We couldn’t picture Po being voiced by anyone other than Jack Black, and most filmmakers know that at least the main character has to be voiced by the same actor for each movie. One of the big reasons for Dreamworks’ success with the Kung Fu Panda franchise is that it has kept the same cast for each film, and the original voice cast was so stacked that it’s hard to believe the entire cast - many of which are A-list stars - would want to sign on for an animated movie’s sequel (which, typically tend to be lackluster and sometimes even end up going straight to video).
CAST KUNG FU PANDA 3 MOVIE
And, aside from Toy Story 3, it’s the best third movie in an animated trilogy of all-time.īut what did the third film in the trilogy do specifically to win over our hearts, and what made Po’s latest outing so special? Here are five things we think other potential animated trilogies could learn from the movie: Don’t Change the Cast From The Original Film In fact, I couldn’t have asked for a better third film in the series.
Instead, my skepticism came from the fact that there had only been one animated trilogy before it, and in the back of my mind, I was wondering if Jack Black could be funny as a fat panda for a third time around.Īnd, almost unbelievably, Kung Fu Panda 3 (and Jack Black) far exceeded my expectations.
CAST KUNG FU PANDA 3 SERIES
Offering plenty to sink your teeth into in terms of story, visuals and characters, the series has returned with yet another highly-enjoyable addition and although, a small dose of sameness has managed to sneak its way into the mix this time, there is still plenty of heart and humour to keep things ticking along nicely and keep this super-successful animated-series alive.I’ll start by saying that I had extremely low expectations going into Kung Fu Panda 3 - not because I had little faith in the cast or because I didn’t think DreamWorks could handle it. On the downside, however, there are bits in the film that feel a little repetitive and redundant, while some of the characters, including J.K Simmons’ not-so-villainous Kai, don’t feel as developed or as utilised as perhaps they should have been while Jack Black’s Po – as well as Cranston’s endearing turn as Po’s loving father – is as usual, the heart and soul, of the movie. Although a little slow in the middle, the action-scenes, amplified with Hans Zimmer’s fetching musical score, are thoroughly engaging too. More importantly, however, is that the story, which once again highlights the importance of ‘being yourself’, is involving. Stylish, colourful and, at times, genuinely engaging, the animation work is absolutely stunning this time round and everything from character designs to the gorgeous environments is realised in a lavish treatment of creativity, vision and style. However, nothing could have prepared him for the unexpected arrival of Li (Cranston) his biological father who has come to find his son and take him back to a secret panda sanctuary.Īdding to the list of challenges-to-overcome, the reappearance of the villainous Kai (Simmons) a hulking monster who has re-emerged after centuries of banishment in order to take control of China by stealing the chi from all the great martial arts warriors. That’s when Po asks help from the Furious Five – Tigress (Jolie), Mantis (Rogen), Viper (Liu), Monkey (Chan) and Crane (Cross) – to keep him in check.
Arriving five years after the release of Kung Fu Panda 2 – apparently the longest wait for a Dreamworks animated sequel to date – the third instalment in the beloved Kung Fu Panda franchise is as amusing and charming as ever.ĭirected by Alessandro Carloni and Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Kung Fu Panda 3 once again picks up with everyone’s favourite martial-arts-loving panda, Po (Black), who, after saving the world from the hands of the evil Tai Lung and Lord Shen in the previous film, is now facing a couple of his biggest challenges yet.įirst and foremost, Master Shifu (Hoffman) – who is eager to show Po the mystical ways of chi and see him fulfil his Dragon Warrior destiny – decides to go on a spiritual quest, leaving Po in charge of the Valley of the Peace, unsure whether he’s got the skills to stand up to the new responsibility.