How can something so brilliant also be so fun?

MANILA, Philippines - Pixar brought the animated feature to new amazing levels. It trumped Disney, which for many years set the standards by which animated films were measured. But then Disney brought Pixar into the fold and handily got rid of the competition. That is until Fox and Dreamworks started learning the tricks of the trade with movies like Shrek and Ice Age. Fox recently took leadership with the wonderful Rio. Nice. But its reign turned out to be short-lived. That is because along came this lumbering but oh so adorable panda named Po in a sweet tale of love, sacrifice and self-discovery.

Movie-goers first met Po three years ago in Kung Fu Panda. He was the lazy but kung fu obsessed son of a goose that owned a noodle shop. Then it turned out that he was born to fulfill an old prophecy about saving his village and maybe all of China from evildoers. Thanks to the patience of his guru, Master Shifu, Po is soon equipped with the kung fu skills of his idols, the famous Furious Five and was able to defend the people from the snow leopard Tai Lung.

Kung Fu Panda was lots of fun and made money. The kids adored the picture and voice actor Jack Black gained a huge following. But as with every new animated feature that comes along, there were questions raised. Did it have what it takes to become a successful franchise title? Maybe not because Po was nothing like the usual superhero. Can it fuel a merchandising frenzy to meet the demand of consumers? I did not really see Po dolls or books around. Will it stand a sequel, and another and another? Things were sort of quiet in this area until recently.

Po returned last week in Kung Fu Panda 2 and he was big. Change that to BIG. This is not only because Po is a giant panda and Jack Black is a big guy. This is not only because of the bigger cast. Take note, Dustin Hoffman is back as Shifu. So are Angelina Jolie as Tigress, Seth Rogen as Mantis, Jackie Chan as Monkey, David Cross as Crane and Lucy Liu as Viper. Then there are new additions Jean Claude Van Damme as Master Croc, Michelle Yeoh as The Soothsayer, Victor Garber as Master Thundering Rhino and Gary Oldman as Lord Shen. It is big because this picture has everything we want in a good movie and might just turn out one of the best of this year.

Po is now the unnumbered but very welcome member of the Furious Five and they are doing a good job defending their valley. But then there came this new threat to peace that is even worse than Tai Lung. He is Lord Sheng, an albino peacock who wants to get rid of kung fu and be the master of China. He is sly, ruthless and smart and the clever writers managed to give him this connection to Po’s childhood with his birth family of, what else, but pandas. You didn’t believe he was really the son of a goose. Or did you?

That is quite original, a family of geese and a panda. But the rest of the tale have been seen before. There is the classic battle of good and evil between Po with his friends and Lord Shen. All kung fu flicks have that. There is the subplot involving Po’s beginnings that blends Moses and the Holy Innocents and Superman. But there is nothing trite about the treatment. The entire film is so wonderfully realized, it gets you thinking, how can something so brilliant also be so much fun?

I would like to get into the heads of the people who put Kung Fu Panda 2 together. Who thought of that dragon? I’ll never look at a dragon dance again without laughing. Who made Shen into an albino peacock? This bird is one of the most beautiful creatures I’ve ever seen, but not anymore. Pandas have just become cuter, most especially, the babies and Po is the cutest of them all. And if inner peace is anything like this, then bring on more of Po and his sidekicks.

This movie is a case of all elements coming together to create an enjoyable whole. I cannot believe that I am saying this about a goofy animated film. But everything in it is so well-thought out and rendered. The artwork rooted in old China is beautiful. The action is fast-paced but smoothly choreographed. The music is alternately epic and moving. The humor is never forced and the jokes are well-timed and just a bit cheesy. The animation is at its best and everything is in, thankfully, unobtrusive 3D. All 3D filmmakers should take lessons from the guys who made Kung Fu Panda 2.

The voice acting by everyone is very good. I think though that I should put in Oldman as excellent, although Shen, is of course, the type of role he has already mastered. Also James Hong as daddy goose. His revelation scene with Po is one of the best ever. Of course, Black as Po is such a joy.

Cheers to everybody most especially director Jennifer Yuh and Dreamworks for giving us Kung Fu Panda 2. Those forthcoming Cars had better be good or Po will start stepping on them, squashing them with his butt or sending them to kingdom come with a well-aimed kick or two.