And this week's Friday night movie has been... Kung Fu Panda 2!
Man when did I first see the original Kung Fu Panda? Over a decade ago I think. In fact, I never knew it had spawned a pair of sequels. But I've heard some people hold this up as an example of a trilogy done right so that was enough top pique my interest. After all, this was done by Dreamworks and, if the superb How to Train Your Dragon movies are anything to go by, they know how to do a trilogy, right?
So I found this movie to be one of two halves: The first half seems more aligned with it;s predecessor, with Po being both a sarcastic jerk and bumbling incompetent (so much so it makes me wonder how much of a difference there is between Jack Black's real life persona and the roles he keeps playing). Okay sure we've got some world building, some excellent art direction and some amazing fight scenes, but in all honestly i found this part of the movie dull. And it left me wondering if I should be watching a movie that appeared to be solely aimed at a much, MUCH younger audience.....
.....That was until we get to the second half. Here Po is confronted with his heritage. And suddenly the movie shifts gears completely: It gets solemn and quiet and honestly? Its all the better for it. It reveals a depth one wouldn't expect from a serial such as this. Po gets some crucial character development and it's proof that self-realization is a powerful theme.
So yeah, this movie was dull at first, but when it kicked into high gear it did so with flair. It's a prime example of how anyone can put up with anything just as long as there's a substantial pay-off at the end.
Of course it's frustrating that this movie ends on a cliffhanger but there's always next week, right?
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