As with all franchises there is a beginning, middle and end. First, in 2008, we saw Po first learn that that he is the dragon warrior, than three years later we watch as he learns about his past and comes to obtain inner peace. Now, five years later, he must complete his training and become a teacher of his craft.
My main issue with the new film sadly is the casting. I love J.K Simmons and Kate Hudson but I really would have loved to see what Rebel Wilson and Mads Mikkelsen would have brought to the table. Mads was originally set to play the villain Kai. J.K does a perfect job in the role, just nothing compared to Gary Oldman's performance in the previous picture. Same goes with Kate Hudson in the role of Mei Mei, originally to be played by Rebel Wilson. Rebel has this brand of comedic genius just like Mads has a way with playing villains. Sadly, J.K and Kate are just average in their roles, nothing great but as far as Kai goes the supernatural aspect of the character is something new and very interesting as he takes the powers of fighters dead and alive and becomes ever stronger. Bryan Cranston is the breakout star here as his part never got recast. He plays great as the father figure to Jack Black's Po. They play well off each other and there is a sense of fun that the two are having. Bryan also brings gravitas to the role when it comes to parts about loss and forgiveness.
As for the rest of the cast its great to see everyone come back for the final showdown, even Randall Duk Kim as Master Oogway.
With this film it is defiantly a concluding chapter to an amazing trilogy. Po comes to know his real father and learn more about his heritage while also learning to become a teacher. At first he doesn't succeed and whines up humiliating himself. For a time he focuses on becoming one with himself and truly learning who he is. That is when he learns that he must train his father and fellow pandas to add to their strengths, doing what each one does best.
The choreography is fantastic in this film. Very amazingly animated and fun to watch, adding the supernatural element to the film really gave the final chapter some new stuff to work through and create some very interesting fights and battles as the climactic final battle between Kai and Po is profoundly epic in both its fighting style and visual flare.
Casting miss-haps aside Kung Fu Panda 3 gives a terrific conclusion to Po's journey and is a fun fond farewell to a cast of characters we have come to love so much.
Rated: A-
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