I have read all the negative reviews about this film, and I am happy to say they are all dead wrong.

Kung Fu Panda 2 does everything right in terms of a sequel. For a movie for kids, this movie has a surprising amount of depth and emotion. The movie does an excellent job at balancing humour, action, and emotion so well in the 92 minute runtime, not to mention it is paced amazingly.

I do not remember the last time an animated movie made me cry this much, and I hardly ever cry at animated movies. The dive into Po's past is handled with such maturity, and the movie does not hesitate to explore darker and much more upsetting themes.

I must also talk about my favourite part of the entire movie: the villain, Lord Shen. Whenever I see a movie, I look for a good antagonist for our given protagonist, and Lord Shen is perfect. This is a villain that seriously challenges our protagonist. Where in the first one, Po was challenged physically, in this film he is challenged emotionally. As far as Gary Oldman's performance, it is spot on! He is absolutely menacing and scary, and I love that he's a peacock.

To cap it all off, this is a movie that just gets it. We are taken on the hero's journey and given insight into his backstory profoundly. The movie even references the symbolism for the animals and what they represent, such as a panda representing peace and self awareness, and a peacock representing power. All in all, this movie is perfect. If you have not seen it yet, I definitely recommend watching it, especially to prepare for Kung Fu Panda 4!!