MOVIE REVIEW: KUNG FU PANDA 3 (PG)
It’s quite interesting that DreamWorks would release “Kung Fu Panda 3” in January. Why? Well, traditionally speaking, January used to be one of those months when studios would dump films they didn’t have much faith in. My how times have changed.
In “Kung Fu Panda 3,” lovable Po (Jack Black) is back, and this time he teams with his new found biological father Li (Bryan Cranston) in an effort to protect a mystical panda village from Kai (J.K. Simmons)—a villainous bull from the spirit world whose thirst for power is only rivaled by his hatred for pandas. During his adventure, Po learns about his heritage, bonds with the father he never knew, and finds himself a most reluctant teacher.
As expected, “Kung Fu Panda 3” is lively, vibrant, and colorfully animated. It pulsates with energy and there’s never a dull moment. It isn’t as consistently funny as the first picture and it lacks the emotional drive of the second. Still, there’s quite a bit here worth recommending. From the stunning visuals to the sweet-natured messages at the heart of the movie. Staying true to one’s self is the primary theme at the core of this film, and I’ll be darned if “Kung Fu Panda 3” doesn’t wear that theme like a badge of honor.
Watch Po as he trains his own kind in preparation for battle by amplifying what his new found panda brotherhood already excel at. You haven’t seen an enemy defeated until you’ve seen them defeated by tossed dumplings. It all makes for a funny, joyful climax that is as exciting as it is adorable. Perhaps one of the biggest missteps here is that the filmmakers didn’t take a page from James Cameron’s “Aliens” playbook and title this movie “Kung Fu Pandas!” That would have been more fitting.
Black is back in top form as energetic Po and his rapport with Cranston’s Li is spot on. Their relationship is the driving force in the film. As Kai, Simmons certainly brings the intensity but as a villain, this character is far less compelling than Gary Oldman’s peacock with a Napoleon complex in “Kung Fu Panda 2.” Shen proved to be a far more worthy foe to oafish Po.
Dustin Hoffman (Shifu), Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Seth Rogen (Mantis), David Cross (Crane), Jackie Chan (Monkey), and Lucy Liu (Viper) all return but admittedly, they aren’t given as much to do here because “Kung Fu Panda 3” is more interested in the Po/Li dynamic. Having said that, James Hong makes a welcome return as Mr. Ping. He has a handful of wonderful moments as Po’s somewhat jealous but always wise and loving adoptive father.
I know I’m going out on a limb by making any sort of “Star Wars” comparison but if “Kung Fu Panda” is “A New Hope” and “Kung Fu Panda 2” is “The Empire Strikes Back” then “Kung Fu Panda 3” is “Return of the Jedi.” This is to say that it’s a lot of fun but it’s not as strong as its predecessors, and quite frankly, the series should come to a close here because it would be a perfectly pleasant note to end on.
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