With a comedic twist and an oriental flair, Dreamworks does it again by bringing back the clumsy yet hilarious dragon warrior we all know from 2011 in Kung Fu Panda 3, this time in an attempt to save the world from General Kai.

Intent on the path of revenge, Kai’s mission is to destroy all the distinguished traces Oogway has of himself in the mortal world after Oogway banishes Kai to the Spirit Realm due to his power-hungry nature. Now that he is back, Kai vows to take the chi – life energy – of all the kung-fu masters around China, and especially defeat the Dragon Warrior protecting the mortal world.

This PG-rated movie is good for all audiences. While I worried that I would not have the same appreciation for the series as I did in middle school, time did not change the laughs I had while watching funny scenes. The animation is as great as ever, and nothing less is expected from Dreamworks.

Po: Master Shifu? Good time, bad time?

Shifu: Time is an allusion, there is only the now.

Po: So now is a… good time?”

As much as it is hilarious, Kung Fu Panda 3 is also philosophical. The movie has wonderful transformations of being serious when it needs to be, while also being funny at the right times. Shown through Po’s inner battle of conquering his personal difficulty in teaching, while he plays the sensei, he also teaches himself who he is.

Integrated with quotes from Buddhism and Chinese culture, the movie showcases an inner balance between taking and receiving, especially in Kai’s quest for power. When Master Oogway said the quote, “the more you take, the less you have” directed at Kai, I marveled at the deep meaning and application to world harmony.

Compared to the previous released versions of Kung Fu Panda, I thought that version three was better than the sequel, but it does not beat the original first movie. Even so, it is a great continuation of the plot where Po’s biological family was left concealed to the audience. In the third movie, Po’s real father makes an appearance and the relationship between the two characters develops in this movie.
Overall, Kung Fu Panda 3 is a high-kicking theater hit that is recommended for all ages to see. From the laughs to the universal message, the movie breathed life to me on a Dreamworks level. I hope the movie has a grasp on your heart as much as it did on mine … as long as it isn’t the WuXi finger hold, right?