'Kung Fu Panda 2'

'Kung Fu Panda 2' (PG) (3 stars)

Writers: Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger
Director: Jennifer Yuh
Voices: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman,
Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Michelle Yeoh,
Danny McBride, Dennis Haysbert, Jean Claude Van Damme, Victor Garber

I found "Kung Fu Panda 2" to be much more enjoyable and entertaining than the original. I am not a big fan of the first movie because I found it noisy, shallowly written and a knockoff of a Saturday Morning cartoon show from the 70's. Watch a "Hong Kong Phooey" episode and you get the same effect. The sequel has more heart, richly drawn characters and a killer cast of great actors doing sublime voice work. Dustin Hoffman is amazing, Jack Black is funny and I felt that the movie settles down and tells a story full of heart. The first movie didn't have much of a heart and just was wall to wall action. I had a much better time watching the sequel and wasn't bored like I was with the first movie. A sequel that improves on the original always makes me happy.