Kung Fu Panda 2

Wednesday night, I went to the midnight showing of Kung Fu Panda 2! it cost me my stamina for today, but I had to see this movie!

3 words... it was AWESOME! I either would have to say it was just as good or even better than the first one.

This Journal is my review of Kung Fu Panda 2

WARNING: may contain SPOILERS!
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first, a recap on the first movie-

Some people really see the first movie is about a nerdy Panda wanting to be a Kung Fu master and having his dream come true, but I saw it more about Master Shifu having to trust his master and to have faith that Po can defeat Tai Lung; in result, Shifu to be rid of his darkness and find peace in himself.

The Second movie, again is about Po being destined to be the hero again, but the twist now is about Po fighting his darkness and finding his peace.

Like Shifu and Tai Lung in the first movie, this story is about the conflict between Po and the new evil: Lord Shen. What made this movie better for me is this was all about Po and his past.

This movie brought a whole load of new things to offer the fans of both Kung-Fu Panda and animation, and I can say that it was new-scale effects and artistic cinema-beauty. Lightings in this movie were appropriately dramatic, the kung fu fighting was bigger and better, and brought in new characters and sites; also this movie used the mix of 3D and Traditional animation

one thing I really loved about the movie (that I can safely share without completely spoiling the movie) was...

THE NEW VILLAIN

Not much I can say about some of the other new characters, the villain: Lord Shen, I can honestly say was good. Like Tai Lung, this guy was a prodigy of royalty and power; but when he was told that he was going to defeated, he took the hasty move to seek and destroy his foretold enemy revealing his true evil which resulted for his parents to have to banish him. Like Tai Lung, The villain returns to claim what he believed was promised/rightfully his and to spread his revenge.

The difference between Shen and Tai Lung is Tai Lung was promised greatness and was heart broken to have everything he worked for denied and for his master, his father Shifu, to do nothing. Shen was a greedy and power hungry, and he wanted nothing taken from him; so he was going to destroy everything and everyone that stood in his way, which is what dragged Po into this conflict. Tai Lung was brutal, but Shen is a kind of villain even I would hate: the Sneaky, Sly, Scheming, greedy little-monster. Lord Shen- if you don't think a Peacock can be intimidating and evil, then prepare to reconsider.

The other thing I liked about this movie was character development. Along with adding new characters and animals, liked the wolves, they were developing the main characters further. They express more of the furious five's characters, they express more of themselves, you get to see them do more and they show more emotion with each other and with Po (and Monkey has more dialogue in this movie).

(SPOILER) the downside with characters, you don't get to see much of Shifu in this one. They even bring in some new characters like Master Storming-OX and Master Croc, but they don't show nor develop them enough for people to come to be fans of them. Kind of disappointing, but not a total lost.

CRITIQUE and OVERALL REVIEW-

Some scenes and sequences I think could have either gone on longer or be done differently, but this movie was a bliss from start to when it was done! I was hooked on this movie the whole way through! I love how they can make dead-serious moments have humor in them without dropping, stopping or cutting off the drama. I laughed, I cried, I was excited, and I was out of my chair with excitement!

"Kung Fu Panda 2"- ***** Five Star
just as good as (if not, better than) the first one

Go watch it, especially in 3D!