Delayed Reaction: Kung Fu Panda 3

The Pitch: What if there were more Pandas?

Dreamworks isn't my favorite animation studio. I've always looks at them as the anti-Disney or Pixar, more concerned with the voice cast and jokes than the story and animation. That's not always the case. How to Train Your Dragon is a top-tier franchise, for example. I still think of them as the Shrek/Madagascar studio, perhaps unfairly. Kung Fu Panda has been middle-tier Dreamworks by my rating. The movies are fine. The voice cast is stronger than I'd expect (Dustin Hoffman and Angelina Jolie. Kudos, Dreamworks casting). The setting makes for nice visuals. There's a decent amount of heart to it. The jokes are aimed mostly at the younger audience at the expense of the older, which is forgivable. Kung Fu Panda 3 is about par for the course. I got some Mr. Peabody & Sherman vibes from all the adopted vs. biological parent talk. Bryan Cranston is as good a voice as any to be Po's dad. JK Simmons is an easy pick for the main villain. This is one of those sequels that's good if you've watched the first and second movies and want the exact same thing but different slightly. I don't think the aim was much higher than that, so I can appreciate a movie that reaches its goals.

Verdict (?): Weakly Don't Recommend