It's rare when a good movie is followed up by an even better sequel. "Kung Fu Panda 2" is that rare exception.

I'd almost forgotten that Jack Black could do comedy after his last two thuds, "Gulliver's Travels" and "Year One," but here he is making me laugh as Po the portly panda.

Settling in nicely as the region's premier kung fu master, Po, now called the Dragon Warrior, and the Furious Five spend their time protecting the Valley of Peace from visiting marauders when they're not training or eating.

The latest ruffians are after all of the metal they can gather for their evil master, Lord Shen (Gary Oldman). He's a cast-out royal peacock prince who has returned to a faraway Chinese city with a secret weapon designed to stop kung fu and rule over the land.

Po and his pals must figure out what the weapon is and save China from this foul fowl.

But Lord Shen also holds the key to Po's past.

You didn't think he was really the son of a goose, did ya?

All is nicely explained, giving Po's character much more depth, but also an appreciation for what his "father," Mr. Ping (James Hong), has done for him all these years at the noodle cafe.

We see glimpses of Po as a baby panda, whose parents are forced to make a decision that will allow Po to survive. He ended up behind Mr. Ping's noodle house for a reason, and it wasn't just because Po was eating his parents out of house and home.

There's something about the plumage on Lord Shen that sends shock waves down Po's spine. Hopefully, he will figure it out before Shen grows too powerful to stop.

Back are the fab five regulars, including Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Crane (David Cross) and Viper (Lucy Liu). And don't forget Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), who is desperate to secure "inner peace" despite Po's best efforts to ruin it.

I'm becoming less and less a fan of animated 3-D. It darkens the screen lighting dramatically. Frankly, I'd rather have the brightness than an extra dimension, to the point where I'm starting to feel like I'm wearing welding goggles at the movies.

Enough with the 3-D already! It's becoming a cheap ploy to fleece moviegoers for an extra few bucks, and I don't like it.

"Kung Fu Panda 2" works well enough without it. It's a funnier, more creative, heartfelt experience than the original and I'm pleasantly surprised to be able to recommend it wholeheartedly.

If you liked the first Panda, you'll love this one.

Steve Salles can be reached at films@standard.net.