ANIMATION; 1hr 35min
VOICES BY: Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, J.K. Simmons, Angelina Jolie
Mei Mei (left, voiced by Kate Hudson) puts the moves on Po
"You don't even know who you are," diminutive red panda Master Shifu (voiced by Hoffman) informs Dragon Warrior panda Po (Black) after Po bungles his first teaching session with martial-arts ninjas Tigress (Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross). Harsh but true. And a very big deal indeed with diabolical, chi-infused General Kai (J.K. Simmons) back in China from 500 years in spirit limbo, and spoiling, bull in a china shop–style, for trouble. Handily, Po's affable, long-lost panda dad (Cranston) has shown up to teach his son the chi-dispensing ropes he'll need to send Kai packing. With any luck...
This steaming kettle of fish could come off as a tad confronting if it wasn't purpose built for a PG rating. Directors Alessandro Carloni and Jennifer Yuh don't appear to be losing any sleep over crossing the line between bouncily animated and borderline chaotic, but nor do they need to: when it's not flat out getting busy, Kung Fu 3 does primo warm and fuzzy as only pandas can. (Also, there are dumplings.)
