(may contain spoilers)
Douban rating: 6.3
Director: Mike Mitchell
Douban Comments: “This sequel feels overly formulaic and mass-produced. There were a few laughs here and there, but overall, nothing really left a strong impression.
They brought back villains from the previous movies all at once, giving them extra screen time and forcing connections to earlier scenes and lines. It felt like they were just trying to shoehorn in a successor for the Dragon Warrior, using nostalgia from the earlier films as a crutch.
The new villain wasn’t very memorable either – even their main power was just copying the fighting styles of past villains. So, the final battle ended up feeling pretty lazy and unexciting.
The Furious Five didn’t even appear. Was it because they couldn’t afford the original voice actors?
Overall, it’s not terrible – I wouldn’t say the 90 minutes were a complete waste – but it’s definitely not great. A solid 3 out of 5.
That said, for a big franchise like Kung Fu Panda, which Chinese audiences generally love, continuing in this direction just isn’t going to work.”
“Overall, this feels a lot like Shrek 4 back in the day. It’s not a complete cash-grab – there’s still some entertainment value – but the commercial intent is a bit too obvious. It really feels like they’re just squeezing out whatever’s left of the IP’s value.
The story is extremely formulaic, and the pacing feels rushed, like they’re whipping the plot forward just to get it over with. Every scene is just trying to get from point A to point B as fast as possible. You can almost see the animators thinking, ‘Let’s just finish this and clock out’. Even the Furious Five only show up in a post-credits text mention.”
“I watched the original English version. The plot is pretty predictable – it’s easy to guess that Zhen would switch sides, and of course she ends up being the next Dragon Warrior.
The Chameleon is basically a fusion monster. She brings back the villains from the previous movies just to learn their skills – and to cash in on some nostalgia. The final showdown felt rushed: after copying a few moves, she just turns into a big monster and starts smashing things.
Still, as a popcorn movie, it was quite enjoyable. The tone is light and funny throughout, with lots of humorous moments – like Po meditating under a tree but only thinking about food, Zhen’s underworld crew doing good deeds with bad intentions, and Po’s dad pretending to be a kung fu master.
The fight scenes are smooth and well done, especially the chaotic bar fight on the cliffside. The animation and environments are nicely done too – Juniper City blends Eastern and Western styles. It reminded me of a mix between the castles from The Lord of the Rings and Lake-town beneath the Lonely Mountain, while the streets felt more traditionally Chinese.
Sure, it lacks deeper themes. It tries to touch on family (with Po’s two dads risking everything to save him), friendship (Zhen’s change of heart), and a simple ’embrace change’ message – but honestly in the end, with the solid action, special effects, and a bit of nostalgia, I’d still say it’s worth watching.”
