“Kung Fu Panda 3” is the latest movie from DreamWorks and the second sequel in the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise. The plot centers around Po, (Jack Black) who finally meets his biological father after 20 years.
After they reunite, Po is taken to a village where there are many other pandas and most of his other family members get to know who he is. As this is going on, a villain named Kai (J.K. Simmons) wants to defeat all of the other kung fu masters and wants all of their power for himself. Po then has to train the other pandas and create an army for the ultimate battle.
As someone who has loved “Kung Fu Panda” and “Kung Fu Panda 2,” I was optimistic that “Kung Fu Panda 3” would follow in their footsteps and continue to expand the story in a great way.
I am really glad to report that “Kung Fu Panda 3” is one of Dreamsworks’ best movies. “Kung Fu Panda 3” has a great story arc and we learn more about Po and his back story. In addition, the new characters are lovable and not once did I ever feel that there were too many characters. At the same time, the animation is absolutely stellar and beautiful to look at.
One of the many things that I have loved about this franchise is the way in which the movies developed the villains. With the villains, you understand why they are doing what they think is right. Kai was a great villain who was very menacing and he was an actual threat to the protagonist, which leads to another aspect that I absolutely love about this franchise: the way the action sequences are directed.
The action sequences are always fun to look at and are at their best in this movie. Like the other two, “Kung Fu Panda 3” has a lot of heart and it’s a cartoon that appeals to both adults and children.
Overall, “Kung Fu Panda 3” is a movie that I highly recommend, especially if you love the other two movies in the franchise. I honestly hope that this franchise will remain a trilogy, because right now, it is perfectly fine the way it is.
Even though it is only February, it is safe to say that we have our first great movie of 2016.
