REVIEW: Kung Fu Panda 3 delivers a fun and visually pleasing third installment in the Kung Fu Panda series.
By Franklin Racobs, Staff Writer
Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni, Kung Fu Panda 3 tells the story of Po (Jack Black) meeting his biological father Li (Bryan Cranston) and making the transition from student to teacher in order to transform pandas into kung fu fighters.
Kung Fu Panda 3 has the difficult task of following two well-executed animated features. It is able to recreate the success of the previous films yet adds more to the formula. The return of the cast from the first two movies is part of what makes this movie work so well. Bringing back the comedic chops of the immensely talented Jack Black was the first and most important step. Not only did the filmmakers keep the roster they had, but they also added Bryan Cranston and recent Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons as the villain Kai.
Hans Zimmer crafted an excellent score for the film which perfectly complemented the impressive scenery. The theme song for the villain Kai was definitely the standout track for the movie and sounded just as epic as Zimmer’s work in films like The Dark Knight and Interstellar.
The overall plot to Kung Fu Panda 3 is very familiar, but as an animated feature for children, originality isn’t needed. Similar to the previous installments, Kung Fu Panda 3 brings about many different themes from which people of all ages can learn and to which they can relate. Whether it’s finding your true identity or forgiving loved ones for their past and present mistakes, this movie is filled with ample emotion and valuable lessons. Kung Fu Panda 3 smartly uses humor to keep the lessons and messages light and funny, avoiding the sermon feeling.
Kung Fu Panda 3 introduced us to more of Po’s background and family roots. This decision increased the movie’s charm emphasized by all of the fluffy and cute panda bears on screen at once. If this entry serves as the final one, it would be the perfect place to end things considering we’ve completed Po’s arc by seeing him evolve from the student to the teacher, and in turn, he has provided more than a few laughs and lessons.