KUNG FU PANDA 2 (2011) Movie Reaction! | First Time Watch! | Jack Black, Gary Oldman, Angelina Jolie
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖The film's emotional impact, particularly Po's origin story and the panda massacre, was unexpectedly profound for the hosts.
- ❖Lord Shen, voiced by Gary Oldman, is praised for his intense and seething villainy, effectively translating to voice acting.
- ❖The concept of 'inner peace' is developed as a concrete martial arts technique, allowing Po to redirect cannon fire.
- ❖The Furious Five's role shifts to primarily supporting Po, showcasing improved team synergy.
- ❖Hosts note a difference in fight choreography and pacing compared to the first film, with 'Kung Fu Panda 2' having more seriousness and heaviness.
Insights
1Po's Traumatic Origin and the Search for Identity
The film reveals Po's adoption and the tragic destruction of his panda village by Lord Shen. This backstory provides a deep emotional foundation for Po's character, forcing him to confront his past and understand his true identity beyond being the Dragon Warrior or Mr. Ping's son. The hosts found this revelation unexpectedly moving.
The hosts discuss Po's 'trauma response' () when seeing Shen's symbol, leading to the revelation from his adoptive father () and later the full flashback of his parents' sacrifice (-). Michael Boost admits to nearly crying over the baby panda's plight ().
2Inner Peace as a Practical Combat Skill
Shifu's teaching of 'inner peace' initially seems abstract, but Po eventually masters it to redirect powerful cannonballs. This transforms a spiritual concept into a tangible, high-level martial arts technique, crucial for defeating Shen's weapon.
The hosts observe Po's struggle with 'inner peace' (, ) and his eventual mastery of the technique to deflect cannon fire (), noting it's 'just another drop of water' ().
3Lord Shen: A Villain of Intense Seething Evil
Gary Oldman's voice performance as Lord Shen is highlighted for its ability to convey intense, seething villainy. Shen's character is driven by a desire to change his fate and conquer China with his cannon technology, representing a new, more existential threat to kung fu itself.
Brandon Sheiley notes Shen's 'moody little peacock' demeanor () and Michael Boost praises Gary Oldman's 'intense seething as a villain' (), stating it 'shines through in a voice capacity' ().
4Shift in Narrative Tone and Fight Choreography
The hosts perceive 'Kung Fu Panda 2' as having a more serious and 'heavy' emotional tone compared to the first film, particularly in its depiction of death and the purging of an entire species. While the action is still present, the fight scenes are noted to be 'done a little differently,' with less creative novelty than the original.
Brandon states, 'we did get a little more seriousness than we had in the first one, emotionally' (), citing the 'purging of an entire species' () and the death of Master Thundering Rhino (). They also discuss the fight scenes lacking the 'new creatively' () aspect of the first film.
Notable Moments
Jack Black delivered Panda Express to himself
Host Brandon Sheiley shares a personal anecdote about delivering Panda Express to Jack Black, unaware of who he was at the time, adding a meta-layer of irony given Jack Black's role as Po the Panda.
Emotional impact of Po's origin flashback
The hosts were visibly and audibly moved by the 2D animated flashback sequence depicting Po's mother sacrificing herself to save him from Shen's attack, highlighting the film's unexpected emotional depth.
Quotes
"I think overall this was an excellent like fun installment into Vanam. Sorry. JeanClaude Vanam. Wait, who was Jean Vanam? He was Master Croc."
"I think overall this was fun and really really enjoyable and again like the animators did a phenomenal job with the animation. I think there were just like bits and pieces like, you know, maybe saving the villain for a little bit later."
"I think overall this was an excellent like fun installment into Vanam. Sorry. JeanClaude Vanam. Wait, who was Jean Vanam? He was Master Croc."
"I think overall this was fun and really really enjoyable and again like the animators did a phenomenal job with the animation. I think there were just like bits and pieces like, you know, maybe saving the villain for a little bit later."
"I still think the first one is superior in my mind. I think overall this was an excellent like fun installment."
"Gary Oldman's got intense seething as a villain. He does it really, really well and it's great to see that that still shines through in a voice capacity."
"I'm still like shocked that I ended up nearly like crying over a baby panda."
Q&A
Recent Questions
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