Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		5.0

Kung Fu Panda 2 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

This is what 3D is all about.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 18, 2011

The only thing that matters is what you choose to be now.

What a fun, fun ride. Kung Fu Panda 2 is every bit as good as, and perhaps better than, the original Kung Fu Panda. It sets the stage for what promises to be a gripping and emotional third entry, a movie that can't come fast enough and that's teased by a brilliant finale in Kung Fu Panda 2, a finale that underscores and promises to reshape all of that film's character growth and dynamics. But enough with the looks back into the past and towards the future. The succinctly-titled Kung Fu Panda 2 continues the story of Po, the cuddly, overweight Panda serving as the protective Dragon Warrior who's aided by his close friends and allies, the Furious Five. Despite outward appearances and, perhaps, the resultant preconceived notions, Kung Fu Panda 2 is a movie that's really about deep character development that's nicely complimented, though not defined, by the movie's infectious humor and robust action. The movie's superficialities are a lot of fun, but at this point, and with the promise of even more compelling character growth and dramatic challenges to come considering the revelation in the film's ending seconds, it wouldn't be a stretch to call Po one of the most well-rounded animated characters the screen has ever seen, and that's not a reference solely to his girth. For a character who's outwardly an overweight Kung Fu fighter with an endless appetite, mistimed heroic banter, and crazy antics, it's truly amazing how well Po has inwardly been molded into a lovable character with a complex past, real emotions, and a heart that matches in size his waistline.

A Blu-ray 3D release worthy of drool.

The Peacocks once ruled over Gongmen, a prosperous city brought to notoriety for its invention of fireworks. But the Peacocks' son, Shen (voiced by Gary Oldman), saw in the fireworks a potential for great power that he chose to harness at any cost. Desperate to stop their son from ascending to rulership with an iron fist, Shen's parents sought out a seer who foretold that Shen would ultimately be defeated by a black-and-white hero. Shen, assuming his conqueror would come in the shape of a panda, ordered the species destroyed, but he found himself banished for his actions. Now, years later and fulfilling his promise of revenge, he's harnessed the power of the firework and created a device capable of delivering destructive projectiles at great speed. It's a weapon powerful enough to defeat even the might of kung fu itself. When word of this reaches Master Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman), he has no choice but to seek the weapon's destruction. He turns to the Dragon Warrior, the overweight Panda Po (voiced by Jack Black), to undertake the mission, but not before sharing with Po the secret to personal and kung fu success: the realization of inner peace. As Po and the members of the Furious Five -- Tigress (voiced Angelina Jolie), Mantis (voiced by Seth Rogen), Viper (voiced by Lucy Liu), Monkey (voiced by Jackie Chan), and Crane (voiced by David Cross) -- set out to defeat Shen and his new weapon, Po begins to see visions from his past, a past he must remember, understand, and accept if he is to find the inner peace he needs to defeat Shen and preserve the mighty power of kung fu.

