Movie Review - Kung Fu Panda 2

Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Review written by Marybeth Hay

Thanks to Po, I think I’m on my way to discovering inner peace.

Like any mom, I tend to over think things - especially when the kids are involved. No time was this more true than when we were invited by family friends to see Kung Fu Panda 2.

Honestly, I was a bit out of the loop and didn’t know the movie was going to deal with Po’s search for identity after discovering his adoption. Thanks to my keen friend for the tip off!!

The movie stars our good friends the Furious Five, the Dragon Warrior and Master Shi Fu. Life in China seems to be back to normal after the defeat of Tai Lung.

Soon enough, a new villain threatens the peace and harmony in the lives of our heroes - and Po and Company are back in action! The movie follows the standard formula of good guys chasing bad guys but with the undercurrent of Po’s search for his ‘true self’, his identity.

This secondary plot involves Po questioning where he came from, and who he is. He’s recently realized his adoption and he wants to know more. From the time he was a baby, Po was loving cared for, nurtured, and taught by his father, Mr. Ping, the noodle selling goose. Po asks his Dad for more information, and the two share fond, love filled memories of Po’s early years.

The villain in this new chapter has some family issues of his own. He was sent away by his parents when he showed an affinity for the darker side of life. Lord Shen, the antagonist, sets out to defeat a warrior of black and white foretold of by a soothsayer. To this end, Shen and his army of wolves set out to destroy the Giant Panda population.

A marking on one of the wolves triggers flashbacks for Po to his early childhood. The memories both intrigue and frighten him. Eventually, the story becomes clear to Po - and he grieves the loss of his birth parents but overcomes the sadness to defeat Lord Shen. He discovers who he is and gains inner peace.

As an adoptive mom, I’m fierce about how adoption is portrayed in the media - I never want my kids to feel ashamed or embarrassed by their adoptions. This movie appropriately shows the struggle many adopted kids have with a past that may be unclear and the questions they need answered to move on towards their own inner peace in the future.

Being who I am, I researched the movie, read reviews and prepared myself for any questions my kids might have. I was ready for anything!

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Stop reading here if you don’t want to know the ending!!!

The end of the movie shows Po returning home to his father’s noodle restaurant, ready to live the life he’s destined for. As the credits are about to roll, the audience is shown the image of a rice patty filled with pandas and one Giant Panda, turning and saying, “My son is alive!” - This scene leaves the audience wondering, “Is this Panda, Po’s birth father?” “What’s going to happen now!?” And, alas, we’re left hanging. Will there be a KFP3 to answer these questions? We’ll just have to wait and see.

My son’s questions were similar to the above. He wanted to know if the Giant Panda was Po’s birth father - because, as he said, “Po’s REAL dad is Mr. Ping, the goose.” He also wanted to know how Mr. Ping might feel if the panda is Po’s biological dad - and I had to answer him in the best way I knew, “I don’t know, honey. How do you think he felt?” My son answered, “Mom, I bet he’d be happy - like we are. His family just keeps getting bigger!“ *(Mature answer for a 6 year old, but, it comes from experience - our family expanded this spring with the discovery of three of our son’s birth siblings and their families!)

Letting the kids know that we don’t always have the answer leaves room for discussion and further thought. Honesty is the best policy - It keeps the door to communication wide open. However, forewarned is forearmed . If you have questions about a movie or book, read the reviews, ask friends for their thoughts, and remember, being open is the way to inner peace.

Post Script

As further information and support for adoptive families, the movie, The Secrets of the Furious Five, discloses Tigress’ life as an orphan and her emotional struggles while she waits for her forever family. After years of heartbreaking waiting, Master Shi Fu adopts Tigress and then creates the Furious Five.

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Marybeth Hay has a Master's Degree in Special Education from Fitchburg State University. She has taught in both the Gardner and Hopkinton, MA school districts. Mrs. Hay was twice nominated for the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year award. Marybeth has written and contributed to articles focusing on adoption related topics for Wide Horizons for Children, Bay State Parent and Adoptive Families magazine. Currently, Marybeth is a stay at home mother of two Guat-tots, Oscar (6) and Amelia (4) and the adoring wife of Craig, a music teacher in Hopkinton. The Hay Family lives deep in the heart of the Blackstone Valley where they love to camp, cook, travel and spend time with family and friends.