They definitely went for less laughs and more heart in KFP2, which was nice. I thought they really built Panda's character a lot more than the first too. 3D was great. Highly recommended.
They definitely went for less laughs and more heart in KFP2, which was nice. I thought they really built Panda's character a lot more than the first too. 3D was great. Highly recommended.
4/5.
I'll probably see Hangover 2 tomorrow.
Same here. Here's to hoping we like it more than the critics.
i agree with everyone else the 3D was pretty damn good and didnt give you a headache haha i say that because most 3D movies i see now give me headaches because the 3D is so awefull but the 3D here was great
that and trying to read credits and subtitles. just a blur.
Just got back from seeing it and it has alot more action and heart but where was the comedy?!?!?!
3 stars..
i loved this one way more than the first because of the action, heart and story
but i do have to agree, all the jokes were flat and the ones that were kind of funny were in the previous Kung Fu Panda but i still liked it a lot and think its better than the first but was missing laughs
i loved this one way more than the first because of the action, heart and story
but i do have to agree, all the jokes were flat and the ones that were kind of funny were in the previous Kung Fu Panda but i still liked it a lot and think its better than the first but was missing laughs
Honestly, I didn't laugh much at the first one either, and that's one of my favorite films. This one tops the first in every way to me. The humor is more childish in DreamWorks movies, so I don't expect to laugh, but this and HTTYD are two of their very best, and that's because they have heart. Heart trumps humor in my book. Plus no one ever said these movies had to be funny (not saying they aren't, because they are, but you get it). The inner piece part in the final fight was so awesome....
While it doesn't quite reach the greatness of Rango, Kung Fu Panda 2 is easily one of the better films in a year already stuffed with animated features of dubious quality. It looks spectacular (those 2D sequences!), has plenty of breathtaking action, and a lot of heart. Plus, Gary Oldman's Lord Shen makes for a truly memorable antagonist. An excerpt from my review:
"Panda 2 does what any good sequel should do: deliver bigger and better, while preserving much of what made the original so revered. [Director] Yuh manages to nail these requisites, as well as provide continuity to a narrative that was supposed to begin and end with the first film."
So is Charlie Kaufman's contribution apparent in this film? The heart thing really goes with thay guy, I'll never forget that scene in Synedoche New York where
[Show spoiler]he confronts his daughter on her deathbed.
There are many ways of transliterating Chinese into English, but if you pay attention to how the Chinese voice actors actually pronounce the word, you'll hear that they're saying the words that mean "anus".
We took our older girls to see it today. Everyone enjoyed it quite a bit, but there were a few parts that my 4 year old said her stuffed Po was scared. It was certainly more serious of a tone than the first one.
Very impressive debut for the director. 4/5 from the whole family.
I also want to add some theater employees came in and handed out KFP2 tattoos and pencils for the kids so they all have a few tat's on this morning
Last edited by SixSpeedSamurai; 05-29-2011 at 12:16 PM.
I saw this tonight and thought it was good as well. I thought it had a little too much action though and took from the awesomeness of it. The story did seem quite as fresh to me but still an overall good movie. The humor wasn't as good as the first either. My preference is still the first movie and my wife agreed as well. I'll probably like it better when it comes out on blu and I get a second viewing.
Where to begin? For starters, I will say that Kung Fu Panda 2 (formerly "The Kaboom of Doom"?) outdoes its predecessor in every way, except for maybe laughs. And that's saying a mouthful because I love the first one. It's one of my favorite films, so I was very eagerly awaiting this one. I can honestly say I don't mind the lack of big laughs one bit. I never really found the first very funny either. Its humor caters more to a demographic that's quite a few years behind me anyway. That being said, I definitely did laugh a few times. What fills the void for the comedy is heart. Kung Fu Panda 2 has an extra dosage of genuine heart. After How To Train Your Dragon, I knew DreamWorks was on the right path to eventually being close to, if not on par with Pixar. This movie moves them that much closer.
Now what's a kung fu movie with exciting fight scenes? Trust me, they are aplenty in Kung Fu Panda 2, and they are amazing. Needless to say, the action is thrilling. The choreography is very well done. I can confidently say that this is one of the best kung fu movies ever made. Yep. Right up there with Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, there's Tigress, Shifu and Po, as well as the rest of the Furious Five, etc. The characters are so natural, and believable. Top notch voice work by the entire cast, if I've ever heard it. Jack Black really cares about Po, and it shows. His subtly is sublime. Every little nuance in his voice comes through and clearly translates to Po. These animation studios are really getting good at facial tweaks, especially the eyes. There's so much soul, and so much life behind these characters' eyes.
Beyond Jack Black, there is a stellar group of names including: Dustin Hoffman returning as the wise Yoda-like Shifu (even down to the walking stick - Master Oogway's staff) , Angelina Jolie as Tigress the fearless leader of the Furious Five, Seth Rogen as Mantis (showing even more growth in his voice work talent), Lucy Liu as Viper, David Cross as Crane, Jackie Chan as Monkey, and James Hong as Mr. Ping round out the returning support. The newcomers are Gary Oldman playing yet another villain to perfection in Shen, the always funny (but not in this case) Danny McBride as the one-eyed Wolf Boss, the All-State guy Dennis Haysbert as Master Ox, and the only other kung fu legend besides Chan, Jean-Claude Van Damme as Master Croc. I can honestly say that I did not dislike a single one of them.
I'm a big fan of animated movies, and as an artist I look at the ways the scenes are painted onto the canvas. One major strength I loved about Kung Fu Panda was how beautifully they used colors and shapes to tell the story. The sequel is no different. The scenery in this movie pops in each of the different striking art styles. Be it classic hand drawn-esque, or state of the art CGI, this movie is just beautiful to look at. The color palette is darker than the first because the story is darker. I loved it. The music also adds a lot to the visual art. The score is amazing. This is yet another brilliant score from Hans Zimmer and John Powell. This may sound super geeky, but I'd listen to this soundtrack on its own. I cannot get it out of my head. Really, that can be said for the entire film, not just the music. It's that good. Highly recommended.
FINAL RATING: 8.5/10 = 90%
SIDENOTE: (not in my review) The 3D is some of the best I have seen. Definitely not on part with Avatar (it'll be a while before any 3D movie is), but I'd say it's on par with HTTYD.
I gave it a 5/5 on the poll because there's no 4.25 or 4.5/5 (obviously ).
Last edited by Mandalorian; 05-29-2011 at 05:35 AM.
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. The story did seem quite as fresh to me but still an overall good movie. The humor wasn't as good as the first either. My preference is still the first movie and my wife agreed as well. I'll probably like it better when it comes out on blu and I get a second viewing.
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