Additionally, although “Kung Fu Panda 3” excited many fans with the hope that Po would meet his father and return home, it is disappointing that this reunification comes at the cost of Master Shifu and the Furious Five’s screen time.
Advertisement
The answer to that question is probably not; however, as far as midwinter distractions go, “Kung Fu Panda 3” is a pretty fun one. Disney is the parent company of ABC7. Berger said he and Aibel weren’t counting on any number; in fact, the Emmy-winning “King of the Hill” writers were just happy to have the opportunity to write the first “Kung Fu Panda” movie in the first place. But Po and his fellow pandas and pals must undergo their share of mental and physical training (cue the montages!) before facing off against their power-mad enemy and his minions.
At a brisk 90 minutes (counting end credits), Kung Fu Panda doesn’t linger too long on any of these plot threads.
Boasting ample doses of heart and wit, along with surprisingly striking visuals, “Kung Fu Panda 3” smashes through the January doldrums at the movie theater with the force of a warrior’s fist through a wooden board.
By contrast, Bryan Cranston dials up the dulcet tones to play Po’s returned papa Li, who convinces Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) that he can teach Po the ancient art of chi necessary to defeat Kai.
The first two chapters of DreamWorks Animation’s critically-acclaimed Kung Fu Panda franchise opened in 2008 and 2011.
The only panda more “aw-worthy” than Po (Jack Black), is the National Zoo’s Tian Tian rolling in the snow. Not only did it capture the action and humor of the first movie, but it built on the mythos and told a new and exciting story.
The previous installments of the Kung Fu Panda series came out in the summer, but Kung Fu Panda 3 is timed to Chinese New Year, which lands next week.
Cranston’s Li also gives the secret weapon of the franchise more to do – the great James Hong – who once again reprises his role as Po’s adopted father, Mr. Ping.
But thankfully our Fab 5 is back and as underutilized as ever: Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Crane (David Cross). Po takes on the task of being a leader in the panda village in order to find the qualities he needs to become the ultimate Dragon Warrior master. From the stunning gravity-defying battle sequences in the Spirit Realm to the lovely landscapes of the idyllic panda village, it’s the rare animated movie worth seeing in 3-D.
The actress, who admitted the panda’s coat is actually “quite rough”, also admitted to trying to convince facility bosses to name the four-month-old animal after her own son, Bingham. The original Panda was arguably their most satisfying feature until the How to Train Your Dragon films appeared.
Advertisement
The biggest thing that makes these films so enjoyable is their constant themes of family, identity, purpose, and friendship.
