• Movies

by TheDCD on 05.29.11

I just took a gander at box office estimates this weekend.  The Hangover II crushed everything in its path, stumbling its way into a $118 million four day haul.  Not bad at all, but I felt kind of bad for Kung Fu Panda 2, Dreamworks’ latest animated flick.  It only made $53 million in comparison.  Not bad by any means, but that means it got crushed by three guys suffering from the worst “after day” ever…again.  Truth be told, this movie deserved a better chance to succeed, because while it may not be as thrilling as the first, Kung Fu Panda 2 is still lots of fun.

Po (Jack Black) continues his training alongside the Furious Five and his master (Dustin Hoffman) when news spreads throughout the land that an evil mastermind named Lord Shen (Gary Oldman, hamming it up) is threatening to take over China with a devastating new weapon.  It’s up to Po and the team to stop him at all costs, though a personal matter arises that could stop the Dragon Warrior from completing his task – one involving his family origins.

To be honest, Dreamworks does try to maintain the momentum of the first film, thanks to some nifty battle sequences and a nice turn from Oldman as the villainous peacock with a plan up his feathery sleeve.  But something seems to be holding it back, and it’s probably the side story involving Po’s family.  Not that it weighs it down completely by any means, but it distracts enough that the film doesn’t live up to the first.  It’s kind of what Shrek 2 did as well, though not nearly as badly as Shrek the Third (or as we like to call it, Shrek the Turd).

Still, the film is well directed, and it’s an entertaining 90-or-so minute romp that fans of the original will enjoy.  The pacing is just about right save for some mildly dragging moments, and the finale builds up to an interesting encounter, where Po takes on the power of the weapon head-on.  (We won’t spoil it any further, but it’ll have you saying “Skadoosh!” for sure.)

The voice actors are at the top of their game here.  Jack Black once again provides a bit of kick-ass as Po, with some humorous moments to keep him from getting too far ahead of himself.  The rest of the Five return as well, including Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan, but it’s Angelina Jolie that stands out as Tigress, who grows closer to Po as their adventure moves forward.  Oldman, once again, steals the show, and we were surprised to hear some film veterans fill in the side roles, particularly the majestic Michelle Yeoh as the soothsayer and a game Jean-Claude Van Damme as Master Croc.  It makes us wonder if he could get his own movie, kind of like Puss In Boots is getting.

No, Kung Fu Panda 2 isn’t as good as the first, but it’s fun nevertheless, and a breezy way to spend your summer weekend with the kids.  And this one actually has an interesting premise, compared to the recycled one that the Wolf Pack is wringing out for every box office dollar. Yep, I said it. Skadoosh.