Kung Fu Panda D movie review (2011)

Kung Fu Panda 2 [3D] (2011)

Full review: 2011 finally bring us the long-awaited sequel to one of the most enjoyable and visually-stunning animated features in cinematic history, and while "Kung Fu Panda 2" doesn't exceed expectations, it very well satisfy them. The story, though overly familiar and utterly predictable, is hugely entertaining nonetheless, and moves along at a nicely brisk pace, without wasting too much time on introducing the brand new villain and the other new characters, plus, it fits well with the plot of the first movie, especially the part telling the story of baby Po. The script is funny, clever and witty, and it provides many laughs along the way, as well as plenty of hilarious situations that our favorite characters create. However, the most impressive thing about this sequel is the animation itself. Not sure if it's because of her Asian origins, but former assistant designer Jennifer Yuh does an incredible with her directing debut of "Kung Fu Panda 2". Yuh certainly has an eye for detail, a great sense of visual style, and overall, she shows an incredible creativity as a director. Thanks to her competence and previous experience, and animators' astounding skills, "Kung Fu Panda 2" is nothing short of dazzling, visually. The CGI scenery of ancient China is as exotically-exquisite as it's accurate, featuring glorious mountains, stunning cities and beautiful bamboo forests and waterfalls, plus, the amazing use of 3D adds to the overall marvellous look of the film. Just like in the predecessor, the action sequences are one of the film's highlights - they're dynamic, flawlessly-choreographed and thrilling to watch, and arguably better than most fights in any live-action movie. The characters are wonderfully-designed and thoroughly engaging, with special mention goes to baby panda, Po, and the newly introduced characters, Shen and Soothsayer. Unfortunately, I can't comment on the voice acting, as I saw the dubbed version of movie, but I bet the fantastic cast involved has done a great job.

Overall summary: Although it hardly surpasses the delightful awesomeness of the first movie, "Kung Fu Panda 2" is a more-than-worthy sequel, that fascinates with an enjoyable story and charming characters, and stuns the viewer with its first-rate animation, splendid visuals and absolutely great use of 3D.