Jack Black returns as Po in an efficient, funny sequel.
Nonetheless, it had no shortage of fans, and further adventures were always on the cards.
That unstoppable weapon is a canon.
And more to the point, its a canon that happens to fire very sparkly cannonballs.
These things are known to be dangerous.
The scenery is exquisite and the animation itself looks and feels state of the art.
Theres a genuine feel that no expense has been spared in making the film gleam.
The standard has been lifted again right here.
The voice work, too, is generally strong.
Its as star-spangled as DreamWorks Animation movies tend to be in this regard, and thats sometimes a frustration.
Yet, its a decision that works inKung Fu Panda 2s corner.
This does work, too, as does the welcome addition of Gary Oldman.
He gets to lend his dulcet tones to Lord Shen and is clearly have a ball doing so.
The voice cameo of note, though, is Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Angelina Jolie, as Tigress, makes less of an impact.
As for the overall film itself, theres little in the way of significant innovation here.
Expect it to be a solid hit, and with some justification, too.
And expectKung Fu Panda3 to pop along in the summer of 2014.
On the basis of this one, it should be worth looking forward to.
Rating:
3 out of 5
