Kernel Rating (out of 5): 3
MPAA Rating: PG
Age Appropriate for: 6+, but younger children may tear up during scenes between the main character and his parents.
‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ will make you laugh, cry and yearn for “The Lion King” — not even stunning visuals and actually good 3-D can keep away the comparisons to Simba’s coming-of-age and other classic films.
By Roxana Hadadi
It would be easy to tell you the plot of “Kung Fu Panda 2” by describing scenes from other movies: Scar’s alliance with the hyenas and Simba staring at a reflection of himself in a body of water from “The Lion King”; Yoda’s wise nature and insistence for balance in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back”; and the industrial terror created by Saruman and his orcs in “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.”
Sure, “Kung Fu Panda 2” offers up a nice story for kids about the meaning of family and identity, but couldn’t the film have delivered that message without noticeably mimicking numerous others? To be fair, it’s not like many 8-year-olds giggling at Po’s (voiced by Jack Black) kung fu hi-jinks will notice that some scenes look suspiciously reminiscent of other classics, but it is somewhat disheartening to think that the creative people behind the “Kung Fu Panda” series couldn’t have created their own backstory without relying on other movies. Whomp whomp.
At least director Jennifer Yuh Nelson, writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger and producer Melissa Cobb (the latter three worked together on the first “Kung Fu Panda”) chose their inspirational films wisely. The elements here that are reminiscent of “The Lion King,” “The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Two Towers” are some of the film’s best, helping weave a story that emphasizes the brutality of industrialism and the intrinsic beauty of family. Even when you may think you’ve grown up, the film tells us, how you became that person still matters. Every villain was a kid once, the storyline suggests, but at some point it’s their decisions, and not what just happened to them, that defines their personality. You’ve seen this argument on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” way too many times — nature vs. nurture, etc. — but “Kung Fu Panda 2” ponders the question in a subtle, easy-for-kids way. Dick Wolf, take some notes.
In 2008’s “Kung Fu Panda,” we met Po, a chubby, kung fu-obsessed panda who works with his goose father Mr. Ping (James Hong) in his noodle shop. But through a series of events that led Po to meet up with kung fu Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), he was recognized as the Dragon Warrior, a legendary fighter who would bring peace and stability to the region. Some time has passed since Po became the Dragon Warrior, and with the beginning of “Kung Fu Panda 2,” we catch up to him: Still working with Mr. Ping while simultaneously training with the Furious Five, Po has become more confident and sure of himself, less of the hesitant panda we once knew. Mr. Ping, though always anxious with worry about Po’s safety, couldn’t be more proud, and the members of the Furious Five — the hardcore and “severely cool” Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), wise-cracking Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross) — have accepted him as one of their own.
But has Po really accepted himself? He begins to wonder about his identity when fighting the wolf minions of a new bad guy, peacock Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), who plans to dominate all of China with his industrial might. Suddenly Po has a memory of his childhood — one before Mr. Ping — and the revelation raises questions about who he is and why he’s seemingly the only panda around. “Every master must find his peace,” says Po’s kung fu mentor, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), and soon Po finds himself asking Mr. Ping about his childhood. “Where did I come from?” he asks, and after Mr. Ping tells him a particularly tear-inducing tale about his toddler times, Po follows it up with, “Why didn’t I like pants? … And who am I?” Po’s quest to fully understand his past becomes integral to the fight against Lord Shen, and as the two grapple with their parental issues, they build toward a fight that pits Po’s heart and physical prowess against Lord Shen’s reliance on fireworks and fury.
For years animated movies of all kinds have imbued their protagonists with abandonment issues and powerful abilities — Duh! Of course I’m going to mention Simba again! — and “Kung Fu Panda 2” is no exception, which almost cheapens the series in a way. The first film was practically revolutionary in how it introduced the ideas of physical activity and personal development to children, but with this sequel, we get a somewhat been-there-done-that concept that works well enough but is ultimately nothing spectacular. The relationship between Mr. Ping and Po is certainly heart-wrenching (parents, prepare to tear up), but the film often lapses into too much talking. Lots of dialogue — Po’s musings about his past, Lord Shen’s musings about his evil plans — could bore and confuse younger viewers who just want to see some amazing stuff in 3-D.
And of course, the visuals are amazing: Children will especially be dazzled by the fight sequences, including one city scene in which a dragon puppet is used as a prop, and funny bits like Po in “stealth mode” will draw giggles. It’s nice to see some different kinds of animation, like an Asian art-inspired introduction and a more manga feel during Po’s flashbacks, and the 3-D is worth it for the extra pop and dazzle.
But the film is PG, meaning some of the emotionally charged scenes — like when we learn what happened to Po’s biological parents — could simultaneously frighten and sadden younger viewers. I cried and I’m 23 years old; judge for your children accordingly.
Overall, “Kung Fu Panda 2” has a respectable idea and a solid framework for providing backstory its main character, but the details meant to color the story are ultimately what drag it down into repetition. Children will be amused and won’t notice its similarities to other films, but if we get another “Kung Fu Panda” sequel, some more original ideas would be great.
