Kung Fu Panda 3

Kung fu panda is a concept so ridiculous that we think to ourselves.. it is actually genius. Jack Black returns as the lovable Po, and shows us just why we missed him so much in the years we had to wait. These films always deal with acceptance and Kung Fu Panda 3 is no exception, with an added family element. I give praise for this for the simple reason that Bryan Cranston is AWESOME and really stands out in a movie that already has some brilliant stars, he was so funny and heartwarming as Po's biological father and makes a welcome addition to the cast.

The story follows Po as he is asked to teach the furious 5 so Shifu can retire and master 'Chi'. After a bad session he meets his father by chance and finds out about a new supernatural threat from the spirit realm, played by the brilliant J.K Simmons. He adds his own stamp to this character and gives us a badass villain, like Cranston becoming a welcome edition. Po embarks on a journey to a secret panda village to himself master 'Chi' and take out Kai for good. So for a start the story is brilliant, it keeps everyone entertained and never lingers on for too long. The members of the furious 5 however do get less screen time, even Angelina Jolie's Tigress although she does play the biggest role of the 5. The standout for the limited screen time he has is Seth Rogen's Mantis. I don't know what it is but i love this character and wanted more of him.

If you are a fan of the other films in the Kung Fu Panda franchise like i am then you won't be disappointed. The film manages to stay on par with both previous films and has all the humour and kung fu action you can expect from it. If the franchise ended here i would be happy, i would love more from the characters and the world built around them, but i really don't want the franchise to outstay it's welcome at the same time. But anyway, go see Kung Fu Panda 3. It is much better than the forgettable London has Fallen and you won't regret it!

Kung Fu Panda is yet another solid entry in the Kung Fu Panda film series. It should be noted that while it's subjective, my opinion is that Kung Fu Panda 3 is ever so slightly the weakest of the franchise, but that's not a knock on the film. Kung Fu Panda 3 is often funny, beautifully animated, and features great characters. This is another great animated film for the entire family, that will surely delight people of all ages.

The tone of Kung Fu Panda 3 is a somewhat silly one, much like the other Kung Fu Panda films, however it does a good job of balancing mature themes with silly humor. The film also does a good job of balancing both subtle and witty humor with more bombastic and silly humor. The humor is bolstered by the terrific voice acting of the entire cast, which is as per usual great. Many times throughout this film I found myself laughing hysterically.

Another impressive element of the film is the amazing animation in this film. It may seem like every animated film features beautiful animation, but the animation in this film is truly amazing. Another impressive element of the animation is the action, which in an animated film may not seem like something to watch for, but the action sequences in Kung Fu Panda 3 are amazing. Many times watching this film the animation is so good it looks real, which is in it's own right an amazing accomplishment.

The film's pacing is great, but what's even better is the character development. With a story that isn't the strongest, the characters keep the film entertaining. Besides the villain, a character who feels like a forced conflict thrown in just to give the film drama, all of the characters in this film have some kind of development. Many of the characters are relatable, which helps the audience care about them. With characters that the audience can relate to and root for, the consequences of the film feel even heavier.

In Conclusion Kung Fu Panda 3 is a great fun film for the entire film with a little bit of something for everyone. The film is gorgeously animated, features well developed characters, great action sequences, good voice acting, and a terrific sense of humor. Despite the weak villain, occasionally silly tone, and some clichés the film is still very enjoyable. If you have some young kids take them to this film you'll all enjoy it.

The Good Stuff (in order of awesomeness)

1. Superb animation and various art styles used. Hits are emphasized well with excellent sound design and voice acting. Good action.

2. Jokes are (mostly) good, made me laugh out loud multiple times.

3. The plot and pacing is pretty good and character development is adequate.

The Bad Stuff (in order of amplitude)

1. Antagonist is not really memorable with vanilla personality and motivation.

2. Film is obviously meant for a young-ish audience and contains some irritating slapstick and bad jokes.

3. 99% of Panda characters are completely forgettable.

Should you watch it: Probably, yes. I can't stress enough how good some of the visuals are.

After the fantastic first movie where Po is a classic hero after being a loser, where the villain has his own story and where the others play a role making Po the character he is, came a second movie with a dark, deep and personal story greatly told, and now we have just an excuse to make Po even more bada** fighting a villain nobody cares for and who came out of nowhere. This makes me sad because it was getting more "mature". But I understand it is a kids movie, so it's still entertaining and pleasant to watch, and I'm pretty sure the kids love this movie.

There's a reason why the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise is one of the most successful of all-time, and I'd like to believe that that reason is because the writers and the creative talents behind it know how to solidly move the story forward, even with the same characters, they know how to make them evolve without losing the charm and the heart that made the first and the second film effective.

In KUNG FU PANDA 3, Master Shifu appoints Po as the new teacher, a responsibility that of course Po is not able to handle, because he feels more comfortable just being the dragon warrior that saves the village whenever they need help. But that's the thing, once you've felt comfortable and you do only what you can, then you close any room for growth. But being a teacher is not Po's only new challenge. We know that it was just a matter of time until Po reconnects with his family, it was teased at the second film's end. Po's long-lost panda father reappears, just as the supernatural villain Kai, from the spirit realm, returns to the mortal world and vows vengeance. Each film has a certain kung fu style or a goal that Po must achieve, and in this one he has to master the Chi while at the same time learning to know what it means to be a panda.

I had concerns at first because "Kung Fu Panda 3" is released this month, and you know that January is a dumping ground for terrible movies. But now I see that this may actually have been a smart move on the studio's part because this is quite possibly the only great film this month, people will turn to "Kung Fu Panda 3" because everything else will disappoint them.

Just like the first and the second film, KUNG FU PANDA 3's animation is sharp and beautiful. The action sequences are fun and entertaining, and there's a little bit of a fish-out-water situation as well because our hero Po is pretty much new to this whole Panda village and they way they do things over there. But what rings true throughout all three films is that it's ultimately about Po's journey to become one with who he is. He accepted his destiny despite people's doubts, he let go of the past and found inner peace, and now he's put to the test once more, his confidence will be tried once more, and so seeing him be the underdog again is why root for Po. And on top of that, KUNG FU PANDA 3 never runs out of ammo to get you to feel emotional and they do it without trying too hard because it's done in a way that serves the story and the characters, the emotional scenes make sense, I often say that "Kung Fu Panda" movies faithfully follow Pixar's manual — the undeniable importance of a well-written story; one that goes straight for the heart and aims to inspire. KUNG FU PANDA 3 is simply awesome! And it's so cool if you think about it, this is an animated family film franchise that gets more and more solid with each installment, and that's rare.