Kung Fu Panda 3
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: January 29, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
66
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews
Positive:
23
Mixed:
11
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
Tampa Bay TimesSteve PersallJan 27, 2016
A singular look, an exemplary vocal cast, and a narrative arc like a caress. That'll be the Kung Fu Panda franchise's legacy, the idea that shouldn't have worked but did, beautifully and with its own chi. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesBill ZweckerFeb 11, 2016
I think the secret to the appeal of the entire “Kung Fu Panda” franchise is the enormous affection we feel for Po, that seemingly bumbling good guy who also can rise to the occasion and showcase true heroism and mystical power. Read full review
88
The Seattle TimesSoren AndersenFeb 11, 2016
Martial-arts action, excitingly mounted, is all part of the package as Po battles a glowering, green-eyed bull (J.K. Simmons) and tries to whip peaceable pandakind into a fighting force to defeat the villain. One-liners fly as fast as kung-fu fisticuffs in this sweet and satisfying picture. Read full review
88
Philadelphia InquirerTirdad DerakhshaniJan 28, 2016
It's easy to mistake the simplicity of plot and theme here for simple-mindedness - this isn't Pynchon or Proust. Kung Fu Panda 3 has the economy of a Zen koan, not to mention its inner harmony and wisdom. Read full review
80
CineVueJamie NeishMar 29, 2016
The stakes are upped and character count doubled, but this doesn't mean attention to detail is spared. The visuals are sublime with different animation styles used to tell different stories. Read full review
80
The TelegraphTim RobeyMar 29, 2016
All the best parts of the movie are transitions and montages, jazzing up the video-game-ish plot with mock-heroic exuberance. The summer ahead is looking madly stuffed with talking animals, but Po has jammed his bulging frame through first, and done it with style. Read full review
80
Total FilmStaff (Not Credited)Mar 29, 2016
Animated with exceptional depth and beauty by co-directors Jennifer Yuh and Alessandro Carloni (and given epic new heft by Hans Zimmer in the orchestra pit), it's a rare ’toon franchise that can grow up so quickly and still giggle at its own butt jokes. Read full review
80
EmpireOlly RichardsMar 7, 2016
Rather than the cynical ‘one last grab’ of the series, Kung Fu Panda 3 might actually be the best. Also, and this is so rarely the case that it’s worth mentioning, it deserves to be seen in 3D. Read full review
80
TimeStephanie ZacharekFeb 9, 2016
Mostly, Kung Fu Panda 3 is just fun. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinJan 28, 2016
A beautifully rendered, lovingly constructed action-comedy that's sure to please kids and adults alike. Read full review
80
The New York TimesNeil GenzlingerJan 28, 2016
Lots of comedic fight scenes break up the story’s more somber stretches, and the animation, especially in 3-D, is simply gorgeous. Read full review
80
TheWrapAlonso DuraldeJan 18, 2016
It’s cohesive and cathartic enough to make a fourth entry unnecessary, but at the same time, it’s entertaining and gorgeous enough to make the prospect of same something to welcome. Read full review
80
VarietyJustin ChangJan 16, 2016
Emotionally, dramatically and perhaps most of all visually (it’s worth seeing in 3D), this delightful trilogy capper is almost as generously proportioned as its cuddly warrior hero, restoring a winning lightness of touch to the saga while bringing its long-running themes of perseverance and self-knowledge to satisfying fruition. Read full review
75
New York PostLou LumenickJan 28, 2016
The stunning visuals in DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 3 surpass the high standards set by its predecessors, but storywise, the latest adventures of goofy Po the panda break no new ground. Read full review
75
Washington PostSandie Angulo ChenJan 28, 2016
Directors Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni deploy a gorgeous color palette for the Chinese countryside, using vibrant, swirling shades of green, blue and red for the panda hideaway....The directors also make sure to let Po stay the charming bumbler he’s always been. That’s what makes him such an earnest, lovable hero. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comGlenn KennyJan 28, 2016
In spite of its abundant action — and for all the interspecies mashups, this is as much an action-adventure animated movie as it is a funny-animal animated movie — is a pretty relaxing experience for the adult viewer. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyChristian HolubJan 27, 2016
Just complicated enough to reward steady viewers and just simple enough for parent escorts to enjoy without much prior knowledge. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineSam C. MacJan 25, 2016
It finds a benefit in its genre affiliation, evenly distributing its action in quick bursts of fluidly animated fight choreography. Read full review
70
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzJan 28, 2016
If directors Alessandro Carloni and Jennifer Yuh don't reinvent the panda-as-martial-artist wheel, they avoid making the story seem stale. The terrific animation helps, of course. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterMichael RechtshaffenJan 16, 2016
While the storyline, in which Jack Black’s dumpling-downing Dragon Warrior is reunited with his biological father, doesn’t quite fulfill its prophecies, dramatically speaking, visually speaking it’s all quite impressive — one of those very rare animated features that completely justifies its 3D glasses. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleKimberley JonesJan 27, 2016
This is a visually stunning picture, a rhapsody of saturated color and contrasting texture, from the painstaking detail of coarse panda fur to the painterly dreamscape that is the spirit world. Read full review
63
ReelViewsJames BerardinelliFeb 1, 2016
Like most sequels, it pacifies its core demographic by offering “more of the same.” To that extent, it can be said to be successful. Read full review
63
USA TodayBrian TruittJan 27, 2016
The movie's story and cute characters are geared toward the younger crowd, per usual. But while it lacks the wonder and nuance of earlier Pandas, there are enough new faces and wowing, Asian-influenced style to also keep parents amused for an hour and a half. Read full review
60
The GuardianAlex NeedhamMar 29, 2016
This is a visually sumptuous kids’ film that will also charm adults. Read full review
60
Time OutAnna KingFeb 9, 2016
Visually though, Kung Fu Panda 3 is a candy-colored 3-D treat. Read full review
60
Screen DailyTim GriersonJan 16, 2016
Fitfully amusing and certainly heartfelt, this latest chapter in the likeable animated saga will work best with younger viewers, but its life lessons and emotional beats feel slathered on rather than deftly woven into the storyline. Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubIgnatiy VishnevetskyJan 27, 2016
Kung Fu Panda 3 is Kung Fu Panda minus a dramatic arc, but with way more pandas. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Kate TaylorFeb 14, 2016
From a sympathetic perspective, let me say that sequel No. 3 shows how difficult it is to keep these franchises fresh while remaining true to their initial charm. Read full review
50
Movie NationRoger MooreFeb 1, 2016
Plays as a franchise out of ideas, out of jokes and more naked about its real place in the film firmament –as panda pandering to the enormous Chinese movie market. Read full review
50
Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternJan 28, 2016
In Hollywood’s franchise game, sequels are seldom the best they can be. This one isn’t, but it’s pretty, perfectly pleasant and good enough. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTom RussoJan 28, 2016
A story that builds toward Po training an army of his panda brethren fails to deliver exponentially greater fun. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChroniclePeter HartlaubJan 28, 2016
Kung Fu Panda 3 has a moment or two for everyone, but no chance develop any character beyond a single dimension. Read full review
50
Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlJan 26, 2016
The movie undercuts its own undercutting. Read full review
40
New York Daily NewsKatherine Pushkar Jan 27, 2016
Once upon a time, Black's charisma might have been enough to carry the movie. Read full review
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