Kung Fu Panda 3, 2016.
Directed by Jennifer Yuh and Alessandro Carloni.
Featuring the voice talents of Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, J.K. Simmons, Seth Rogan, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu and Kate Hudson.
SYNOPSIS:
Cuddly kung fu fighting panda Po has reached the heights of Dragon Warrior and is responsible for protecting his valley in ancient China. But when his long-lost father Li comes back into his life, the two go on a trek to the secret panda village where Li lives. At the same time, supernatural villain Kai is rampaging across the country, stealing the chi belonging to every kung fu master. His ultimate target is Po, so the panda village is under threat and Po has to summon all his powers to protect it.
Sequels, sequels and yet more sequels. At the latest count, there’s over 160 of them currently in the works, which places a sizeable question mark very firmly over Hollywood’s creativity. To get us into training, this month has at least six of them – not just bog standard follow ups, but third instalments as well. And Kung Fu Panda 3 does what it says on the tin.
Without a book series to provide a ready-made plot, a third episode is a big ask for directors Jennifer Yuh and Alessandro Carloni – Carloni is a new addition to the team this time round. Indeed, it places demands on any director because “more of the same” isn’t really an option by the time part three comes along. So if the plot synopsis above sounds a touch disjointed, that’s because it’s where the strain shows. Some of it fits together fine, but other parts just don’t: that panda village, for instance, is little more than a device to introduce lots more cuddly pandas into the story, alongside more jokes – verbal and visual – about overeating and being rotund.
In fact, the film as a whole has limitations. Don’t get me wrong: it’s enjoyable, fun and eminently likeable. But it’s also as substantial as the flower petals tickling Master Oogway’s (Randall Duk Kim) nose as he meditates. Some of those limitations are because it’s a family film with a 12A certificate: the kung fu has to be on the gentle side and the jokes don’t get any stronger than the occasional risqué reference to dumplings. It makes use of Jack Black’s own comedic style to conjure up some laughs – his “chitty chitty chat chat!” in the face of the threatening Kai is perhaps the best – but doesn’t do it often enough.
Alongside Black, there’s a list of stellar names providing the voices and, once again, there’s the distinct sense they’re being under-used. If you hadn’t seen the cast list, you’d be hard pressed to recognise them. Dustin Hoffman and Seth Rogan both have distinctive voices, but you’d never know it. Angelina Jolie and Bryan Cranston don’t and you can happily go through the entire film without realising you’re listening to them. Only J.K. Simmons is just about recognisable as the voice of Kai. And, against the actor’s Oscar winning role, he’s not an especially menacing villain. He’s also undermined by a neat running gag about nobody knowing who he is: yet everybody knows about his former friend Oogway, which really gets up his sizeable nostrils.
On the plus side, there’s another reminder – as if we need one – that we’re living in the Golden Age Of Animation. The bulk of the film is bold and colourful but with enough subtlety to make you feel you could run your fingers through Po’s glossy coat. But the way in which some of the back stories are depicted is something altogether different, re-creating the watercolour style of traditional Chinese art, complete with calligraphy on one side of the screen. The gentle brush work and colour washes refresh the visual palate very nicely.
By the time the credits roll, you feel you’ve had a pleasantly amusing and entertaining 90 minutes. And, with no hint that there’s more to come from Po, it seems this is where the series ends. But apparently not. Word is there’s three more to come, although no dates have been officially announced. Kung Fu Panda 3 will make a fun family outing over the Easter holiday, but does it really have enough in the tank for another three episodes? On this showing, I’m not convinced.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Freda Cooper
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Originally published March 8, 2016. Updated April 14, 2018.
