by taking their chi on his own and Thundering Rhino didn't even dodge the cannon's fire. Shen must at least have kung fu skills and learn his wolf and gorilla army kung fu to defeat kung fu masters, Kai and Taotie could make an end of kung fu, Kai easily defeat many kung fu masters by taking their chi on his own and once Taotie created a machine that easily defeat Po, Shifu and Furious Five (without Tigress). Why didn't Thundering Rhino try to dodge the cannon's fire and how could the other kung fu masters survive blow from the cannon when Thundering Rhino who easily dies of just a one blow by the cannon when he was bigger and stronger? Po survived probably because of his enormous body fat. Wasn't most important to stop Shen from conqured China than to stop him to put an end of kung fu?

4. Why is Thundering Rhino's physical appearance different than in Kung Fu Panda Holiday? Why is shown in the credits of Kung Fu Panda 2 Po made the the Furious Five action figures when he was a child if he was fan of kung fu since he was a teenager and the Furious Five were just formed then as revealed in Secrets of the Scroll?

5. Why is not even shown or mentioned that Shen began his plan years before or it was lesser than 30 years ago for the panda massacre and when he was exiled if it was 20 years ago as revealed in Kung Fu Panda 3?

A movie with both good comedy and drama.

[Animated_Antic · 9/10 · 20 November 2017]

The first "Kung Fu Panda" was a big surprise for moviegoers around the world. Critics and audiences, including myself, really enjoyed it's enjoyable martial arts story, beautiful animation and brilliantly developed characters. So when DreamWorks announced a sequel, I actually got very eager to see it. I went into the film very excited and walked out extremely satisfied because "Kung Fu Panda 2" is a very good sequel that steps up everything that made the first film work. It's one of those films that makes the story, characters and animation better.

The dragon warrior Po (Jack Black) and his fellow kung fu master the Furious Five (respectively played by Angelina Jolie, David Cross, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, and Jackie Chan) have been protecting the Valley of Peace from enemies for some time now. Little do they know that the evil Lord Shen (Gary Oldman) has returned to  Gongmen City in order to test his newest weapon used from modified fireworks to seek revenge after he was banished by his parents for exterminating the panda population in order to avert a prophecy predicted about him. When the kung fu team's teacher Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) receives the news of the return of Shen, he sends the team to the city to defeat the evil Lord and protect the art of kung fu. Along the way, Po is trying to discover his origins along with the mystery with his real parents. After this, we receive some very funny and emotional moments resulting a pretty fantastic movie.

This is one of those sequels that does the proper approach that a sequel should do which continue the story from the first. The film simply doesn't repeat the first story but rather tell a different story. Speaking of the story in this film, it's pretty fantastic. I loved how this movie is able to balance both the comedic and emotional moments very well without making the film feeling like it had to much or even to little. The film once again dove into the philosophy and art of martial arts like the first film did and also added new elements involving inner peace which I found fascinating. The animation once again is beautiful. Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson knew how to tell it's story through it's colors very well with the film having a very heavy focus on the color red during evil moments of the film and calming green colors during quieter moments. I also liked that the flashback scenes in the movie were told through 2D animation which is something that I always love to watch. The characters are also fantastic as well. The reason why is because they're properly developed and given more character and don't act like jerks throughout the movie, particularly Po's relationship to the Furious Five. The villain, Lord Shen, is one of the best villains that DreamWorks has ever created. He has a fantastic backstory and a very deviously evil plot, but they also manage to give him some very good comedic moments. As far as flaws, the movie does feel like it did run a little too long and some of the scenes could have been cut a little bit shorter, but that's really about it.

"Kung Fu Panda 2" is a very good sequel that makes everything that worked in the first film better with a very good story, some great animation, and well developed characters. I wonder where DreamWorks will go from here when they do a sequel because based on the end of the film, this might go somewhere exciting. I surely hope that it does.

Disappointed: Not as Good as the First

[3xHCCH · 6/10 · 26 May 2011]

Just got home from watching the first showing of Kung Fu Panda 4 in local cinema with my kids. We were all very excited about it because we loved the first film very much because of the excellent animation, the snappy dialogues and above all, its heart.

