We watched DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) today.
https://www.tumblr.com/bjsmall/636163779406839808/221120-we-watched-dreamworks-kung-fu-panda?source=share
This movie is my favourite of the franchise, as it features a very mature story about Po finding the dark truth about his past.
The villainous Lord Shen who was soon to be a prince, goes out of his way to destroy a village of pandas, believing they are a threat to his future plans of heralding in the era of gun powder and phasing out traditional martial arts such as Kung fu.
Like Po, Lord Shen also has a past issue involving his parents who he feels had betrayed him, by sending him away from Gongmen City as a result of his destruction.
Shen shows no emotion when he destroys his own ancestral palace his parents have left him.
Po breaks the habit of his past by discovering who he really is with the power of inner peace. Lord Shen struggles to break his own past with his parents relationship.
Po is more emotional with Shen and offers him a chance to change things around, unlike Tai Lung, who he sees as a danger and finishes off in the first movie.
This results in Shen attempting to wound him, only to cut the ropes of his own canon, and stay put as he ends up getting crushed by his own invention.
Shen does this because this is the only way he could find peace, as he knew he was a dangerous character. The fireworks caused by his weapon at the end symbol this in the form of a peacock.
I think that all of these things ultimately make Lord Shen the best animated villain!
This fan-made video explains Shen's more sympathetic feel, most of which was cut from the final movie:
The soundtrack for Kung Fu Panda 2 was conducted by Gavin Greenaway, composed by John Powell and Hans Zimmer.
It was recorded at Air Studios London and Abbey Road Studios.
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