Kung Fu Panda 2 epitomizes everything that can be great about modern animated fare. Most obviously, the movie looks spectacular. It seems with every new digital film -- whether Wall•E, Shrek Forever After, How to Train Your Dragon or now Kung Fu Panda 2 -- the animation becomes exponentially greater, the worlds more fully realized, the fine details more capably displayed, and most important, the characters better developed from a scripted perspective. Indeed, the animation is but one side of the coin when it comes to crafting a top-tier animated feature, and what all of the aforementioned films share in common, aside from their superior digital renderings, are first-class stories, wonderfully-developed characters, and impeccable core values that make the movies not only visual delights, but also purposeful, memorable fare that work in conjunction with, not because of, "eye candy" visuals. Kung Fu Panda 2 works so well in this regard because it finds that magical sweet spot where it plays with a nonstop barrage of catchy and plot-based humor, incredible action, and meaningful character development. It's the former two that get all the play, earn all the laughs, and generate the most "oohs" and "ahs" from the audience, but it's the latter that solidifies the film as something that's a cut above even the finer animated pictures -- and most general pictures at that -- thanks to simple but honest and heartfelt drama that truly gives form to a character that could have easily been nothing but a front for humor and unconventional action but who has been shaped into a character worth caring for, molding a budding franchise from clever gimmick to, potentially, the best-scripted and most balanced animated series to date. After all, "anything is possible when you have inner peace," and it's very clear that by the end of Kung Fu Panda 2, the story and the filmmakers alike have found that nirvana that promises to take the series to even greater heights.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is able to work in all of this character development because it's an origins story at its core. Rather than simply rehash the first film with a different villain and some fresh jokes, the writing team has gone to great lengths to create a centerpiece character that's not simply a walking punchline but instead a full-blown individual with a fascinating -- and somewhat Biblically-inspired -- arc and a wonderful yet sure-to-be challenging future ahead of him. That's more than may be said of most off-the-shelf sort of stock animated characters; most of these movies at least give a pulse and a purpose to their characters, but Kung Fu Panda 2 has upped the ante by shaping a character audiences will truly care for not because he's cute, but because he's about as real as an animated character may be. But the lessons learned -- the search for inner peace, a quest to discover his past -- and his greater understanding of reality gained are not the only things that make Po such a fine and dynamic character. Those are certainly now at his core, but so too is the idea that he's a character built on heart and belief in both himself and a greater good towards which he strives. He certainly doesn't have the same physical skill set as his allies, but what he lacks in fitness, physical discipline, and the like, he more than makes up for in raw determination, integrity, honesty, and heart. That doesn't mean he's not a warrior capable of some impressive physical feats, but Po is all about making the best of what he has and who he is. Po is, basically, the hero that lives inside of everyone. He's the animated panda embodiment of the everyman, the person who might not look a part on the outside, but who, through sheer will, dedication, and belief, can accomplish anything, even becoming a Kung Fu legend despite an oversized belly, poor physical stamina, and an insatiable appetite for dumplings.

Of course, Kung Fu Panda 2 is still a blast of a movie, even without considering the direction it takes its lead character. Like Po never met a dumpling he didn't like, the movie never plays a joke that doesn't work. The humor is uproariously funny, much of it a product of a play on general action movie cliché where Po attempts to play the part of the hero who will save the day but whose various proclamations and actions to that affect don't always work as he had planned. The action is as satisfying as the humor, and it's the sort that's exciting but not frightening, appropriate for all ages and an important piece of the movie, though certainly not its centerpiece. The plot is adequate; it's mostly a frame in which the character arc may develop more than it is some grand story that yields any true significance. From a basic plot aspect, there are no real surprises. Of course Po and friends will win the day, but as always it's the journey that matters in a movie like this, and here, that journey is about wonderful animation, good action, great humor, and the character dynamics that truly give shape to the movie. The voice acting continues to be an asset, too. Jack Black is fantastic as Po; he captures the character nuances through his understanding of who and what Po is, and his ability to voice even the most serious of scenes with an underlying or anticipatory sense of humor -- not to mention his flawless execution of raw jokes -- is the character's best superficial asset. Series newcomer Gary Oldman does, what else, the voice of the villain. His portrayal of Shen is devious but necessarily light. He paints Shen as an evil character, but not a frightening character, which is exactly what a movie of this sort needs. The remainder of the cast works well, but Black definitely and rightly overshadows his peers.

Kung Fu Panda 2 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

DreamWorks is getting better and better with every Blu-ray 3D release, and Kung Fu Panda 2's turn to take up a third dimension results in a viewing experience that is nothing short of spectacular and instantly establishes itself as the current king of the Blu-ray 3D universe. This is what 3D entertainment should be; the image retains all of the same expert textures and super colors of the 2D-only release, but it adds a seamless and natural sense of depth and plenty of visual cues that appear to extend beyond the boundaries of the screen. Seeing that it retains the same excellence of the 2D release in all of those general areas, please click on over to that review for an idea of this transfer's mastery of all things standard Blu-ray video quality observations; they all apply here, too, even that transfer's rich blacks, which here do not go too dark and ruin some scenes. As far as the 3D content, there's maybe just one word that may adequately describe it and the experience of watching it: "drool." Even after watching dozens of 3D Blu-ray releases, this one stands out as masterful, a cut above even the best yet seen on Blu-ray.

