Kung Fu Panda 3: Po Faces Demons and Brings the Skidoosh

There’s a lot to admire about Dreamworks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda film series, from the stunning depth of its visual design to the whimsy of its animal-populated mythic China setting. What truly sets the franchise apart, even from the studio’s other efforts, is its diligent refusal to parody martial arts conventions. The Panda features can often by broadly silly, but they are fundamentally kung fu films, and hence they keep thrilling wuxia action at the forefront.

Kung Fu Panda 3 revisits the same proximate conflict as its forebears: A malevolent warlord is wreaking havoc and only Po (Jack Black), rotund panda and prophesized Dragon Warrior, can stop him. Like the second film, however, KFP3 does a gratifying job of changing the stakes and motivations to create a fresh chapter in Po’s tale. This outing’s villain is the embittered ox Kai (J.K. Simmons), who centuries ago fought alongside the tortoise warrior-sage Oogway from KFP1. Clawing his way back from the spirit world, Kai sets out to reestablish his long-forgotten reign and destroy Oogway’s legacy. This coincides with the appearance of Po’s long-lost natural father Li (Bryan Cranston), who entrances his son with talk of a hidden panda Shangri-La, much to the consternation of adopted dad Ping (James Hong).

Co-directors Alessandro Carloni and Jennifer Yuh don’t monkey with the KFP formula: exaggerated martial arts brawls that make robust use of animation’s potential; goofy slapstick centered on Po’s corpulence and abiding adolescent outlook; and the gorgeous realization of the series’ fantastical world. As always, the recipe produces a modest but charming family film, featuring just enough visual lavishness to excite an adult art, history, or mythology geek. The third film’s spritzes of humane philosophy—its advocacy of Taoist balance and Buddhist universal love—are merely the fuzzy trimmings to the series’ dependable strengths.

Kung Fu Panda 3 opens Friday, January 29 in wide release.