However as the movie was starting, for the first few minutes, I was underwhelmed and even bored with the very slow pace of things. The story dealt with Po discovering that he was adopted by his goose father. This is no spoiler because we all obviously know it. We will eventually learn what happened to his parents and how he ended up in a box of radishes outside the noodle shop. From here to there though, the rest of story was very transparent. There was no thrill of discovery for me. The drama seemed forced. I wanted so much to like it, but there was something missing.

The voice acting of Jack Black is most distinct and identifiable. He gives Po a most lovable personality. The rest of the voice acting felt generic, such that those big name stars lending their voices were not really necessary. Yes, including Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman. Gary Oldman voices the main antagonist Lord Shen, a misguided peacock. While having a peacock as the vicious enemy was original, it was not executed too well, I felt.

On the more positive end, the artwork and animation was definitely still top-notch. The color and computer effects were astounding. The dialogs were similarly snappy. Too bad, the story was not substantial enough to satisfy me. As much as I liked the individual technical aspects, the product as a whole was ultimately unmemorable. The heart of the film was still there though, but by the time you feel it, you may have already been too disappointed to actually appreciate it.

An Underrated Masterpiece

[zaidmnomani · 9/10 · 27 May 2020]

In my opinion, Kung Fu Panda 2 is severely underrated. Many seem to prefer the first one over this. However, I completely disagree. The first Kung Fu Panda movie is funny and has a simple story. This film is more emotional and character driven. Whereas the first film was about Po learning Kung Fu, this one focuses more on Po coming to terms with his tragic past.

Already the film has done what every sequel should do, giving the main character a new arc. Another thing is the world building. Most of the film takes place in Gongmen City, and the tall buildings and more advanced architecture is a refreshing change to the setting of the first film. It also further develops the Furious Five, especially Tigress, who's friendship with Po grows much stronger over the course of the story.

Shen, like Tailong in the first film, is the best character. Unlike Tailong, he does not pose a threat to Po in the physical sense, but rather in a emotional way. It was Shen who massacred Po's village, and ergo created his own greatest enemy. Shen is cold and cruel, and a lot of things he does and says are not what you usually see in a animated film. Shen is a great villain to succeed Tailong and a far more dangerous antagonistic force.

Po himself changes. He learns the truth about his tragic past and how he came to be adopted. But Po learns that although his story may not have started out well, his life has become much greater since, which is how he finally gains inner peace by the third act. He is overall a much more mature person than he was in the first movie, although he still has the goofy one liners that are integral to his character.

The action in this film is even better than the first film's. The unique locations and stunning color choices along with some of the best action choreography I have ever seen in a kids film all combine together to make gorgeous looking battles. Most of this film takes place during the night time, so the fire and explosions really stand out. Shen himself is a pure white peacock, and he contrasts heavily with his surroundings, making him instantly recognizable in any scene.

The soundtrack is also as good as, if not better than, the first film. Here it's less noticeable and more subtle, blending in perfectly with the action. In the third act it really elevates the feeling of suspense. Po standing up to a dozen enemy ships and throwing fireballs by achieving pure peace is my favorite moment during the entire trilogy. His final battle and Shen's defeat are done perfectly.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is the Empire Strikes Back of the Kung Fu Panda trilogy. It does everything a sequel needs to and then some more. It is slower paced than the first one, but that is in favor of more emotional beats and better build up. It is a movie that everyone can enjoy and love for many different reasons, and I for one, look forward to revisiting it.

