I’ll admit it. I didn’t see DreamWorks’ Kung Fu Panda or Kung Fu Panda 2. My eight year old daughter Addison, however, saw both of the films, and when I asked her if she wanted to join me to see Kung Fu Panda 3, she cheered, “Yes!” as she threw her fists in the air victoriously. My husband Mike, who’s been looking forward to the release of the third movie along with Addison, asked if he could join us, and we made it a family date.
I was a little apprehensive when I stepped foot into the theater, worrying that I would be hopelessly lost as I followed the adventures of Po, the adorable martial arts panda, brought to life by the hysterical Jack Black. Would I have a clue as to what was going on since I missed the first two films of this animated trilogy, or would I be annoyed that I had to shut off my iPhone in the theater, and couldn’t even watch each minute pass until it was over? (Come on, parents, you know you’ve had those same thoughts.)
I was pleasantly surprised by the action film, which brought with it lots of humor as well as a few emotional scenes. Po, who is continuing his journey, both spiritual and physical, is on a quest to fulfill his role as the Dragon Warrior. Po doesn’t think he has what it takes to teach others kung fu, and doesn’t believe he has found his chi, the Chinese word to describe the natural energy of the Universe.
Po, along with his “Furious Five” companions Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu), Mantis (Seth Rogen), and Crane (David Cross), find themselves facing a new enemy, an immortal from the “Spirit World.” The new enemy, known as Kai (J.K. Simmons), is intimidating without being scary. No need to worry about your kids having nightmares. Addison flinched once or twice, and a few times I noticed she had her hands perched on her cheeks ready to cover her eyes if necessary, but it never came to that.
While the movie wasn’t scary, some children may get a little teary at times. Addison never cried, but I noticed her eyes glistened at certain points, and she leaned in a little closer to me. As a parent though, aren’t those moments why we like to take our kids to the movie theater, to laugh with them, cry with them, and share the yin and the yang of the movie going experience?
The movie also introduces the theme of blended families, and how there’s no such thing as having too many people who love you. Bryan Cranston sheds his Walter White persona from the hit serious Breaking Bad to voice the larger than life Li, someone Po bonds with immediately. Li and Po’s father, a goose named Mr. Ping (James Hong), find themselves in a delicate balance as they both yearn to play a pivotal role in Po’s life.
Unlike a lot of animated children’s movies, there was no offensive “potty humor”, nothing that would make Mike and I cringe if Addison quoted any of the lines in public. In fact it was quite the contrary. Many of the movie lines were just the opposite, thoughtful Confucian referenced lines with a positive message. A few times I caught myself thinking, “Man, that’s a good quote! That would be great to hang on my refrigerator or put in a scrapbook.”
The animation is exceptional. Remember the ballroom scene in Beauty and the Beast when audiences forgot for a second that they were watching an animated film? Viewers of Kung Fu Panda 3 will experience that same feeling except they will find themselves in the mountains of China. The accompanying music, with the exception of the last song (no spoilers), brings the scenery to life, making viewers feel that they are in China themselves.
For those of you who watched the YouTube video of the panda named Tain Tain enjoying the snowfall at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. last week, you will find yourselves smiling as you watch Po and his panda friends roll down hills. It is evident that the animators of Kung Fu Panda 3 definitely spent some time observing real pandas because Po’s moves were just like Tain Tain’s!
After the film was over, Addison said, “It was really exciting and joyful. Just a warning! It was a little sad.” When asked if she would recommend the movie to other kids, Addison said yes, and even tried to encourage us to take her again! She added, “I hope they make a fourth one!” If they do, I would definitely want to take her. The only bad thing I can say about the movie as a mom is that I have a feeling I’m going to be hearing my daughter quoting the movie all weekend long saying, “Chitty-chitty-chat-chat!” To that, I will answer her with just one word, “Skadoosh!”
Starring: Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, J.K. Simmons, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Kate Hudson, James Hong, and Randall Duk Kim
Run Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Rated: PG
See movie showtimes here.
