DVD Reviews

Kung Fu Panda 2 (Blu-Ray\DVD Combo)

Kung Fu Panda was a pleasant surprise when it will released in 2008.  It introduced us to an idolizing panda named Po, (Jack Black) who stumbles upon the chance to fulfill his dreams and become a kung fu master like his heroes - The Furious Five.  The first film was a playful animation spectacle, full of vibrant action sequences and humorous characters (voiced wonderfully by an assortment of talented actors).

For the sequel Kung Fu Panda 2, Po and the Five are tasked with travelling to a far region of China by master Shi-Foo (Dustin Hoffman) to stop a scheming Peacock (Gary Oldman) that has murdered a fellow master with a technology that appears to stop any kind of fighting defense. 

The Movie

Much like its predecessor, Kung Fu Panda 2 maintains a lively pace and animation scheme that moves swiftly and funny enough to entertain both young and adult minds.  Although arguably not as strong an outing as the original (now under new Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson), what the sequel does well is change things up nicely for the characters with an alternate setting and a different style of villain to face off against.

Of course the animation style is visually dizzying and as impressive as the first movie, blending a gorgeous combination of vivid colors and environment details to flesh out Po’s world and the action.  There is also the addition of some new characters on top of the villain, voiced by Dennis Haysbert (The Unit), Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and martial-art film star Jean-Claude Van Damme (Universal Solider).

The Blu-ray/DVD Combo

VIDEO – Kung Fu Panda 2 sports a gorgeous 1080p high-definition transfer that is nothing short of a digital marvel, thanks to the vibrant animation style.  The film’s eye-popping colours and lush settings consistently mesmerize a viewer all the way through the movie.

AUDIO – When I reviewed Kung Fu Panda’s Blu-ray release, I thought the audio mix was one of the best ever made.  Thankfully the sequel follows suit with an on par Dolby Digital TrueHD 7.1 mix that is beautifully balanced, specific, and creative in all the right areas.

EXTRAS – The assortment of special features found on the Blu-ray/DVD Combo is an intriguing mix of entertainment and informative options.  The extra animated short “Secrets Of The Masters” acts as a flashback-type epilogue to the film, but most of it is created by a more simpler animation style than the feature – marking it as a bit of a letdown.

Two worthwhile HD features that reflect inspirations for the film is “Animation Inspiration” – a feature that showcases the creators taking a trip to China for ideas and designs, and “Panda Stories” – a look at the Panda habitat in China and the special event that occurred when one of them was appropriately named Po.

Two neat options also include a Shuffle game for kids, and even adults can partake of the “Ni Hao – Learn To Speak Chinese” that can help you learn some basic words of the language.  Comes in handy if you don’t want to pay for lessons! 

The Package Appeal

CONSUMER/COLLECTOR VALUE – The 2-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo’s appeal to a buyer is fairly strong.  The film is a fairly good sequel, is technically perfect as a digital transfer, and contains a respectable amount of quality bonus features within the Blu-ray disc.  A second DVD/Digital Copy standard disc provides some portability if need be.

Review By Ryan Young