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- Kung Fu Panda 4
- Universal Pictures
The Best 'Kung Fu Panda' Movies That Have Us Screaming, 'Skadoosh!'
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Vote up the Kung Fu Panda movies that kick some serious butt.
A panda named Po who's a martial arts master has won the hearts of animation fans as he's grown and matured from klutzy kicker to Dragon Warrior over four big-screen films. Each film in DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda franchise builds on its predecessors, while also maintaining its own separate identity, with new characters - including memorable villains - and adventures for Po to take on in the Valley of Peace.
Kung Fu Panda is one of the most beloved animated film franchises, and has maintained its charms for the better part of two decades.
- 19 VOTES
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Release Date: 2011
Po’s Journey: The second installment in the franchise covers a lot of territory. Not only do Po and the Furious Five have to contend with the nefarious peacock villain Lord Shen, but Po also has to face revelations about his past. The overriding issue is Po’s inability to achieve inner peace, and it’s only when he does so that he defeats his enemy.
Pros:
- The villain here is even more terrifying and ruthless than in the first film. Lord Shen is the type of baddy who’ll let nothing stand in the way of his ambitions, and he even goes so far as to use his cannon to destroy some of his own men.
- The supporting villain, the simply titled Wolf Boss, is a hoot, particularly because he’s voiced by Danny McBride, who has made his career out of playing characters who are intense, but not particularly bright.
- The truth about Po’s parentage was hovering outside the frame in the first film, so it’s cool to finally see what happened to his parents, even if it does seem to have been a gut-wrenching tragedy.
- Lord Shen’s fighting style is a visual delight, with an almost balletic gracefulness that takes full advantage of the type of visual beauty only animation can create.
Cons:
- The genocide of the pandas is pretty heavy stuff for a kids' movie, even though it isn’t shown in graphic detail.
- Lord Shen’s death is a bit anticlimactic because he ends up being crushed by his own ineptitude with a spear.
- This entry in the series is crowded with many new voices. Although it’s fun to see a name like Jean-Claude Van Damme in the credits, this movie, like the first one, doesn’t make much use of its supporting cast.
- The revelation that Po’s biological father may be still alive is not surprising, and it’s also a frustratingly transparent setup for the next film in the franchise.
Scene That Kicks The Most Butt: The best scene is where Po uses his newfound inner peace to deflect Shen’s cannons and send his own weapon against him. Watching the look on the villainous peacock’s face as he realizes his doom is headed right toward him is more than worth the price of admission. Given how much the viewer has been led to identify with Po and his spiritual journey - and knowing just how much damage and destruction Shen has wrought - it’s priceless to watch it all blow up around him.
Critic Reviews: As with the first film, critics were fond of the sequel. Roger Ebert had many positive things to say, and particularly liked the extent to which Kung Fu Panda 2 elaborated on the first movie while also standing on its own. Deborah Ross of The Spectator, on the other hand, was less impressed, critical of the lack of personality in either the film or its many characters.
- 232 VOTES
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Release Date: 2008
Po’s Journey: This is where it all began, with Po discovering he is the Dragon Warrior and setting out on his journey to defeat the villainous snow leopard Tai Lung. He makes a number of friends and allies, particularly the formidable warriors known as the Furious Five, and along the way learns many lessons about himself and martial arts. It all leads up to the climactic battle between Po and Tai Lung, from which the seemingly inept panda emerges triumphant.
Pros:
- This film establishes the various characters and universe, immersing the viewer in a China populated by animals rather than people.
- The villain is one of the best in the saga. Tai Lung is not just merciless and brutal; he is also masterfully voiced by Ian McShane, who is as talented in the animated realm as he is in the live-action one.
- The film's earnestness is refreshing. Audiences are led to care about and love these characters and their struggles.
- Jack Black. The man is a comedic machine, and though he knows how to be silly - both in animated and live-action form - he makes Po into someone with a heart. He’s goofy, obviously, but also a great character who asks the audience to identify with him.
Cons:
- The story is, unfortunately, somewhat basic. The story doesn’t take too many risks, and the ending is predictable.
- A few times throughout the movie, the action can be a bit too slapstick, which makes the plot hard to follow and lessens the film's dramatic impact.
- Although Po is a great character with his own inner journey, the same can't be said for some of the supporting characters, who tend to be thinly drawn and, sadly, rather forgettable.
- Kung Fu Panda has a message about self-empowerment and discovering one’s inner strength. While this is laudable, it’s also been done before, and the film could have been braver in its moral messaging.
Scene That Kicks The Most Butt: The showdown between Po and Tai Lung is the centerpiece of the movie. The animation is flawlessly done, popping with color, movement, and delight. It's satisfying to see Po finally get the chance to face down the movie’s big bad and succeed. Tai Lung being banished to the Spirit Realm is the perfect send-off for a villain who has already done a great deal of damage.