The disc's 3D menu screen offers a pretty good idea of what's in store, and the movie doesn't disappoint in the least. The early Peacock flashback sequences, though by nature themselves flat, offer excellent separation, and play underneath a transparent paper-like overlay, which represents one of the most unique 3D visuals yet. The main content dazzles, too. The image boasts tremendous natural depth, seemingly greater than even the top Blu-ray 3D titles. There may not be another that looks this marvelous in terms of depth, whether the spacing between near-frame objects, medium distant elements, or anything far off in the distance. It matters not where or when or how dark the scene may be; from the brightest outdoor shots to the hellacious red-tinted, inferno-like weapons manufacturing plant, DreamWorks' Blu-ray yields jaw-dropping separation and space in the movie's every square inch. Every object is also shapely and accurate, whether the business end of a blunt instrument, manmade (or maybe, in this case, animal made) structures, or Po's oversized and jiggly stomach. The transfer also offers the most consistent and regularly-occuring instances of "pop" 3D effect. Weapons held at arm's length appear to extend beyond the television screen. Shots at water level will all but leave the area in front of the television wet. Bubbles appear to float both inside and outside of the screen in a bathing scene. Arrows shoot in, cannonballs shoot out. Viewers will be diving and dodging at least once during the film's major battle scenes. Truly, this is the current reference 3D material, but it's just not perfect. Several instances of crosstalk, or "ghosting," appear throughout, and they're anything but inconspicuous. Fortunately, they don't appear regularly, and the transfer is so otherwise dominant that it's a shame to knock half a point off. But don't allow that "4.5" up at the top to mislead (as if "4.5" is bad to begin with); pound for pound, this is easily the best Blu-ray 3D transfer out there, and it manages the almost impossible, which is to improve upon an already first-class 2D transfer.

Kung Fu Panda 2 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Like its video counterpart, there's pretty much no better word to describe Kung Fu Panda 2's Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack than "perfect." This one's fairly simple to break down, too. The track is dynamic and exacting. It's a case of "a place for everything and everything in its place." The track delivers any number of audible elements, each perfectly spaced and natural in placement and direction. The track comes alive with various sound effects -- everything from creaky wooden planks and dripping water beads to the most ambitious and potent action elements -- all presented in perfect balance and flawless harmony. Each sound is painstakingly well-defined and plays with no audible hitches or even the slightest drop in clarity. The surround speakers are in full swing to compliment the film, whether in an ambient supportive role or as full-fledged contributing members to the score and action. Music is crisp and realistically spacious and clear. Separation is exceptional, and the surrounds do a fine job of supporting it. Bass is incredible, tight and focused and never sloppy or loud just to be loud. Whether in support of music or action, the low end delivers a steady, energized presence that gives body and a filling, finishing touch to every sonic element. Rounded into form by clear, accurate, and center-focused dialogue that's never lost underneath the music or effects, Kung Fu Panda 2's lossless soundtrack is hard act to beat.

Kung Fu Panda 2 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Kung Fu Panda 2's Blu-ray 3D release contains the same 2D disc found in the 2D-only release. Therefore, all of the same supplements are available to buyers of the 3D disc. The only 3D-specific extra, on the 3D disc, is a Blu-ray 3D trailer for Puss in Boots.

• Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters (1080p, Dolby TrueHD 7.1, 1.78:1, 23:00): A short film that tells another tale from the Kung Fu Panda universe.
• Animation Inspiration (1080p): Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson introduces viewers to the purpose behind an interactive map that chronicles the filmmakers' 2008 trip to China and highlights various locales that inspired similar settings in the film. Selectable options include Panda Village, Musicians Village, Valley of Peace, Journey Across China, Gongmen City, Tower of the Sacred Flame, Valley of Peace Town, and The Harbor. Selecting any of the various options reveals clips from the film, photographs, and narration.
• The Animators' Corner: A picture-in-picture commentary that chronicles the extensive work that went into the making of the movie. Discussions include the construction of the film's prologue, the technical secrets behind the making of the movie, the development of the film's villain, the role of the story artist in the making of the film, the work of the voice cast, the film's humor and action, character themes and arcs, and much more. A wide range of participants -- including Star Jack Black -- chime in to aid in the construction of this detailed and informative feature. Visuals include video footage of the commentators, storyboards, in-progress animation, and more.
• Trivia Track: A pop-up track that covers a whole lot of information, including character trivia, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, small connections between the first and second films, and a counter for the number of times the phrase "Inner Peace" is uttered.
• Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (1080p, Dolby Digital 5.1, 1.78:1, 23:50): An episode of the Nickelodeon television program entitled "Has Been Hero."
• Kickin' It with the Cast (1080p, 12:42): A look at the qualities the voice cast brought to the movie.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 4:21): Fight Club -- Bartender Scene (test), Po Chasing the Crow (test), and Po in Gongmen City (test). With director introductions.
• Panda Stories (1080p, 7:44): A look at the global effort to save the endangered Panda species, the filmmakers' interaction with real pandas, China's "loaning" of Panda's around the globe, the animal's lifecycle, naming a real cub "Po," and Po's life in the zoo.
• Kung Fu Shuffle (1080p): Users may play one of two variations of the old "follow an object under a cup" shell game: "Barrels of Bunnies!" or "Baby Po's Great Crate Challenge."
• Ni Hao (1080p): A basic primer for speaking and writing in Mandarin using Kung Fu Panda 2-inspired words.
• Filmmakers' Commentary: Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson; Producer Melissa Cobb; Production Designer Raymond Zibach; and Supervising Animator, Kung Fu Choreographer, and Story Artist Rodolphe Guenoden offer a commentary that's not just the PiP track repurposed. Though they cover, basically, the same information, it's presented here a little more focused and without the added "distraction" of the visuals and additional participants. This is good track that covers plenty of technical elements but also the crafting of the narrative. Fans of the film and aspiring digital filmmakers like will want to give this one a listen.
• World of DreamWorks Animation (1080p): Music, previews, and more for Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, and Megamind.
• Previews (1080p): DreamWorks Dragons, Puss in Boots, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular, and Kung Fu Panda 2 THQ Game.
• Digital Copy: Sampled on an iPhone 4, this digital copy yields impressive sound that's crisp, nicely defined, clear, and offers a fairly accurate sense of space. Of course many sound effects are a bit on the mushy side, but it's fairly good overall for a portable copy. The picture quality is also good, yielding solid details, accurate colors, and minimal compression issues.
• DVD Copy.
• Kung Fu Panda World Online Game Memberships.

Kung Fu Panda 2 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kung Fu Panda 2 is a runaway success that's just as entertaining as the original but, more importantly, far more adept at character development. The film shies away, just a bit, from the onslaught of humor of the first movie in favor of a more dramatic and personal story that gives shape to Po on the inside, where the first film was more concerned with his outward shape. Kung Fu Panda 2 is still infectiously funny and just about every single joke is a hit, but the film is best in those character-driven moments that set up a fascinating dynamic that promises to make a future installment in the series a picture with some serious drama to work through, though no doubt, like this movie, supplemented by pitch-perfect humor and dazzling action. DreamWorks' Blu-ray 3D release of Kung Fu Panda 2 is a stunner. Amazing 3D video, one of the best 7.1 lossless soundtracks out there, and loads of great supplements packed onto the included 2D-only copy of the film make this, maybe, they year's must-own set. All things considered, this Best Buy exclusive Blu-ray 3D release must at least be in the running for the finest Blu-ray release yet, 3D or otherwise. Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D earns my highest recommendation.