"Kung Fu Panda 2": Movie Review by, JJPhel (It Sucks!)

"Kung Fu Panda 2" 

 

Voices of: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Gary Oldman

Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Kids, Animation

Rated: 

 

Synopsis:  Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five. But Po's new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will Po be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed 

 

   Animation is an art form that can be bias, the annual belief to some is that if it's a kids movie, hey it has to be good. That's not the case with "Kung Fu Panda 2". Now I'm telling you right now, do not go by this review for your opinion of the film. The overall consensus s seems to be that this film is fantastic! I didn't kind much of it, and I disliked it to a tea. 

 

  I want to start off by saying that the first one was worse than this one. I really disliked every character, thought that some were there just for the sake of being there. The main character Po, was the stupidest, lamebrained, clumsy idiot in any animated film I had seen that year, 2008, and the action scenes compared to everything else was just in the middle, nothing special, and don't tell me that it is just because a panda a few animals are in the mix, then go see "Alpha and Omega", same doesn't apply right? The story was all over the place, the one thing I really wanted to know was "How the fuck can a panda be the son of a duck!", but sadly that was never answered. Overall with the abundance of animated films, CG animated films at that, "Kung Fu Panda", was just in the crowd, nothing special, and pretty wasteful. 

 

Now I'll review "Kung Fu Panda 2"! 

 

Plot: Basically this one picks up where the last one left off, the fatass panda, is living what he always wanted. Then the plot turns into the most cliché, convelouted series of events. Gary Oldman's character wants to destroy the masterful, martial art form that has been around for many years, kung fu. Yes. To add on the that very high goal, he wants to rule China. The whole film pretty much consists of Po trying to find is inner self to face the evil that shadows him, and that is a very overused plot. I thought maybe, just maybe they would so something totally new, and different, but my thoughts were diminished as I saw the same movie as the first in my head playing as this one. Nothing special, like the first.

 

Acting: Let me be the first to say I hate Jack Black, a lot, and this film didn't do much still, as I sat there watching the typical Jack Black, just as a panda. There isn't much to these characters, the best character was Gary Oldman's character, and everyone else was just in the background. The biggest surprise for me in this one, and the last was that Angeline
Jolie was in it, and no one made a big deal of it, and her character was wasteful in both films. You may say this is nitpicking, but if you want to nitpick it to death, well there's plenty to nitpick. Every new character has nothing to do, so I don't have much to say. This film is in the same situation as "Toy Story 3" where there was a onslaught of new characters, but nothing was done with them except for about three. This is in the same region. There are new characters that have shit to do. Jack Black is the only one I can really talk about. Jack Black is the same in this as the first. With that said, he's annoying, clumsy, and pretentious.

 

Visuals: The best part of the film by far, had to be the visual aspect. However with that, it has it's own tint than the first. It has a more realistic tone, and look to it. The first looked a bit to animated this looks real, but that doesnbt take away from the rest, which is less than stellar. Quite honestly there isn't much to say here about the visual element of the film. It's pretty easy Dreamworks + Kung Fu + orange/red tint + cool looking China visuals = "Kung Fu Panda 2" visuals.

 

Overall: Overall "Kung Fu Panda 2", lacks the fun, and interest in the film as some other Dreamworks films, and Pixar films. I have been notorious to many on Spill to be the only person who "hates" this movie. I do. I cannot stand the incompetence of the film's style, character, plot, and inconvience. This isn't the worst film of all time, no is it the worst animated film of all time, absolutely not. However when people tell me it's god, because "its a kids movie what do you expect", no that's not a good argument. Not every CG animated kids film is good. Go watch "Hoodwinked 2", and tell me that's good. "Kung Fu Panda 2" isn't special. Dreamworks your movie sucks......bitch...

 

"Kung Fu Panda 2"

Now the question is, would I recommend this movie. Let me say if all that I've said in this review doesn't protain to you than this is you'r film. If what I've said corralates to you, than do not see this movie, because you'll walk out as I did saying "Fuck!"........It's as simple as that.

The Fuckups Podcast - Episode 1 - We have no fucking clue!

The Fuckups Podcast - Episode 1 - We have no fucking clue!



 Bob Burns, Paul, JJPhel, and Colin Gillespie discuss some movie news, review "The Hangover Part 2", and Bob.......well Bob has no business being on the internet for certain reasons...

