Producer: Melissa Cobb Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson Writers: Jonathan Aibel,Glenn Berger Voice Talent: Jack Black,Angelina Jolie,Dustin Hoffman,Gary Oldman,Lucy Liu, Michelle Yeoh,Van Damme,Jackie Cha Kung Fu Panda 2,a 3D computer-animated family film is a sequel to Kung Fu Panda. The cast of the original film reprise their voice roles,with others voicing the add-on characters. This fast-tracked sequel finds the tradition of martial arts quite literally under fire from Lord Shen,a menacing but regal albino peacock who has developed a gunpowder-powered cannon that renders hand-to-hand combat obsolete. Shen reacts to a prophecy about a panda causing his downfall with a ruthless extermination campaign a harrowing back-story involving baby Po. Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior,protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow Kung Fu masters,the Furious Five - Tigress,Crane,Mantis,Viper and Monkey. But Pos new life is threatened by the emergence of Shen. It is up to Po and The Furious Five to journey across China to face this threat and vanquish it. Before he can hope to vanquish Shen,Po must find inner peace by coming to terms with the long-suppressed trauma of what happened to his parents. Kung Fu Panda 2 owes its success to the superlative animation,the breathtaking action sequences,the crisp storyboard and direction; the voice talents are the cherry on the icing. Thats complete entertainment. Among the new characters the sequel introduces,the standout one is Lord Shen. Designed by Nico Marlet,Shen is an elegant,cold-blooded fighter,unfolding his tail like a giant paper-fan and flinging his feathers like daggers at will. Shens moves are sinister yet hypnotic,an effect enhanced by Gary Oldmans menacing voice. Replete with a strong sense of visual grace, the second instalment is more than a worthy follow-up to the original. Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson,who worked on the first film as head of story and action sequences supervisor devotes the requisite amount of time to friendly bumptious slapstick and silliness. But it all moves along briskly,with a degree of elegant visuals and the well-utilised 3D effects. The principal 3D animation has the ethnic touch of classic Chinese art and architecture with vivid colours and gorgeous landscapes. Noteworthy is the paper art evinced in a few frames of Shens. The action sequences are enhanced by multiple tracking shots,as the camera follows the characters around the roofs and stairs of temples and other period buildings. An early action scene finds Po and the Furious Five teaming up to create exciting fighting combinations. Of the supporting cast,Angeline Jolie (Tigress) gets the most additional screen time,including a few scenes with Po: are the screenwriters toying with the idea of a romantic sub-plot between the two? Still,theres simply not enough room to do proper justice to every character in the films sizable ensemble. Humour is the primary weapon in the Kung Fu Panda 2 arsenal, relying on Jack Black to crack jokes that wont get dated even a decade down the road. Kung Fu Panda 2 gets an extra kick from the addition of dynamic 3D fight sequences. It joins other notable sequels like Godfather II on the rack.It is the complete entertainer. RATING One star each for storyboard-script,direction,action- animation and voices.
