Has it been a while (or never) since you've seen Kung Fu Panda? Are you desperate for a quick "catch-up" with the characters? And perhaps in the mood for a brief introduction to the new characters in Kung Fu Panda 2? Don't you hate articles that begin with four consecutive questions? Then read on for a character guide to one of the early summer's most smoothly entertaining movies. Yep, I adored this flick and I don't care who knows it. (Don't tell my dad.)



 

Po (Jack Black) -- Large, goofy panda who somehow became christened "the Dragon Master" in the previous film. Despite a proclivity for loudness and overt bumbling, Po is also a very sensitive and loyal leader. Plus this time around, as the leader of The Furious Five, he kicks serious ass and we buy it because, well, he's the Dragon Master!

Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) -- Sort of the Yoda of the series, only he's cuter, crankier, and less of a small reptile man and more of a "red panda." (Yes, that's what Shifu is! I looked it up. I thought he was a raccoon!) For all his wise advice, Master Shifu definitely takes a back seat in the sequel, which only makes sense because Part 2 is less about training and more about beating up bad guys!
Tigress (Angelina Jolie) -- Without her curvaceous body around to distract us, Ms. Jolie actually has a rather smoky and commanding voice presence. Here she returns as Po's loyal ally, the hard-fisted Tigress. She is a female tiger. Obviously. She's the one who teaches Po an important lesson about "inner peace," and she does it without being sappy or silly, either. Plus, as a member of The Furious Five, she kicks major ass.

Monkey (Jackie Chan) -- A rather amusingly animated primate with big eyes and a bug butt. Also a member of The Furious Five. Also kicks major butt. Mr. Chan's accent may be a bit difficult to decipher, but that's a small price to pay: if you're going to have a cartoon monkey (er, technically a Golden Langur Monkey) who is also a legendary kung fu master ... you gotta have Jackie Chan!

Meet the rest of the Kung Fu Panda cast of characters over on Movies.com!