If you and your kids are fans of Kung Fu Panda then you are in for a treat as the second installment is hitting cinema screens. Kung Fu Panda 2 delivers on ‘twice the awesomeness’ that is promised in the trailer. After the success of the first movie, Kung Fu Panda was bound to make a reappearance and while many (or in fact most) sequels tend to be a let down, Kung Fu Panda 2 does not disappoint. This sequel is just as funny as the first, but the plot has a darker edge, bringing with it a little more heart, and perhaps even a tear or two.
Our loveable, hungry hero Po has now been accepted by his fellow warriors and is protecting the Valley of Peace. However, Po’s life as the Dragon Warrior is threatened by a new villain, Lord Shen, who wishes to conquer China and destroy kung fu with a new, seemingly unstoppable weapon. In order to defeat Shen, Po must discover inner peace by unlocking the secrets of his past.
There are several reasons why the first movie was loved so much by audiences. The visuals were stunning and the film effectively brought the action genre into a kid’s animated movie. However, the best thing about Kung Fu Panda was the lead character Po. Jack Black was perfect as the voiceover for the funny, fat, kung fu loving panda and the supporting characters, although entertaining in their own right, gave him plenty of room to flex his comedic, as well as his fighting, muscles.
Well the second instalment has taken this winning formula and added a slightly darker storyline. Po must uncover his past (he finds out that his father, a goose, is shockingly not his real father) and discover the truth about where he came from. So along with the hilarious jokes and wonderful fighting scenes, there is more emotion…and when we say emotion, we mean there are scenes with an abandoned baby panda. This not only will result in a collective ‘awwwwwwwwwww’ from the audience but may also have you searching for a tissue.
The 3D effects are very impressive in this movie, taking advantage of the action, weapons and surrounding nature to involve viewers in the movie – which is really what 3D should do. This is the perfect movie for the whole family and your kids will no doubt be practicing their kung fu moves all the way home…just make sure they don’t practice on each other!