A Decent Sequel

[estebangonzalez10 · 6/10 · 20 October 2011]

¨ My fist hungers for justice! ¨

Po has returned to save China once again in Kung Fu Panda 2; with the same writers (Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger), but a different director (Jennifer Yuh). Many consider that the original Kung Fu Panda is DreamWorks's best animated film to date; in my opinion their best one is How to Train Your Dragon, but Kung Fu Panda was still a great movie. I had my concerns with the sequel because I knew it was going to be hard to meet expectations. Cars 2 failed in this respect for Pixar, but Kung Fu Panda 2 worked a little better. This film isn't nearly as good as the 2008 original, but for a sequel it works really well; it probably won't win an Oscar (Rango seems to have it pretty much locked up this year, although I didn't like it), but it is still very entertaining and the entire family will have a good time with this movie. The best thing about the film is the animation. Guillermo del Toro was brought in as the creative consultant for the Art Department and it really paid off because the look of the film is impressive and so are the visuals. The story is actually the weakest link, but it works mostly thanks to the characters we grew to love in the first film. There is also an interesting villain, voiced by Gary Oldman, so that was also a plus, but the story was really predictable. After the first 15 minutes you knew exactly what was going to happen at the end. Jean-Claude Van Damme also has a small role as the Master Croc, and it was fun to hear him.

Po (Jack Black) is living in the temple with the five kung fu warriors he has always idolized since he was little: Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Crane (David Cross). They seem to be training very hard as we hear Po breathing very heavily, but they are actually all staring at how many breads Po can fit into his mouth. Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) calls for Po and tries to teach him about finding inner peace. Po is more of an action kind of Panda and is waiting to show off his kung fu skills as the Dragon Warrior (title which he achieved in the first film). His opportunity comes when the Village where his father Mr. Ping (James Hong) lives is attacked by a group of wolves who are stealing all the metal from the village. The wolves are gathering metal in order to create a secret weapon that will put an end to Kung Fu. They all work for the evil White Peacock named Shen (Gary Oldman) who is threatening to conquer China with this new powerful weapon. There is something about Shen that bothers Po and reminds him of his forgotten past. Po begins to have flashbacks about his childhood and discovers that Mr. Ping is not his actual father. Along with his friends, Po begins a quest to stop Shen before it's too late, and at the same time discover the truth about his past.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is not as fresh and fun as the first film, but it still was a lot of fun. Po is really a fun character and one can't help but be reminded of Jack Black when watching Po trying to do his kung-fu stunts. Po is not only voiced by Jack Black, but he seems to be inspired by that character. In the same way there is a scene where we see Master Croc (voiced by Van Damme) do one of his singular moves from his action films. Jack Black is an incredibly funny actor and we find some of that comedy in Po's animation. Gary Oldman also brought a lot of things to his new character, and he is always great at playing the villain. Kung Fu Panda 2 might not be as good as the original, but that doesn't mean you won't have fun with this family friendly film. My only complaint relies in the story, but the animation and visuals make up for it. Kung Fu Panda is a fun film you can enjoy with the family, but not much more than that.

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An emphatic return with a darker story; great movie with lots in it for the adults as well

[MosHr · 10/10 · 25 May 2011]

The question that has been floating around about Kung Fu Panda 2 is if it is Shrek 2 or Toy Story 2 of animated sequels? Well, I'm happy to say it's Toy Story 2 kind of animated sequel - a genuine good movie that takes risks and succeeds rather than rehashing the first movie.

Po isn't as much of a gastro-kung-fu fighter and fanboi from the first movie but has grown in his personality; he's less the Jack Black as a panda and more of a character that stands on it's own. However, Po is now the tragic hero in a Greek style prophecy which foretells of a warrior in black and white who would defeat a certain Lord Shen who has invented a new weapon that could spell the end of kung-fu. As Po learns that he is adopted, he struggles to find out about his past and the strange symbol from his nightmares. The heavy subject matter doesn't weight down the movie and is continually and cleverly able to escape into funny moments without losing gravitas. It successfully weaves the topics of fatherhood, friendship and family into a colorful story that even though we know how it will end, it gets there very very emphatically.

I'm really glad that Kung Fu Panda 2 didn't go the route of being a purely children's movie and didn't go the route of being built on jokes of Po's eating and Po's weight. I suppose the fortune cookie philosophy of master Shifu is slightly missed but purely a small quibble in a good movie. As a final note, maybe it's because of my eyesight with a weaker left eye, I barely noticed the 3D at all. Highly recommended movie.

Good Movie But Po's Antics Becoming Annoying

[notyourbuddy-73-643209 · 7/10 · 5 June 2011]

While I didn't enjoy this movie as much as the first its still a good movie (especially as far as sequels are concerned).

