By Shazwan Zulkifli of The Level
DreamWorks proves that they’ve still got it, after delivering another installation of their cheeky and humorous animation series revolving around a Kung Fu fighting panda.
Since the beginning, the franchise has always been about self-discovery – knowing who you really are might lead to who you really want to be. It’s a good form of education cum entertainment for children with low self-esteem, as Po the panda fights his doubts and demons to become the unlikeliest hero, and claim the title of the “Dragon Warrior”.
In KFP3, Po engages in yet another Kung Fu adventure as he accidentally finds the missing piece in his life: his real father (trust me, it’s all in the trailer, so I’m not spoiling this for you).
I particularly liked this angle of the film, as Po struggles to keep his real and foster fathers together while tensions slowly grow between them. In all honesty, children with broken families might be able to relate to this, and the movie can teach them a lot about appreciating their loved ones – no matter who they are or the role that they play in their lives. Parents in the audience also get some surprising food for thought in this movie. Why not set the right example for your own children by not acting like children, and solve things like adults – even when things are already at hell’s gate?
Kai, the villain, may be the typical a**-kicking baddie expected from the franchise – but what DreamWorks does with the character is superb. When Po finally meets his original family, Kai puts a wrench in the joyful reunion and forces the Dragon Warrior to confront him (Kai should really chill out by the way). Seeing Po shift from being comfortable to battle-ready is very satisfying, and makes you feel like you could do the same with the problems in your own life.
Po’s character has significantly evolved through the past two movies, and finds his center in this one. It’s heartwarming to see Po, who never really looked like he belonged in the village in the first movie, slowly became comfortable with his surroundings in the second, and finally gets a dose of what “home” really feels like in the third. Po’s expression when he finally meets his father is priceless, and you’ll see the happy-go-lucky panda in another light when he establishes a relationship with him.
Another reason to be excited about the film is how it is heavily influenced by Chinese culture. I mean, yeah, it is set in China and it’s about pandas, but it is more than just that. DreamWorks put in a great level of attention to detail: from the period outfits to the temple designs and even the animals selected to be part of the film. It definitely feels like there was a lot of love poured into the making of Po’s world.
Overall, KFP3 is a fun ride all the way through, and not just because of its witty jokes, but mostly because of Po’s origin story. It’s refreshing that they waited until the third installment for an origin story, and makes for a great change of pace from most other franchise formulas.
KFP3 features the voice talents of an all star cast: Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, Angeline Jolie, JK Simmons, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and Kate Hudson.
Watch the trailer:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10r9ozshGVE[/youtube]
Kung Fu Panda 3 opens nationwide on Thursday, 10th March.
For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/foxmovies.my/
First published in FMT’s youth portal, www.TheLevel.my