My Lion King Forum

The first kfp film was the first Dreamworks movie I genuinely liked. Paying a lot of respect to eastern philosophy and martial arts, the film boasted a likeable cast and some really impressive action scenes. I loved the plot in spite of it being loaded with overused martial arts film tropes. It managed to make me like Jack Black.

Then the sequel came out and...I liked it more than the original. It was darker, funnier, had (arguably) better action and a villain who wasn't a retread of tai lung. It had strong continuity from the first, which is greatly appreciated.

Then there was the tv series. It was ok but it messed with continuity too often. And it was pretty insulting towards master tigress, often making...somewhat offensive jokes at her expense.

Then the third movie came and went with a whimper. I liked the soundtrack, and how master tigress got some subtle character development. Gone is the ice queen from the first, and she seems...happy. When she hugs po, neither are surprised.

My favorite moment in the franchise is when Po learns of what happened to his village in kfp2.

Oh yeah any member of the furious five that isn't Tigress is fairly insignificant to the overall plot.

I really liked the first two Kung Fu Panda films. The first film had the standard tropes of the hero's journey narrative and almost the same story as Beverly Hills Ninja, but it's really the characters that made the film. Because of Jack Black's enthusiasm in the role, Po reached a chord with somebody like me. He can be clumsy, funny, and carry warmth inside. Having a great villain like Tai Lang really elevated the film. He's established to be a compelling threat and he lives up to it in the climax. The Furious Five were okay; it's only Master Tigress who stands out among them. The character animation was fluid and they really captured the aesthetics of martial arts. The art direction continues to impress. Hans Zimmer's musical score was pretty good at capturing the sound and spirituality of China.

As for Kung Fu Panda 2, at first, I thought it was weaker than the first film, but in subsequent viewings, it is certainly better than its predecessor. I was shocked by how dark and dramatic this film was, and it really help established the mood of the story and give Po more reason to defeat Lord Shen. I love how much it connected and cohered with the first film giving both films a strong sense of continuity. Speaking of Shen, who would think a peacock would make for a sinister character? His animation was a highlight, and Gary Oldman carries strong menace in his vocal chords. The Furious Five had more involvement in the action, which in itself was compelling to watch.

I liked Kung Fu Panda 3, but it's the weakest of the trilogy. Po's character arc was recycled from the first two films in which he has to discover himself yet again. Kai, our new villain, had an awesome set-up to become a memorable villain, but he fell incredibly short of high standards because he becomes the butt of a running joke due to that no one knows who he is. If you want a villain for the audience to feel fear towards, that is not how you write a villain. The comedy felt very forced in the film; the film couldn't allow itself to have some serious drama. Nevertheless, Po's showdown with Kai was incredibly stunning and the art direction throughout the film was fantastic. I did like the subplot between Ling and Mr. Ping.

I really like Kung Fu Panda and I have to say it's a tie for me between 2 and 3 on which is the best of the series. I like the idea of a "ghost" warrior if you want to put it that way in movie three and Po getting to spend time with his panda dad bur realizing it's okay to have two dads. Tigress has developed nicely and is one of my favorite characters besides Mantis who's just hysterical. Jack Black is good as Po and funny.