There is something pretty special about DreamWorks’ latest animated feature, “Kung Fu Panda 2.”

On the surface, this is a family film that plays perfectly to its audience; it’s a zippy 90-minute affair that is effective and entertaining. But look deeper and there is more, a richly detailed movie with a surprisingly sweet and emotional story at its core.

The sequel to the popular 2008 film finds overweight panda Po (voiced by Jack Black) protecting the area with his fellow kung fu masters, the Furious Five.

But the peaceful surroundings are threatened when an evil peacock named Shen (voiced by Gary Oldman) hatches a plan to destroy kung fu and capture China using a secret, unstoppable weapon.

As the threat grows, Po is asked to look into his past and unlock the strength he needs to stop Shen before he reaches his ultimate goal of world domination.

Like the original, this is a film that makes the most of a huge and talented cast. In addition to Black and Oldman, viewers get Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogan and Jackie Chan, just to name a few. It’s a deep and talented roster that is allowed to shine in a strong-looking and well-written film.

Director Jennifer Yuh does a wonderful job in her feature film debut, cleverly compiling a series of action sequences that keep the film moving along.

Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger’s screenplay is impressive as well, using the backstory involving Po’s family to create an emotional hook that rivals the “Toy Story” franchise. (The backstory also plays to Yuh’s good direction, with Yuh using beautiful, hand-drawn animation during the flashbacks.)

But my favorite part of “Kung Fu Panda 2” is the gorgeous cinematography, which effectively captures the Chinese landscape. Like the flashback animation, it is elaborate and exquisite – richly detailed and fully imagined.

The beautiful look of the film is reason enough to see it on the big screen, but the film isn’t just good to look at – it’s actually pretty fun, too.

This is a darker film than the original, with not nearly as much humor, but it is just as good. It’s the rare sequel that expands upon its predecessor and leaves viewers interested in how the series will continue.

DVD dandy of the week

This week’s dandy is “True Grit” (B), Joel and Ethan Coen’s solid remake of the beloved John Wayne western.

Jeff Bridges stars as Rooster Cogburn, a tough-as-nails U.S. marshal who is hired by a young farm girl named Mattie (Hailee Steinfeld) to capture Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), who killed the girl’s father.

Cogburn and the girl are joined by a Texas Ranger (Matt Damon), and the unlikely trio discovers danger and a few surprises on its journey.

The original “True Grit,” which won Wayne an Academy Award, is so beloved that a remake probably wasn’t needed. But in the hands of talented filmmakers such as the Coens, it works on every level.

Bridges steps into Wayne’s shoes quite nicely, giving his own unique spin on Cogburn. Damon and Brolin are also quite effective in their respective roles.

But it’s 14-year-old Steinfeld who makes the most lasting impression in a star-making performance. Steinfeld more than holds her own with the big-name cast; a scene in which she barters with a shopkeeper is one of the great cinematic exchanges in 2010.

“True Grit” is rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of western violence, including disturbing images, and will be available on DVD on Tuesday.

— To get sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton’s up-to-the minute thoughts on all things movies, visit his blog at mcompton.wordpress.com or his Twitter page at twitter.com/mcompton428. You can also email him at mcompton@bgdailynews.com.