Kung Fu Fighting

JACK Black is a performer that people either love or hate ... he is, for all intensive purposes, the marmite of comedic actors.

I, for one, enjoy his wacky, almost child-like sense of wonder and fun and, in my opinion, that’s the only thing that makes Kung Fu Panda 2 worth watching.

When the first film was released three years ago, I didn’t think it deserved the hype that surrounded it. However, after watching it with my nephew and seeing the joy on his little face, I soon realised that it’s an instant hit with kids.

Maybe there is something intrinsically amusing about an overweight, kung fu fighting panda that I just don’t ‘get’, but youngsters seems to be amused, no end.

The first Kung Fu Panda movie introduces audiences to a loveable slacker named Po, an accident-prone panda who loves Kung Fu. After being unexpectedly chosen to fulfil an ancient prophecy, he begins his training alongside Kung Fu legends the Furious Five - Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey - under the leadership of Master Shifu.

This film picks up from where the last one left off, with Po assuming the role of Dragon Warrior after defeating his foe, Tai Lung.

Unfortunately for Po and the Furious Five, a new danger lurks around the corner, a danger so deadly that even Kung Fu might not save them.

In the last movie, Po was pitted against a high-flying, tough-as-nails snow leopard but in this instalment his adversary is … a peacock. Doesn’t sound too bad, right? Wrong, this peacock has stumbled on a new use for gunpowder and plans to use it (along with a hefty supply of cannons) to conquer China.

The peacock in question is Shen who is expertly played by Gary Oldman, a veteran movie bad guy who has featured in Dracula in Bram Stocker’s Dracula, agent Stansfield in Leon and Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK, yes, Oldman is a great villain and really makes his roles come to life.

When Shen’s troops attack a village, it awakens deep memories from Po’s childhood and he comes to realise that Mr Ping (the goose) is not his real father and a terrible tragedy separated him from his biological parents.

Po and the Furious Five must come to terms with their pasts in order to step into the future and find an elusive inner peace to save the day.

Besides the fantastic action sequences and state-of-the-art animation, the heart of this movie is Po finding out who he really is.

This film is a romp that I’m sure will entertain the young and at best, mildly entertain the adults. However, in my opinion, it falls short of some animated films of the past few years such as How to Train Your Dragon, Avatar and Toy Story 3 … but it is miles ahead of the abysmal Shrek 3.

One to keep the kids quiet for an hour, or so, I guess, which makes up for a lacklustre plot.
l Showing in Cineco, Seef II and Saar Cineplex