thedriveintheatre

Dreamworks usually cops a lot of flak for being an animation studio that has relied on sequels and spin-offs (especially the Shrek franchise). So naturally, some folks might be concerned that this follow-up to the ‘08 smash-hit (pun unintended) Kung Fu Panda might not stand up to its predecessor’s surprisingly good storyline and well-developed characters. Well fear not young grasshoppers, this Panda is back and better than ever.

Note: I have tried to avoid spoilers as much as possible, but it would be best to experience the movie ‘blind’ first. If you’ve already watched it or you’re not bothered by mild plot allusions, keep reading.

The film begins with a nod to the previous movie in the company logo before delving into the backstory of one of the characters, narrated by Soothsayer (Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh) and brought to life in a beautiful shadow puppet sequence. It is how this character’s backstory and Po’s own history intertwine that forms the main thematic arc of the movie, although there’s an interesting plot to carry us to the eventual revelation.

Po (Jack Black) is now living his dream of being the Dragon Warrior; his fitness and skills have improved considerably since we last saw him, although he’s still prone to mistakes and requiring assistance (cleverly keeping him flawed and endearing to the audience). His mentor Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) has brought news of a villainous peacock Lord Shen (Gary Oldman) who has kidnapped the kung-fu masters protecting Gongmen city, with the threat to unleash a devastating weapon that can defeat kung-fu. It is up to Po and the Furious Five to save the day, but Po will have to confront an enemy that shares a dark past with him in his quest to uncover the truth about his origins.

If this sounds like heavy stuff, it is. Like last year’s How to Train Your Dragon, there are surprisingly dark moments in the film where we see the extent of evil the antagonist is capable of. If you thought Tai Lung was wicked, Lord Shen takes it to a whole new level. And whereas Po was helping Shifu attain inner peace with the last adventure, in this quest, the stakes get much more personal and close-to-home for our hero. There’s an extremely powerful scene just before the climax when Po finally remembers everything about his past. In one shot, a character being chased fades into the background, and then Lord Shen appears on a snow-capped hill, framed against a blood-red sky. This villain committed an unspeakable wrong against Po (which was implied, rather than shown), but Po finds it in his heart to forgive and let the past go. The impact of that moment, along with the ensuing montage, moved me to tears (My friend on the other hand, almost cried at the end scene with Po and Ping, which I admit was another equally touching moment).

Also, just to elaborate on Shen, a lot of my online friends have said he’s a great villain, and I have to agree. My theatre partner and I discussed about it at length (and I’ll probably write a post on that topic alone), but let me just say that Gary Oldman did an amazing job voicing this despicable bird, and the animators did a marvellous job animating every twitch of his eyebrow and flourish of his wing feathers. But the greatest thing about this character is he actually demonstrates weakness at points. And that makes him much more emphathetic than being an outright baddass or unremorseful monster.

Other than that, the action sequences are equally breathtaking. Just take all the action scenes from the first movie and multiply it by about three to get an idea of just how excitement is packed into this one. At times, it might get a bit manic, and that’s my only criticism. Whereas Rango was restrained and measured in its still shots, and Rio soared on tracking and swooping cams, Panda feels a bit confused and frazzled with its shakey camerawork. It might be hard during some of the fight scenes to get a sense of what’s going on and who’s fighting who, but when they get it right (like during a rooftop chase on a rickshaw, or when they’re leaping off the top of a collapsing tower), boy, is it exhilarating.

Despite the addition of a few new characters, the side characters from the previous film surprisingly have more airtime to develop themselves. The Furious Five get more lines (except for Viper, which disappointed me a little), but Tiger really goes through the most change in this one. Her once frosty heart is starting to melt the more time she spends with Po, and there’s one poignant act she does to him that will no doubt thrill the fanshippers, but which I think is absolutely heartwarming and reveals the depth of her friendship with Po at this point.

Kung Fu Panda 2 achieves what few sequels have done, improving upon the predecessor’s character developments and expanding the world without compromising the intimacy we share with the cast. While most sequels like ‘Shrek 2’ or ‘Toy Story 3’ suffer from ‘Loads and Loads of Characters’, KFP2 manages to introduce new members while still developing older ones, an incredible feat. The premise of technology making unarmed combat obsolete is a brilliant natural progression that reflected actual historical events, and John Powell’s score amazes again.

With Rango, Rio, and now Kung Fu Panda 2 impressing me in their own unique ways, the ball’s now in Pixar’s court for the upcoming spy adventure Cars 2. While I choose to remain openly optimistic about Pixar’s next movie, I have doubts about whether it can achieve the same level of profound themes that I have experienced with this masterpiece. Much like Po, Dreamworks is getting better with every challenge it faces, and I can’t recommend this movie enough. Go see it.