Kung Fu Panda 2

[Lizhawkins]

Here's a link to Total Film's 4 star review of Kung Fu Panda 2.

[thedude]

I'm seeing this on thursday with littledude, cant wait, i really enjoyed the first one.

[danmc]

I quite enjoyed it - Story & humour was often quite lazy but the animation and Kung Fu action where brilliant. I also felt I got my moneys worth for the 3D aspect - Added a good amount of depth in places and had a decent share of cool stuff coming out the screen. A bunch of ace characters too, although some never quite got the amount of screen time as I hoped.

[thedude]

Originally Posted by danmc

I quite enjoyed it - Story & humour was often quite lazy but the animation and Kung Fu action where brilliant.

Really? The story? It did everything a sequel story needs to. It expanded the universe, asked intelligent questions about its main protagonist, shifted the story forward withot losing sight of what made the original fun and involving as well as introducing new characters that feel neither tacked on or there for the sake of it, as well as expanding the mythology. If anything, its a sequel script many in Hollywood should take a good look at and understand what you need to do to make a sequel work. I'm not saying its a work of art, but its ideas are where they should be. I realy enjoyed it, along with the superb How To Train Your Dragon its the best thing Dreamworks Animation has produced.

[danmc]

Gotta disagree with you there Dude. One thing I will praise about the storyline is I liked the whole adoption thing that covers a plot hole from the first and gives the film its most touching core. Apart from that I found it very more of the same as the first, it may have added/changed a few minor things but otherwise more of the same. I also thought at times there was just to much action (as grand as it was) at times making the plot seem very thin often. And yes there where some ace new characters with a great voice cast and Gary Oldman for example was made to awesome use but the likes of Seth Rogen, Jean-Claude Van Damme and some of my favourite people from part 1 where completely wasted and just never get squeezed in enough screen time that I would hope. What made the film for me was the brilliant animation and visuals, a decent amount of worthily used 3D and top notch Kung Fu which as I said there was to much off. I do agree with you that its one of the best dreamworks have made of this type but that is only because I find there animations really overrated and just a poor mans pixar for most of the time if I am honest. There is only a few of those they've done that I actually did not mind and even then, its not like I am watching Toy Story 3 Edit: One other point to make. For the whole great sequel argument, I found the first Kung Fu Panda a fair bit funnier but each to their own and all.

[Jeffbiscuits]

Every so often a cartoon/kids movie will put me in a really good mood. This is one of them. As a kids movie franchise it's definitely up there with Toy Story. The narrative and humour are at the perfect level of maturity that the kids will be entertained throughout while their parents won't get bored. Jack Black is a lot more palatable when he's playing an animated panda too. It's a bit less rounded than the first film but a lot funnier and perfectly treads the line between grown up story/characterisation and child friendly slapstick humour. If we don't get Toy Story 4 there's always going to be Kung Fu Panda 3 to fill the void. 4/5

[jaykays hat]

Took the kids this morning, I am a fan of the original and although I think the first one was better this didn't disappoint me at all. Loved the animation, story and of course the Kung Fu, of which there was a lot more of than the first outing by our hero.