Dreamworks Animation’s ‘Kung Fu Panda’ series has
consistently given us movies with a good (albeit slightly repetitive) plot with
some good messages, and most importantly, great laughs. And ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’
continues in this tradition, delivering yet another fun movie for children and
adults alike.
In this instalment, the adorable dragon warrior hero Po, master
Shifu and the Furious Five have to take on General Kai (J K Simmons), who has
returned from the spirit world after collecting the ‘chi’ of past warriors. But
that’s not the only thing facing Po – he must come to terms with being reunited
with his biological father Li (Bryan Cranston) and trying to learn how to be a
real panda, much to the despair of his adoptive father.
The plot serves up a lot of laughs, and also some touching
moments. The story arc involving the two fathers vying for Po’s affection is
particularly well done. There are not too many negatives to think of here. The
movie continues in the vein of its predecessors and delivers a lot of witty
one-liners and never has a dull moment. The animation is also great as ever,
and the action scenes are especially great. I have to commend the great voice
acting – the addition of actors like Bryan Cranston, J K Simmons and Kate
Hudson to the regulars elevates the movie. Needless to say, the regulars are a
stellar cast. I always felt the exchanges between Jack Black’s Po and Dustin
Hoffman’s Shifu have been special, and this time it’s no different.
If you’re a fan of the 'Kung Fu Panda' series, this one is a worthy
addition. In fact, if you enjoy animated movies in general, you should watch
this. If the makers are going to keep making the series this good consistently,
I can’t wait for more sequels!
