Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

Sequel dread. You all know it. You loved the first movie, you’re excited to revisit familiar characters, you’re curious to see what new adventures are in store, but you’re nervous that the return trip will be disappointing. Let’s face it, you’ve had lots of reinforcement that sequels are awful, and seldom has the second surpassed—or even equaled—the first.

But Kung Fu Panda 2 shattered all negative sequel dreads. A cinematic treat both visually and narratively, it continues the story of Po the Panda, newly christened Dragon Warrior, as he joins the Furious Five, an elite group of Kung Fu Warriors sworn to protect China from evil. No longer at odds with his Kung Fu counterparts, Po journeys with his team to defeat the dastardly peacock villain Lord Shen, who threatens to annihilate China and destroy the ancient art of Kung Fu forever. But Po faces personal challenges as well. He must uncover his true identity and learn that no matter how sad the story’s beginning, it is the ending that matters.

The first thing I notice in an animated movie is its artistry. The animation here is stunning. Beautiful scenes of China’s landscapes, vistas, waterfalls, architecture, and cities splayed in colorful array across the screen, the palette bright and vivid. The animated characters were incredibly detailed, each with unique facial quirks, fur texture, and coloring. Animated movies have the challenge of starting from scratch, without pre-existing sets, props or lighting. The animators here did a fantastic job filling each shot with the perfect amount of foreground, mid-ground, and background, every frame beautiful and interesting to behold. On a technical level, this film is a masterpiece.

The soundtrack reunites worthy composers Hans Zimmer and John Powell. The first Kung Fu Panda score was an audible feast. This one revisits many of the old themes while adding some new, and the oriental flair enhances the film’s flavor and mood. It’s superb.

The dialogue is excellent, deftly combining physical comedy with hilarious, snappy wit. The laughs were earned; the mirth never stemmed from that lowest common denominator, bathroom humor. And while it was genuinely funny—several scenes had me rolling—it was never corny. I most enjoyed the scene where our posse of Kung Fu warriors attempts to infiltrate the enemy’s stronghold by hiding inside a large dragon puppet. As they parade through the city, they “ingest,” “digest” and “expel” all enemies in their path. And Jack Black’s voice so perfectly suits the large, furry panda that his delivery itself is enough to induce chuckles.

But this film isn’t all about laughs; it has tons of heart too. Fairly deep for a “kids’ movie,” it addresses heavy themes of adoption, the importance of family, compassion, inner peace, and self-sacrifice. The characters’ development and maturity from the first movie was apparent, each growing with age and experience.

But the highlight of any “Kung Fu” movie is the action, right? Well, you get loads of it here, and, boy, is it fun. Each fighting scene is more explosive, exciting and engrossing than the last. The action never gets repetitive and the fight moves are often unbelievable (it is a cartoon) without being absurdly over the top. The fights are not only visually arresting but emotionally captivating. There’s a constant sense of danger, a palpable feeling of suspense and uncertainty. No character ever feels safe from the throes of death. Anything can happen.

If I had one complaint, it would be that the villain was not nearly as compelling as the ferocious leopard from the first movie, Tai Lung. The peacock Shen has some good lines, but while he’s pretty evil, I never really feared or hated him. However, this is an incredibly small complaint for an overall excellent film.

The animation was stunning, the fights enthralling, the characters developed, the dialogue witty and often deep, the score beautiful, the story endearing and, with no real detractors, this is pretty much a perfect movie. It is not only a great sequel but a great standalone film. In fact, I think I liked it even better than its predecessor. I’m looking forward to revisiting this gem again, and hoping for another sequel. This movie is great. Go see it.