Manny The Movie Guy /

The first "Kung Fu Panda" was widely praised by audiences and critics alike when it was released in 2008. The action-packed family comedy grossed more than $633 million worldwide, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film, and won 10 Annie Awards, the animation industry’s highest honor.

So it’s no wonder that 3 years later, DreamWorks Animation is releasing the sequel in glorious 3D. This time around, "Kung Fu Panda 2" aims to answer the question that defies explanation: Why is Po’s dad a goose?

Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, the sequel continues the "awesomeness" of the first one and aims for the ultimate "epicness." Po (voiced by Jack Black) has far greater responsibilities including saving kung fu and eventually, China.

Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior and is contented to protecting the Valley of Peace. But there’s a new villain in town. His name is Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), a peacock who is hell-bent in conquering China and destroying kung fu.

The Furious Five is along for the ride as Po tries to defend his passion—the art of kung fu. The original cast returns such as Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Jackie Chan (Monkey), Seth Rogen (Mantis), Lucy Liu (Viper), and David Cross (Crane).

Also returning is Dustin Hoffman as the kung fu guru and Po’s mentor, Master Shifu, the heart of the first film. In the sequel though, that heart belongs to James Hong as Mr. Ping, Po’s father and owner of the most popular noodles shop in the village.

The story about the goose father and his panda son precedes everything else in this sequel. Po’s quest in saving China is heroic, but in order to do so, he must first find out his real identity.

In the first film, the relationship between Mr. Ping and Po was wonderfully executed. In the sequel, that relationship is taken to a whole new level. Their father-son dichotomy will even bring a tear to your eye as soon as you see the film’s cliffhanger.

I have always been fond of DreamWorks Animation movies. Sure, Pixar is still the king of animation, but DreamWorks, much like their dreamer Po, aims high and succeeds effortlessly.

As expected, the look of the movie is breathtaking. Shot and edited in 3D, the three-dimensional aspect is not just a gimmick but an organic part of the film. I also enjoyed the film’s brisk pace that moves quickly as Po nears to fulfilling his mission.

The cast, headed by Black, gave commendable performances, even though The Furious Five characters were underused. The only one that was given a narrative arc is Tigress, the one who would have been the Dragon Master.

Additional new cast members include Michelle Yeoh as Lord Shen’s Soothsayer; Danny McBride as Shen’s minion, the Wolf Boss; and Dennis Haysbert as Master Storming Ox. Even Jean-Claude Van Damme joins in on the fun as Master Croc, and Victor Garber as Master Thundering Rhino.

Finding inner peace is the central theme of "Kung Fu Panda 2." DreamWorks Animation can truly find its inner peace by taking solace that their new film is the coolest, hippest, prettiest, and funniest animated film to come out this summer.