Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) Review

Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) Animation

Kung Fu Panda 3 is a 2016 3D American-Chinese computer-animated action comedy martial arts film, produced by DreamWorks Animation and Oriental DreamWorks, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni. The film was written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, produced by Melissa Cobb, and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro. It is a sequel to the 2011 film Kung Fu Panda 2 and the third installment in the Kung Fu Panda franchise. The film features the voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, David Cross, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Kate Hudson, and J.K. Simmons. The film received a limited release in China on January 22 for a special 3 hours peak preview and is scheduled to be released day and date starting from January 28 in South Korea and Russia and on January 29 in the United States and Canada in 3D and premium large formats with other markets scheduled to be released in March and April.

In the Chinese Spirit Realm, Kai (J.K, Simmons), steals Master Oogway's (Randall Duk Kim) chi stolen and becomes determined to steal the chi from the Dragon Warrior too and returns to the mortal world. Meanwhile, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) announces his retirement and passes the role of teacher to Po (Jack Black). Po is elated at first, but discovers that teaching kung fu is not as easy as he expected, as the Furious Five members Master Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Master Crane (David Cross), Master Mantis (Seth Rogen), Master Viper (Lucy Liu), and Master Monkey (Jackie Chan) are injured as a result. When Po is not sure who he really is, Shifu advises Po to be himself.

Po heads to his adoptive father, Mr. Ping's (James Hong) Noodle Store, where a panda named Li Shan (Bryan Cranston) breaks Po's noodle-eating record. The two pandas meet and soon Po learns that Li is his biological father and bonds with him much to Ping's jealousy. After introducing Li to Shifu and his friends, the valley is attacked by green statues controlled by Kai. Po discovers that some of the statues resemble past Kung Fu Masters. The team then learn that Kai was Oogway's old friend who wanted the power of chi and was banished to the spirit realm. To defeat Kai, Po must learn to channel chi himself, which Li offers to him by taking him to the secret panda village. Po, Li and Mr. Ping reach to the village, where Po befriends the villagers and becomes infatuated with a ribbon dancer named Mei-Mei (Kate Hudson). There, Po learns the life of a panda in the village, to which he feels grateful to be a part of.

After learning that many kung fu masters are missing, Shifu sends Crane and Mantis to follow the jade statues that would lead them to Kai. Crane and Mantis meet with Master Bear, Master Croc and Master Chicken to confront Kai, but they are all easily defeated. Kai then arrives to the Jade Palace and destroys it, but not before stealing the chi of Monkey, Viper and Shifu. Tigress escapes to find Po and warns him about Kai. Afraid, Li and the pandas prepare to run away. Po demands Li to teach him chi, to which he responds that he lied so he wouldn't lose his son again. Infuriated, Po leaves and trains to fight Kai alone. Mr. Ping then comforts Li by saying that Po will need them both as fathers.

Tigress confronts Po and tells him he cannot defeat Kai, to which he complies, but Li and the villagers decide to stay and ask Po to train them to fight back. Po agrees and teaches them through their everyday activities as their greatest skills. Kai then arrives to the village and has his minions chase after Po, but are held off by the pandas, distracting Kai. The plan is successful but ultimately fails when Po tries to use the Wuxi finger hold on Kai, to which he replies that it only works on mortals, and he is not. Kai gains the upper hand in their fight, but Po grabs Oogway's chi and uses the Wuxi finger hold, sending them both to the spirit realm. They fight again, but Kai defeats Po and prepares to take away his chi. Upon what they learned from Po and who they are, Li, Tigress, Mr. Ping and the pandas are able to use their chi to save him. Po becomes a true master of chi and defeats Kai. The kung fu masters are freed while in the spirit realm Oogway expresses his happiness to Po through how much he has grown in becoming the Dragon Warrior. By choice, Po returns to the mortal world and is embraced by everyone and they all return to the Jade Palace to continue practicing their chi.