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movie review - Kung Fu Panda 2

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

The gang from the first installment is back for more in this animated sequel. The land is threatened once again, and things look grim for our heroes. For some reason, the lead panda character seems not to have made much progress as a warrior since we last saw him, and now we have upped the ante on the angst he feels on being the only panda in the kingdom.

The action is superb, the banter is good, and it's fun trying to guess who the voice actors are. But a rehash is a rehash and I rather wish they'd tried to find a new formula for this one. Still, when it comes to kids' faire it's easy to find worse. I'll also add that the villain in this one is a real piece of work. Played expertly by a British actor who consistently knocks it out of the park, the character is draw as a creepy crane in a way that perfectly offsets the menace and sneakiness of the acting.

Recommended.