The animation, like the first, is great eye-candy making it a joy to watch while the general plot, villain, and personal back story's are all well done.

Po's history is tied in well to the main plot and leads to some nice moments between Po and his noodle dad. Even one of the Furious Five shows some emotional vulnerability (setting up for the third movie of a planned six so I read). So this movie, like the first, delivers on the personal/emotional side pretty nicely.

As for the main villain this go-round (an albino peacock), while less physically imposing than his predecessor (Tai Lung), he uses his wits to present a unique set of challenges to our heroes which leads to another one of the franchises unorthodox final battle sequences which I enjoy. Some might be disappointed, but I found him to be very majestic and formidable in his own way so I thought he was a nice choice.

My only pet peeve is in the humor department as for me it lacked a feel of spontaneity and flow. Rarely did it catch me off guard like the first movie did so no LOL moments. Instead it was often predictable, over-the-top, out of place, or just flat out not funny. Sure there were some scenes like Po on the roof giving his speech (minus his bad overacting after the hat toss) etc that brought back memories of the first, but quite a few others had Po behaving so childishly or trying too hard to be funny that I began to find his antics a little annoying. Running around "yeah lets go woo yeah!" got old quick for me and a lot of his one liners felt like that person who you meet who isn't funny at all but for a need of attention continually tries to be anyways. Even one of the Furious Five looked tired of it as there is a scene where Po is talking about his two-step plan and Tigress has to reply with an agitated "Po!" as if to say "okay we get it, but its not funny...knock it off already!" I felt your pain Tigress.

Still an overall enjoyable movie. No reason to not watch it unless you absolutely hated the first.

Saturday morning cartoon stretched to one and a half hours

[puff_ng · 4/10 · 3 July 2011]

What a terrible movie.

Every single line of dialogue was cringe worthy. If it wasn't trying too hard to be funny it was shoehorning kungfu into the plot every chance the writers could get.

The plot, themes, twist and moral were all clichéd and predictable. It is a Saturday morning cartoon stretched to one and a half hours.

The Chinese accents were grating. Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman and Gary Oldman's voices did not seem out of place, so why the director felt the need to give all the minor characters Chinese voice actors or Chinese accents to make the movie more authentic when it actually detracts from the experience is beyond me.

The worst aspect of the movie is the fact that Po didn't need to do any hard work or make any effort whatsoever to become stronger; he just got an instant power-up to God mode. It's the antithesis to every single kung-fu movie ever made, where effort and hard work pay off. It's basically telling the audience you can do nothing and still achieve greatness.

The film must've been written by kung-fu fanboys who have no idea about the subject matter beyond the flashy wire-fu.

The very last scene at the end just confirms that this is nothing but a quick and easy cash grab, and that more quick and easy cash grabs are to come.

Full of of "Awesomeness"

[julian-mumford · 24 September 2011]

Kung Fu Panda was huge in every sense, $631 million at the worldwide box office and an indelible character amply voiced by Jack Black. This is a voice role that may come to define his career, even though he does not actually appear in a single frame.

Understandably Dreamworks Studios would be failing shareholders not to expand the franchise further and we now have the second film, in what almost certainly will become a trilogy.

Does the film suffer from mid trilogy bloat and irrelevance, well actually no. Everything is subjective but this is the equal or may even surpass in some ways, the original film.

Po Ping or Dragon warrior (Black) managed through his daring deeds and hopeless optimism to save "Kung Fu" in the first film, here he has a much harder task. Finding himself, reconciling his own adoption and achieving "inner peace" all the while fighting off the genocidal Lord Shen (Oldman) of Gongman City. Shen is intent on destroying everything and everyone to fill the emptiness, due to a lack of paternal love.

As Po would say, "It's like, quite deep".

As before, Po manages to complete daring feats and heroic acts, not so much out of bravery but by falling skillfully, more often than not led by his ample stomach in search of a quick feed. He does not do this alone of course, we have on hand his usual fighting crew. Tigress (Jolie), Monkey (Chan), Mantis (Rogen), Crane (Cross) & Viper (Liu), heavy hitting star power for a children's animated movie.