NOTE: This was an experiment, we didn't totally fuck up, but...it was pretty bad

Movies that are said to be overrated, that I believe are not

  Movies are always met by praise, and panning, but at times there are some films that are so popular, they live a life of their own. Some films such as "Transformers" is one of those films, where the average crowd loves it immensely, but us movie buffs, and film critics just think it's a piece of crap. Some movies that are not like "Transformers" that are actually considered good films are also sometimes met with the same right as "Transformers" and are said to be "overrated". In my opinion, the majority of the most popular, but sufficient films are not overrated. Let's run it down

Note: This will probably be a very non generic list, as always keep an open mind. All is strictly opinion.

5) Napoleon Dynamite



   I don't fully understand why this film is deemed overrated. Yes most people in my school, is not all have seen it, but overrated, I don't think so.  I forget most of this movie, and many of my friends forget it too. The only scene that people seem to always remember, if not the only thing they remember is the dancing scene, but my point is an overrated film is one that people do not forget, and quote, or know every single character for the most part, "Napoleon Dynamite" isn't that movie. With the exception of the lines, there are some definite memorable lines, but everything else is not.

  I don't even enjoy the film, I thought it was pretty damn boring. If anything I think this can be a tie in movie to "Juno", and even that film is a bit boring sometimes. The pacing isn't even slow it's painfully slow, and most people myself included find ourselves skipping to the good parts that aren't stupid, or creepy, or just flat out ridiculous. "Napoleon Dynamite" is not in my definition is not overrated at all, stop calling it.





4) Fight Club

I have nothing for praise for "Fight Club" .It is definitely one of my favorite films of all time. It's one of those films that when I finish watching it, I want to create my own films, and I use the word "create" because "Fight Club" created a type of films, yes it had some typical elements like the split personality, it's the classic Jekyll & Hyde sinereo, and if that's what makes "Fight Club" overrated, then I'll have to call bullshit on that. The only thing I ever hear repeated from this films, and correct me if I'm wrong here, but the only line I hear repeated constantly is "first rule of Fight Club, you don't talk about Fight Club". Stories about people creating their own Fight Clubs around the country in celebration of this movie doesn't mean it's overrated, is "Taxi Driver" overrated, because some person went out and killed people dressed up as Travis Bickle, no that stuff happens all the time. People take inspiration from film, and sometimes it's misunderstood.


"Fight Club" is maybe considered overrated, because of Brad Pitt, but no, that's wrong a lot of movies have a pretty boy, that all the girls go hoo haa over, that doesn't necessarily mean it's an overrated movie. If anything to the new generation it's underrated. Many of my friends some film buffs haven't seen "Fight Club", but they know that one line. Recently it was aired on TV specifically on MTV of all places, but they ran it for about two weeks or so every Friday, and Saturday, but even with it on MTV seems that people still don't watch it. I go to school the next say, and say "dude did you watch Fight Club last night" my answer "no", to busy watching that "Jersey Shore" shit On Demand. It's a great movie, but not worthy of the title overrated. That's not a bad thing either.

3) The Rocky Horror Picture Show

This blows my mind, that people actually say "Rocky Horror" is overrated, most people I know, including adults don't know what "Rocky Horror" is, but they know the Time Warp. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is only popular to it's fans, and their fans are definitely deemed overwhelming. The sheer fact that it was featured as a "Glee" episode, and only to not be performed to the whole school in the episode, is a testimate to that. It has it's own fan-base that loves the hell out of it. Overrated is not a word I use to describe it, I describe it as underrated on such a sheer level of obscureness. If people my age started singing, and dressing up as Frank-N-Furter, then I can maybe call it overrated, but many people I know, my age, my generation don't know jack about "Rocky Horror".


2) Requiem for a Dream

Along with "Fight Club", "Requiem for a Dream" is another one of my inspirations when it coems to film. Darren Aronofsky can go to his grave knowing he made some of the most controversial, and real movies. It doesn't sugar coat shit, it flat out shows drugs will screw you up. When people say it's an overrated film, I always ask why, and for the most part, they say that it's a cliched story....does that mean it's overrated. Maybe the storyline is overrated, but the film itself is not. If anything the song "Lux Aeterna" is the most overused, not overrated, but overused piece of music ever to be created. Used in practically every movie trailer, and used in an epic fight, or battle that song is amazing, but overused, in sometimes the most useless ways. I want to draw your attention to a comment from the website Primer.










                                                                                                                                   primermagazine.com

His argument made sense, to me, but the whole point of the article that was taken from was it counted down the top overrated movies of the past 10 years, and "Requiem for a Dream" came up, but it doesn't back up the reasoning as to why exactly it's overrated. Many love this film I love this film, many remember many parts of the film, many remember Jennifer Connelly, and Ellen Burstyn's performance, and again that song, but when people say that it's overrated I ask you "Why". That's the annual question "Why"? 



