5 Reasons Shrek 2 Is The Best Dreamworks Sequel (& 5 Why It’s Kung Fu Panda 2)

Dreamworks are famous for their epic sequels, but, when it comes to the Shrek and Kung Fu Panda follow-ups, which is the better of the two?

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At times, Dreamworks can make pretty good follow-ups to their popular films, something Disney has only recently begun to do more frequently. Two of the most popular Dreamworks franchises, Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, had really solid first entries… but their sequels were even better than the original films.

However, the real question is which of those films’ sequels if the superior film. So, here’s a faceoff of Kung Fu Panda 2 against Shrek 2. Sorry, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. You’re a great movie, but we’re talking about full-blown masterpieces, here.

10 Shrek 2: The Soundtrack

Just as its predecessor, Shrek 2 has a pretty impressive soundtrack, throwing in music from several decades and of different genres. It also continues the trend of having original covers, notably featuring a cover of David Bowie’s “Changes,” a cover of “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” and an incredible cover of Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For A Hero.”

The strangely effective pop culture fusion into the fairy tale world of Shrek is just as good as it was in the first film. And, of course, DVD fans will no doubt remember the surreal “Far, Far, Away Idol,” which featured Simon Cowell as himself far before Scoob! did the same thing.

9 Kung Fu Panda 2: The Animation

Kung Fu Panda 2 boasts an incredible showcase for animation. Many people seem to gravitate towards the How To Train Your Dragon franchise, which is understandable, but, leaving out Kung Fu Panda 2 is unforgivable when praising Dreamworks’ animation style.

The film is sleek, energetic, and goes out of its way to play with camera movement, and at times features stylistic 2D animation, all while maintaining a consistent aesthetic. It’s one of Dreamworks’ best-looking films, along with The Prince of Egypt.

8 Shrek 2: The Comedy Peaks The First One

Shrek is a pretty funny movie. In fact, it’s hilarious. But, Shrek 2 somehow manages to be even cheekier, and it throws even more jokes at the audience. Even if one doesn’t hit, the next five in quick succession are bound to have a bullseye.

he addition of Puss in Boots is a welcome one, and he’s also a comedy gold mine. The comedy is present everywhere, from the dialogue to the backgrounds, the action, and so on. Not to mention the “Knights” scene (a parody of Cops) is among the funniest scenes in Dreamworks’ collection.

7 Kung Fu Panda 2: The Drama Peaks The First One

The first Kung Fu Panda might be Dreamworks’ funniest film. Kung Fu Panda 2 is close to that level, but it’s not concerned about being funny more so than throwing heavy-hitting emotional guy punches. And, boy, does it deliver. The film juxtaposes Lord Shen and Po and the relationships they had with their parents and the effects the two had on each other in their lives and how one affected the other. It deals with the trauma Po was dealt and the trauma Shen felt he was dealt in his childhood, and it also gets darker in other areas.

6 Shrek 2: The Villains

Lord Farquaad was a great villain in Shrek, but the Fairy Godmother and Prince Charming are a step up. For starters, they pose more of a threat, not just because they’re a duo, but because the Fairy Godmother is pretty smart and manipulative.

Along with that, they’re also both hilarious. Prince Charming is an insufferable momma’s boy, and Fairy Godmother is oddly rational and grounded in an otherwise looney universe. Their evil plan is pretty well-thought-out, and their connections to Fiona’s family are cleverly plotted.

5 Kung Fu Panda 2: The Villain

Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda was a perfectly fine villain who served his purpose, posed a physical threat to Po, and helped Shifu complete a character arc. However, while Lord Shen is a decent enough fighter, it’s his cunning mind that is his true power.

Lord Shen’s personal connection with Po and his similarities—as well as his major differences—to him and how they each choose to deal with their problems makes for a great clash whenever the two are on screen. He’s also capable of dark humor, but his sadistic nature can turn a mood from laughable to serious in the blink of an eye. He also kills people, which is pretty rare in films oriented towards children.

4 Shrek 2: Tightly Wound Story

Shrek 2 doesn’t waste a second of screentime. Every single storyline fills a purpose, any mentioned event comes back later, and the running gags are abundant. Everything seems to be interconnected in some way, and lines that seem like a throwaway joke come back in some way. It’s a well-paced movie and the fat from the story is trimmed, and, though the message is similar to the first film’s, it’s delivered in a different perspective and is still carried out well.

3 Kung Fu Panda 2: Has A Better Moral

While Shrek 2 repeats the moral of being comfortable with one’s true self, Kung Fu Panda 2 takes on a new message. The first film dealt with Po realizing he was capable of greatness all along—it’s inside him!—while Kung Fu Panda 2 tackles a few tough ideas: the idea that family can be from nurturing, not just biology. The decision to fall to the damage of trauma or rise above it and grow from it. Knowing that support is always there. And, yes, it also re-touches on the first film’s lesson. The film’s ability to juggle so many concepts at once and still deliver them effectively, alongside a ton of laughs, is impressive.

2 Shrek 2: An Iconic Third Act Climax

Everything comes crashing to a head in Shrek 2’s climactic moment, and, oddly enough, it manages to warrant itself justification for seeing it on the big screen while doing so. The truly epic scene of Shrek mounting the massive gingerbread man, “Mongo,” while blasting the incredible “Holding Out For a Hero” cover is perfect. The sacrifice for time and “cute” gag callback from Puss in Boots is an honorable move in character, while still dishing out laughs.

The reluctant Fiona dancing with the awkward Prince Charming while her nervous father, caught up in the conspiracy, watches is nail-biting. All the characters, conflicts, and motivations come together, just as a perfect climax should, and it truly is cinematic glory.

1 Kung Fu Panda 2: Is Timeless

The problem with pop-culture references and contemporary gags is that they age. Sadly, Shrek 2 is doomed to become less relevant as time goes by because it is mostly built on a foundation of pop culture, the cultural codex of which expands and ages daily. Even if some of those gags are great, a lot of them don’t take as much creativity to shoehorn in shot-for-shot visual gags or line callbacks, and they only work if the audience is familiar with the material.

Kung Fu Panda 2 doesn’t suffer from that, and, as a bonus, the film is also more friendly to non-English/US audiences who won’t be as familiar with US pop culture or catch onto dialogue from gags based on pop culture. It’s more accessible and not dated, which is a quality it will never lose.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/shrek-kung-fu-panda-best-dreamworks-sequels/