'Kung Fu Panda 3' Movie review

Hello, fellow moviegoers!
   Each generation has their own individual kids’ movies that they grow up loving. These films hold a special place in the hearts of those kids. Some great examples from my generation are; Shrek, The Lion King, Toy Story, and The Incredibles. Obviously, only time will tell, but I have a feeling that Kung Fu Panda is going to be one of those series for this generation of kids.
   Kung Fu Panda 3 is the latest film in the Kung Fu Panda series. It features the voices of stars Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Angelina Jolie, J.K. Simmons, Seth Rogen, and Jackie Chan. The plot of this film centers around the panda Po being reunited with his father after a lifetime apart. However, this reunion is cut short when the evil Kai returns from the Spirit Realm to wreak havoc amongst all of China. This series as a whole is very quickly becoming a fan favorite. So, is Kung Fu Panda 3 really worth your time?

   I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Kung Fu Panda 3. Based on the trailers I believed that it would be another decent kids’ movie that would join the likes of Cars 2, Turbo, or any of the Ice Age sequels. I never expected to walk out of the theater having loved Kung Fu Panda 3.
   Let’s start by talking about the amazing voice cast. Jack Black was great as the voice of Po. I feel like Jack Black is the perfect guy to voice anything really because you can tell he has fun with it. This film brings in the voices of Bryan Cranston and J.K. Simmons to this franchise, and both of them were perfectly cast in their respective roles. In fact, I didn’t even know J.K. Simmons was the voice of the villain Kai. I actually felt the need to wait for the credits to see who that voice-actor was. So job well done Mr. Simmons. All of the other voices in the film were good, but none of them really stood out.
  The story was a very good one for a movie like this. Choosing to bring in Po’s father in this movie was a great idea. It added more depth to the character. The villain of Kai was menacing, but not too scary for the kids. Also, this film has a fantastic message in it. Kids will be able to watch this movie and actually start to pick up on some lessons they will need to know as they grow older.
   The animation in the film was beautiful. The attention to detail on Dreamworks' part was very well done. The fur/feathers/scales on all of the animals in this film were very impressive. It was nice to see Dreamworks put that much effort into it, rather than taking the easy road and just having solid colors. Also, the animations used for the training montages were perfect. They were clean and crisp, yet they seemed as if you were actually reading a scroll at times. 
   While watching the film, I noticed that the music was abnormally good for this kind of film. With a little bit of research, I discovered that Hans Zimmer did the score. The music throughout the whole film was very good, but the theme for Kai was what really stood out. Hans Zimmer is one of the greats out there right now, and practically everything he produces is wonderful. Kung Fu Panda 3 is no exception to that.
   The humor in the film was pretty good overall. A majority of the jokes hit as well as they are supposed to; however, the film does rely on toilet humor at times. While you could come to expect that with a kids’ film, I noticed that those jokes were the least funny of the film.
   Is this an amazing animated film on the level of Toy Story 3? No, but it doesn’t need to be. Kung Fu Panda 3 is a fun family film that everybody can enjoy. It has a fantastic voice cast, it has a very good message for kids, and it’s overall just a really good, enjoyable film. Going into this weekend, I would have never expected to enjoy Kung Fu Panda 3 more than The Finest Hours.
8.5/10

  So what are your thoughts on the Kung Fu Panda franchise? Did you enjoy this new installment? Let me know by commenting on this post! Also, if you enjoyed this review, share it on Facebook and Twitter. It really helps! Don’t forget, I post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so check back then for more movie reviews and miscellaneous movie thoughts!
 
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