1) District 9




   A completely original film, no, but one of the most original in today's terms, absolutely. But people still say it's a completely overrated movie. No, it deserves every bit of praise it gets. In a world where originality, and creative ideas are oblivious to mainstream audiences, "District 9" dared to give a new style of film, where they combined realistic documentary elements with action sci-fi  goodness. The acting was done greatly by a one man show, the whole film is a one man show.

  Sharlto Copley was a nobody until his amazing, epic performance as the bureaucrat Wikis, and even though the film took the whole story of transformation, from "The Fly" even down to the way he clutched his arm, into his jacket, it still was a new fresh look at sc-fi, in a year sci-fi ruled the silver screen. Also being directed by a new filmmaker, who took the whole premise from a six minute film he made and turned it into a feature length film is an amazing triumph for the creative world. Overrated is not what I would use for "District 9", I would use ambitious.






What films do you believe are inappropriately deemed overrated ?

Can "The Dark Knight Rises" suffer the same as "Spider-Man 3" did?

  As of right now, "The Dark Knight Rises" is probably the most anticipated comic book movie, rivaled only by "The Avengers" and "The Amazing Spider-Man" after the phenomenon that was "The Dark Knight" . "Spider-Man 3" was also hotly anticipated at its time, but now it's considered one of the weaker comic book movies ever made. So what am I bringing up here?







 Both "Spider-Man", and "Batman Begins" are commonly considered among fans to be the movies that have raised the bar of comic book movies the most. "Spider-Man" was, until "The Dark Knight's" release, the highest grossing movie of its genre, and it is still considered a masterpiece among many. "Batman Begins" was one of the first to take on a serious, much more realistic feel to a comic book movie, and many things about it are more believable than those in previous comic book movies.

 









 Both "Spider-Man 2" and "The Dark Knight" are considered some of the greatest comic book adaptations ever created, and some of the best ever, period. "Spider-Man 2" continued the adventures of Peter Parker as he struggles to balance his relationship with Mary Jane, and his duties as Spider-Man, all while taking on Alfred Molina's priceless version of Doc Ock. "The Dark Knight", as stated before, is the most financially successful comic book film ever, and probably even more so with the critics it acquired a Rotten Tomatoes' 94% approval rating. It also gave us perhaps the greatest villain portrayal to date.



 As said before, "Spider-Man 3" was extremely anticipated following the success of "Spider-Man 2" . With the promises of the black suit, Sandman, and even Venom for this movie, fanboys went through the roof. Then after its release, nearly everyone dissed it as a failure. From emo Peter Parker scenes to, too little Venom, negative statements flew across the world. And as mentioned many times over, part of the reason why most people didn't like it was likely because their expectations were too high.

 "The Dark Knight Rises" finds itself in a similar position that "Spider-Man 3" was in. With rumor after rumor, confirmation of Bane and Catwoman/Selina Kyle to be featured in this movie, and the fact that Warren Pfister read the script and said it topped "The Dark Knight", fanboys are probably at Jupiter when it comes to anticipation. But the thing is, after "Spider-Man 3", should we really have our anticipations rocket-high? And with the likelihood that we won't get as strong performances as Heath Ledger's Joker, will "The Dark Knight Rises" best its predecessor?


 

 I'm not questioning whether or not "The Dark Knight Rises" will be good in the slightest. After all, Nolan said that he wouldn't even do a third movie unless the script would be as good as, if not better than "The Dark Knight"; he even asked once how many third movies in a series are good.

 Which brings me to my next question - can "The Dark Knight Rises" survive the 'threequel curse'? The curse that befell series such as "Spider-Man", "X-Men", "Superman", and even the original "Batman" series. Rarely does a series go without the third movie being spat on far more than the rest of the trilogy. With the exception of "Superman", the second movie in all these series' is considered the strongest .

 


 
 Another arguement that can be made, that no other comic book film series has, had such a filmmaker attached to the project, and has embellished so much into it as Christopher Nolan has with the recent Batman series. With some filmmakers, their ideas, and options with their film especially if they work for Sony, can be trown off the radar, and make way for the studios choices.

 Christopher Nolan seems to have more freedom than any other director when it comes to comic book films. Again the Batman series was in desperate need for a new mind to come into the series to rejuvenate it from it's darkest depths. With the massive success of "The Dark Knight", we can probably say that Warner Bros. have full faith in Nolan, and Nolan has full freedom with "The Dark Knight Rises".

 



 So in conclusion, the question that should ring out is: Can "The Dark Knight Rises" defy threequelitis and establish the franchise as the strongest in comic book history, or could it fall victim to the curse and face ridicule like "Spider-Man 3"?

Do you think "The Dark Knight Rises", can suffer the "threequel curse" ?

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