Kung Fu Panda 3 has kicked its way onto Blu-Ray and DVD and for this writer — it’s the best in the series.
And we are not the only one who is enamored with the third time Jack Black has played Po, the Kung Fu fighting Panda who rids his land of evil with aplomb. Film is one of the best reviewed films of the year and one of the top five grossing movies of 2016 (so far).
This time out, Po faces his toughest challenge, but he won’t be alone. The orphan panda who has lived a blissful life with his dumpling-owner adoptive father, who he adores, finds his biological father (voiced brilliantly by Bryan Cranston) and it is just in time. It’s going to take two dads’ worth of inspiration and belief in him to battle his most nefarious foe yet, the evil Kai (J.K. Simmons).
Kai has taken the chi of all the kung fu warriors in the land (both past and present) and now is coming for Po and his warrior friends (voiced by returning faves such as Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Dustin Hoffman and David Cross). With their chi, the world will be forced to bow before Kai and evil will rule the land… forever.
Po and his father head to a secret mountain-top retreat, where pandas have been living in peace for years. With Po’s arrival, that peaceful life may be short-lived. Kai is coming, but what he is not counting on is a kung fu master who is ready to pass on his knowledge to other pandas and get them ready for the fight of their life… all to defend what is right in the world.
As you can tell from our theatrical Kung Fu Panda 3 review, The Movie Mensch thoroughly enjoyed the latest chapter in the series from DreamWorks Animation and certainly hopes that there will be another. Simmons and Cranston are not the only great additions to the cast as Kate Hudson turns in a hilarious turn as a fellow panda/love interest for Po that gets the most laughs in the entire film.
This film is also very much for all ages as we have seen young kids and older movie goers equally finding joy in the journey of Po.
The bonus features for the Kung Fu Panda 3 Blu-Ray is led by two brand-new animated shorts starring our favorite Kung Fu fighting panda and they are an utter delight.
The littlest (and frankly everyone for that matter) movie goers will enjoy Everybody Loves a Panda Party. Join Po and the entire cast of lovable pandas in a sing-along and discover the joys of a panda party as some of your favorite panda songs get the animated karaoke treatment.
We also treasured Po’s Posters of Awesomeness as we follow Black’s character as he delves deeper into the meaning of the art in Mr. Ping’s place of business Each of the posters come to life and spotlight Po’s hilarious stories of action and adventure.
Hudson’s Mei Mei gets her own bonus feature tribute in Panda Paws. The animated short focuses on the plus-size bamboo-loving creature and has us thinking someone needs a spin-off!
One of the more informational featurettes is Make a Panda Party Paper Pal. We know that a panda party is one awesome party from the sing-a-long, and now viewers get to learn the mystical art of paper folding and create a village of panda pals as Po hosts this fun and entertaining tutorial.
If your kids (or maybe even you) want more on pandas after witnessing Kung Fu Panda 3, be sure to check out Play Like a Panda. This featurette introduces us to some real life baby pandas in a short doc that is equally entertaining as it is educational about these adorable baby animals.
Also, ever wondered where Po’s famous tagline comes from? Discover it in the delightful featurette, The Origin of “Skadoosh.”