Kung Fu Panda 2 — An adoption movie review
Movie: Kung Fu Panda 2
Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Published: 2011
Rating: PG
Summary: “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. But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. Po must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed” from rottentomatoes.com.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
What this movie did excellently
“Kung Fu Panda 2” has excellent artwork, especially in the beginning of the story. The landscapes in every shot are beautiful and memorable. This movie is also fun and loveable because of the great voice actors used in the movie, just like in the first installment.
While the plot of this movie sometimes lags in speed and pacing, the inner struggles of the main character, Po, are relatable and compelling. Po is trying to figure out who he is and why he was adopted by a goose throughout this movie. This struggle is emotional and heartwarming. Additionally, the relationship Po has with his adopted father is a good example of parenting in adoptive families. Their relationship is realistic.
What this movie could improve upon
The plot could have been better. Po’s struggles were a big part of it, but there was also the part where Po and the Furious Five, a group of kung fu masters, were trying to stop a peacock named Lord Shen. Shen wanted to control all of China and built machinery to do this. However, this plot is predictable and only helps Po grow as a character. Learning more about the Furious Five and seeing them grow, too, would’ve made for a more interesting story.
Some of the awkwardness or flat jokes throughout this movie, which are oftentimes caused by Po himself, are hard to watch and detach from the story. For example, when Po celebrates after breaking a small cannon, only for a bigger one to be there behind him, just makes Po look unintelligent. Po overcame a lot of this awkwardness in the last movie, so this awkwardness in the sequel feels a little misplaced or repetitive.
Who should watch it
Anyone looking to learn more about the world of “Kung Fu Panda” should watch this movie. This movie has heart and action, although the plot could’ve been developed better.
The story of Po learning where he came from is a great way to show adopted kids that they, too, can gain inner peace about their adoption story. To learn more about adoption, one can visit the Adoption Choices of Texas.
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