Kung Fu Panda 3
Starring Jack Black, Bryan Cranston
Directed by Alessandro Carloni, Jennifer Yuh
Awesomeness comes in all shapes and sizes as Jack Black's lovable panda goofball Po returns for a third time with much of his charm and verve still intact. Kung Fu Panda 3 has the rare distinction of following a surprisingly effective sequel and manages to maintain all the integrity laid down by the first two beloved films, capping a seriously underrated animated trilogy in fine form.
The movie opens with a breathless action scene introducing new villain Kai (JK Simmons), rendered through gorgeous animation, in a stunning sequence that sees the new nemesis claiming the 'chi' of Po's former mentor in the spirit realm, thus containing him and other masters from across the land in the form of tiny jade figurines. Meanwhile, Po is finally reunited with his real father, an always-game Bryan Cranston, who tells him of a secret panda village that may unlock the mystery to his true origins.
This third installment, though not reinventing the wheel when it comes to plot or villain development, succeeds immensely thanks to impeccably-staged action, consistent character humour, beautiful animation and, just when things wander dangerously close to wackiness, possesses a crafty ability to turn the script poignant and hammer home numerous key themes of family, friendship, destiny, and acceptance that permeate the series. The vocal talents hit the mark even though some notables like Seth Rogen and Jackie Chan's characters don't always have much to do.
Minor issues aside, Kung Fu Panda 3 will enthrall kids and seriously entertain adults.