We also have Shifu (Hoffman) returning as a "Yoda" like mentor and Mr Ping (Hong) as Po's adopted father, who provides comic relief and some touching scenes in equal measure. The film tidying up the slight oddity of a Panda being the son of a Goose. Michelle Yeo voices the soothsayer that predicts Shen's future, who may or may not be useful to his quest in equal measure. Even Jean Claude Van Damme gets a look in as Master Croc, which always looks good on your filmography.

It goes without saying that the animation and sound are top rate and the story unfolds in a natural way and does not feel conceived merely to extend the franchise. We wanted to know more about the character and here we explore Po's past and why this new threat is so personal and debilitating to him, his own Kryptonite if you will.

What made the previous film really stand out was the hand drawn oriental style animation that interspersed the action, fleshing out stories told by the characters. Here we are again treated to similar sequences which lift the film to another level. For every child friendly chase sequence there is a tender scene which manages to appeal to adults without detracting from the on screen colourful antics.

Will Po manage to vanquish evil again, find balance and reconcile his past, well the deviations from the norm can only be stretched so far but the journey is the thing and there is much to enjoy along the way.

Could well be the the best animated film of the year, Pixar have definite competition in this genre and perhaps mirroring the arc from Toy Story 1 to 2. If so, then the third outing could be special indeed.

Summary

Equalling or even eclipsing the first film this achieves all the studio could have hoped for. Family friendly with a good heart, exquisite animation and a starry but well used voice cast.

Highly Recommended and as the tagline says, "full of awesomeness".

Finally, a worthy sequel

[gregeichelberger · 6/10 · 31 May 2011]

A day after viewing the debacle that was "The Hangover, Part II," I was able to see an example of how a sequel should really be made. Now, I know enough not to compare live action films to animated ones, but the fact remains that movie fell flat while "Kung Fu Panda 2" was a surprisingly pleasant experience.

Following its 2008 predecessor, which became one of the year's sleeper hits, this version keeps the same vocal talent in tact and even adds Gary Oldman ("JFK," "Dark Knight") as the voice of a violent, despotic peacock (yep, that's right).

Leading the cast is the irrepressible Jack Black as Po, the moronic, clumsy, gluttonous panda bear who overcomes all to become the animal kingdom's most unlikely kung fu master. Also joining in on the fun is the Furious Five, Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Seth Rogen (Mantis), David Cross (Crane), Jackie Chan (Monkey) and Lucy Liu (Viper), as well as Dustin Hoffman (as the spiritual leader, the Yoda-like Shifu).

This group of martial arts junior justice league all-stars is called together again after part one to save the entire country of Cathay (China for the uninitiated) against Lord Shen (Oldman), who leads a vicious pack of wolves and has invented artillery.

Plus, Shen is guilty of a horrible act of genocide, turning this into "Kung Fu Panda" meets "The Lord of War" meets "The 10 Commandments." We also learn a bit about Po's origins, while there are some genuinely touching and funny moments with Po's adopted father, Mr. Ping the noodle-cooking goose (James Wong).

The conflict begins when Shen and his minions crank up the war machine, building cannons and ships to take over a country that is still apparently peaceful and bucolic. Only the Furious Five can stop this evil plan, but the odds are stacked against them.

Meanwhile, Shifu attempts to teach Po the meaning of inner peace with a classic scene in which Hoffman intones, "When you became a Dragon Master, it was the worst day of my life. No, I mean it was the absolute worst day." Black's mournful, "Okay, I get it," is the perfect retort.

Putting aside some major disbelief of a peacock ruling over wolves (whom in "real" life would have just eaten the bird and got it over with), as well as the chemistry between Po and his super hero friends being almost non-existent, I still have to give a big thumbs up to this effort.

The children will no doubt love the colorful animals - especially the cuddly panda sequences, while the adults will relish the many one-liners, many coming from the Po-Mr. Ping relationship.

My mistrust of sequels was only exacerbated with the release of the second "Hangover;" thank goodness my faith was - somewhat - restored just one day later.