Sit Down with the Kung Fu Panda 3 Cast

Watching Po in this movie is like watching myself because of his endless enthusiasm and passion for life which is just like me! The other pandas teach Po to roll down a hill. So Po and Li set off for the secret panda village for chi, and panda, lessons.

The fate of everyone and everything he holds dear ultimately rests in Po’s paws, and he must find a way to defeat Kai using his special skills. Po must channel his inner chi and confidence to stop Kai. With Kai threatening both the Valley and the village, our panda has to rally everyone he has. Finding himself among his kind for the first time, Po’s first reaction is untrammeled joy as he goes around to the villagers saying, “You look like me, but you’re a baby!” To no one’s surprise, Po beats Kai, just as no one was surprised when Goku beat the resurrected Frieza in the recent Dragon Ball Z movie. There are some scattered laughs amid all the action – due in large part to Black’s infectious enthusiasm – yet Po’s emotional journey of family bonding and self-discovery seems like a formulaic time-waster in preparation for the obligatory final showdown.

Cue Po, back in the real world.

Luckily, Po feels totally confident and up to the task. NOT!

Their scene of first recognition as father and son – and Mr. Ping’s reaction – is wonderful, igniting a paternal competition that evolves into something admirable. “And I think that’s why kids love it so much”. Literally. Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen and crew spend most of the film ossified, and it’s possible Angelina Jolie actually phoned in her meager lines as Tigress. Bryan Cranston, J.K. Simmons, and Kate Hudson provide welcome additions to this already-strong cast. Become what makes you, you, and the rest is cake.

Although the film succeeds on many levels, it falls short on others.

The film finishes strong with a fun “Magnificent Seven”-style ending, that once again leaves no loose ends”. Shifu, for instance, tells Po, “If you only do what you can do, you will never be more than you are now”. “He’s close in terms of the insecurity he grew up with, and the physical appearance that doesn’t necessarily lend itself to the career you dream about – aside from the fact that his performances are awesome, his human, personal story has been a source of material for us”.

Film CriticAbigail Zoe L.Courtesy of KIDS FIRST!

If you’ve seen any of the “Kung Fu Panda” movies, nothing in “Kung Fu Panda 3” will come as a surprise. In a phone conversation from Los Angeles on Monday, Aibel and Berger said the four years of production it takes to complete an animated feature is vital in establishing the film’s heart. I recommend this movie for all ages and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Kung Fu Panda 3 has some larky action sequences and a generally chipper air, but it’s waaaaay too talky and overcomplicated – all that endless chi chat – which doesn’t mask a weak story.