Kung Fu Panda 2

what can i say? this movie is excellent. arguably, the best movie in the kung fu panda trilogy. i am now 17 and will be turning 18 in less than a week. i had the pleasure of growing up with the kung fu panda trilogy, and to this day, the second is still my absolute favorite. it creates a fresh and new story while still holding the magic of the first film. throughout this one we see lots of characters develop and change from the first to second movies, a great message, consistent character motives and actions, beautiful animation and character designs, and teaching those mastery of one’s self through a creative and metaphorical way. my favorite thing about this film is the villain, Lord Shen. although we never truly understand why he began his quest for power before his banishment, he is a vicious, ruthless, and the most realistic villain in the franchise. Shen’s genocide of the pandas stemmed out of fear (also proving Oogway’s point in the first film) is something real people do and have done. his attempted conquering of China being done with the advancement of technology (the cannons) to beat the kung fu masters is also more realistic, and his menacing image but in reality cowardly instincts are all what make Shen the most interesting villain in the series, and the most frightening realistic one. the teamwork of the furious five + Po, and the development in their friendship was the perfect pace for this film, and we cannot forget Master Shifu. Shifu’s character change made complete sense in this film. he is calm, wise, and strong. after the death of Tai Lung he was able to be the kung fu master he was always meant to be, and i was incredibly happy to see him finally obtain inner peace. as for Po, what can i say ? such a lovable protagonist. his growth throughout the film while staying true to his character is something hard to obtain when writing about trauma such as this. Po coming to terms with his past, identity, and purpose are all heavy topics placed on the audience which would not have been possible without an excellent writing team, animators, and Jack Black’s stellar performance. the dark elements in this story shape Po into who he truly is, and makes room for some very heartfelt moments that shed a tear or two. i could also go on and on about the animation of this film (literally pages long) but this review is already incredibly lengthy as it is. so, go watch this movie! you won’t be disappointed!