Jack Black is back as Po who is both panda and, more importantly Dragon Master. Po faces his toughest foe yet as Kai has returned from the spirit realm to take the chi of all the kung fu masters. Not only that, but Po's biological father who he thought was lost forever has shown up all of a sudden. Throughout the movie there are some elements of extreme predictability but that's about the only thing that really detracted from the movie for me.
Everything else was great, about what you would expect from the Kung Fu Panda series. The world itself is so creative, but at the same time doesn't feel out of place. After all, if there's a panda that knows martial arts, why not a praying mantis? Or a master chicken? Side Note: Master Chicken? Hilarious...As a viewer, you buy into the quirkiness but it never stops being funny. In this third installment, there are so many little touches it took me watching the movie twice to notice.
The movie is hilarious from start to finish and it all starts with our star Jack Black. His rendition of an awestruck, innocent panda that just wants to find his place in the world is spot on. He is the engine that has kept this franchise moving in the right direction and he helps bring it to a close quite nicely. While the voice-acting is stellar, the action never disappoints either. I'm a big fan of martial arts films when they are done well. Yes, this movie is animated, but I'm willing to bet a great deal of research went into fighting styles and how to capture them just right. Fighting + Funny = Job Well Done.
The thing this series has done better than everything is leave the audience with a positive message. Kung Fu Panda 3 is no exception. One quote for me in particular stands out: "If you only do what you can do, then you'll never be more than what you are right now." These films are not just kiddie cash grabbers. In large part, I feel they are meant to inspire and promote self-confidence. Kung Fu Panda is one of my favorite trilogies of all time with the third being the best installment. I give it a well-deserved 98.
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