Rating: B
For whatever reason the original Kung Fu Panda was quite an obsession for me.
When it was released in 2008 one of my Mum’s friends had lent us some illegal copies of new release films to cure our boredom over weekends. When I saw Kung Fu Panda for the first time, something resonated and stuck with me and I began to watch it religiously every week, even receiving two DVD copies from my friends for my 15th birthday because I wouldn’t shut up about this goddamn panda voiced by Jack Black. When the second film rolled around in 2011, I was equally as excited - and it delivered. While it wasn’t as much of an obsession, it was still a great film and I can vividly remember my excitement and enthusiasm for its success. So now that the third one has been released five years later, what does it possibly have to offer other than following the rule of threes and trilogies (Shrek, Ice Age, Madagascar and soon to be How To Train Your Dragon) and for Dreamworks to make as much money as possible?
This film follows Po and his journey to unlocking chi, as well as connecting with his biological Father while his adoptive father readjusts his relationship within the dynamic. The story was slightly disappointing, following a typical “I’m the chosen one” hero’s journey against a villain with no real relevance to Po himself. I don’t want to say I didn’t enjoy it as much because I’m older than I was when watching the first film because that’s dumb. “Family” films are one my favourite genres because of their relentless pushing of boundaries and challenging narratives to tell younger audiences, while weaving in complex and mature ideas. Plus animation is great. This is where Kung Fu Panda 3 fell flat, as its overarching story was not on par with its predecessors.
The area that Kung Fu Panda 3 really impressed me was the animation and art style. The animation and blend of still backgrounds and 3D animation is breathtaking. Possibly the most beautifully crafted 3D animated film I have seen in a long time, rivalling Pixar in its calibre of variation and seamless transitioning. Nothing ever felt out of place or over the top, each scene was crafted perfectly to create a constantly changing atmosphere without compromising any of the core art style of the film.