Shark Tale seems so long ago.In only the space of a few years, Dreamworks have managed to really improve their animated output in terms of both technique and story - so much so that some of their stuff is quite rightly being compared to Animation God Pixar at times. Sure, they still have the odd dud, but two of their most recent franchises, How To Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda, have absolutely struck gold. Whilst Dragon was a huge, stunning surprise, Panda managed to look very original and was consistently funny too. Can a sequel continue Dreamworks' quality streak? Why, yes it can - and then some.
I should say that if Kung Fu Panda wasn't your cup of tea, there's not much for you here. Everything that made the original so appealing is still here, very much intact. For example, I think there are even more jokes about how Po the Panda eats a lot than in the first movie - no mean feat. All the key characters - Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Crane (David Cross) and Master Shih tzu (Dustin Hoffman) are back alongside Jack Black in the lead role, and the dynamic is pretty much the same as the first movie. Whilst all the cast are very good and funny, they have very few lines between them - Black, Jolie and Hoffman make up the dialogue with deeper characters. Where they all shine though, is in the spectacular action sequences which take the style and urgency of the first movie and turn it up to eleven - from beginning to end the fast-past fight sequences are original, exciting and absolutely beautiful to look at.
And that's not the only beautiful element to the movie - it all looks fantastic. Wisely, they've avoided trying for a realistic look in favour of a stylised, almost painted look which works perfectly with the movie. I saw the film in 2D, and it wasn't lacking in any way. The setup shows Po, now having mastered Kung Fu, having to take on a new enemy in the form of Gary Oldman's evil peacock Sen, who wants to take over China. The film feels a lot more expansive than the first, both in terms of the story and the way they flesh out Po as a character. Without wishing to spoil any of the story, the arrival of Sen leads to some self-discovery on Po's part as he explores where he really came from (yes, finally he realises that his Goose dad isn't his biological dad!) It's a well-done diversion from the frantic action scenes and helps elevate Po above that of a simple gag machine.
The introduction of Sen as the villain is easily my standout element of the film - he's an inspired creation. Yes, an evil Peacock might not sound that menacing, but he is a brilliantly designed character, with a great performance by Oldman. He's no half-arsed villain either, providing the Kung Fu Masters with a properly evil foe to fight and one that manages to get a few laughs as well. Often, villains can be a low point in animated movies like this, but here is one that really leaves a lasting impression.
Kung Fu Panda 2 is a short, but busy, movie. It manages to stay interesting and exciting throughout, without ever appearing to be a lame relation to the original. If anything, it builds on the good foundations of the first movie very well, and shows a lot more creativity and even risk taking than the first movie did. Whilst some of the humour may be pretty predictable, it's never boring and there's a great balance of action and character throughout. Unlike some of these type of movies, it's far from just a 'kids movie' either - this has appeal for a very broad audience. And on top of all that, it actually has a surprise or two in store as well. Another deserved hit for Dreamworks, and one that really shows just how far they have come.