Critic Reviews: This film was met with a great deal of praise. Richard Corliss of Time, for example, though it was one of the better animated films of the decade, directing particular praise at its sweet story. Tom Charity of CNN, however, was more critical, noting the extent to which Po was too much like many of Jack Black’s other on-screen creations.
- 312 VOTES
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Release Date: 2016
Po’s Journey: Po has to fend off a new threat as he also grapples with the truth about his past. In the third installment, he meets his biological father - briefly introduced at the end of the second film - and, after taking over for Master Shifu, battles the new villain, General Kai. As he learns how to use chi to fight back against Kai and his nefarious designs, he masters both chi and kung fu.
Pros:
- J.K. Simmons is the bomb whenever he appears in a movie, and Kung Fu Panda 3 is no exception. He has a knack for capturing just the right vocal cadences to portray a villain like General Kai.
- The film is simply beautiful to look at, and signals a creative team that feels more sure of itself and willing to create a movie that is grand in every sense.
- The rift between Po and both of his fathers gives this entry more emotional ballast than its predecessors, marking a franchise that is finally finding its footing when it comes to the characters’ inner lives.
- The “Jombies” make for great secondary villains, and the scenes where Po puts all of his skills to use defeating them are wonders of contemporary animation.
Cons:
- While fun, the film's plot is a retread of the previous two. This isn’t a bad thing, but it’s notable the extent to which the film doesn’t take any narrative risks.
- Kai is an entertaining villain, but doesn’t seem to have as much texture or emotional motivation as some of his predecessors.
- It’s a fun movie, but not nearly as emotionally complicated as its predecessor.
Scene That Kicks The Most Butt: Just when it seems Po is on the brink of defeat, his father helps rejuvenate him with chi, and it’s epic to see him finally strike back against Kai. There’s also something almost poetic about the fact that Kai is overloaded with chi, the thing he has spent the entire movie trying to claim and master as his own. Who doesn’t love seeing a villain brought down by their own hubris? What’s more, the animation here is vaster in scope than almost anything else in the franchise up to this point.
Critic Reviews: Glenn Kenny of rogerebert.com continued to enjoy the series in its third outing, and was particularly pleased with the way it stayed true to its action-adventure roots. The Escapist, on the other hand, felt it was too much of a retread of the first two.
- 48 VOTES
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Release Date: 2024
Po’s Journey: This film feels like a conclusion, because Po has to find someone who can take up his position as the Dragon Warrior. This leads him to the fox thief Zhen, and from there to the Chameleon, a powerful, shape-shifting sorceress who takes on the abilities of others simply by touching them. Of course, Po isn’t about to let this go unchallenged, and ultimately defeats her with the aid of Zhen. As a result, Zhen proves herself to be worthy as a successor, and she takes over for Po.
Pros:
- It’s always cool when a franchise brings back some of its other big bads (see also Spider-Man: No Way Home), so it’s fun to see the likes of Lord Shen and Tai Lung brought back for a bit (even if only the latter actually gets to speak).
- In addition to being an enormously talented live-action actress, Awkwafina has repeatedly shown remarkable versatility as a voice actor. She’s outrageously funny and over-the-top as Zhen.
- As always, one of the movie’s best attributes are its characters, and it’s nice to see some new faces (even if it’s also bittersweet to note some of the franchise stalwarts are missing from this installment).
- Jack Black continues to be the heart and soul of this franchise. It’s astounding to see the extent to which he is still able to exude such dynamic energy even after over a decade and a half in the role.
Cons:
- Revealing that Zhen was working for the Chameleon all along is a twist you can see coming from a mile away.
- Although the film is still funny, it’s clear some of the earlier energy is no longer there. The jokes feel more contrived and less lively than they did earlier in the franchise.
- It's nice to see Lord Shen and General Kai in the background, but it would have been nice to actually hear their voices.
- The animation is still gorgeous to look at but, but like so much of the rest of the movie, it lacks the oomph it once possessed when it was still fresh.
Scene That Kicks The Most Butt: Po might be the hero of this movie, but the most kick-butt scene arguably belongs to the Chameleon. Who could forget, for example, the moment when she transforms into a giant chimera, like something out of an H.P. Lovecraft story? The franchise really leans into the horror in this moment. Of course, the Chameleon proves to be no match for Po and Zhen, and it’s heartwarming to see the two team up to defeat her.
Critic Reviews: This entry in the franchise met with a significantly less positive reception than its predecessors. Frank Sceck of The Hollywood Reporter praised Jack Black’s enduring appeal, but Odie Henderson of The Boston Globe said the franchise needed a final “skadoosh” to put it out of its misery.
