Kung Fu Panda Movies – Nostalgia Critic

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With a fourth film announced, Nostalgia Critic looks back at the film series that truly does teach you not to judge by appearances. Let’s take a look at the Kung Fu Panda franchise.

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Kung Fu Panda is an American media franchise that originally started in 2008 with the release of the animated feature film of the same name, produced by DreamWorks Animation. Following the adventures of the titular Po Ping (primarily voiced by Jack Black and Mick Wingert), a giant panda who is improbably chosen as the prophesied Dragon Warrior and becomes a master of kung fu, the franchise is set in a fantasy wuxia genre version of ancient China populated by anthropomorphic animals. Although his status is initially doubted, Po proves himself worthy as he strives to fulfill his destiny. The franchise consists mainly of three CGI-animated films: Kung Fu Panda (2008), Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), and Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) with a fourth film in development for release in 2024.

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45 thoughts on “Kung Fu Panda Movies – Nostalgia Critic”

  3. I definitely think Tai Lung had all the makings of a really memorable villain but his presence fell short compared to Shen. He’s still intimidating, I just don’t really have as clear of a “character silhouette” as I do with Shen, and I think part of the problem is that Lung what more of an impact on Tigress, a secondary character, than the main character Po. It could’ve tied everything together since Po is basically the third “successor” to the Dragon Scroll, but he’s sorta too distanced from Lung and Tigress’ tension to really be as intimate a part of the issue. 

    Tigress and Lung were both “counterparts” to Po as warrior while Shen was a counterpart to Po as an individual. Shen and Po’s conflict had a very pronounced more personal identity with the yin and Yang alongside healing. Lung also could have benefitted from more screen time to establish something super unique about his present character as opposed to his past. The second movie really is amazing, with Shen being just a spectacular villain. I feel like Shen’s comedy bits were sprinkled in about the same amount as Lung’s, but it differed in that Shen was so intimidating, a little bit of humor is just juxtaposed that much to his character that it becomes funnier. I am hoping the next couple of movies (apparently a total of 7 was suggested) can keep up this stride.

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  5. I went into the theater for the first Kung Fu Panda movie with the mindset of "I don't know how good this movie will be, but I'll give it a shot. I left feeling more than satisfied, I loved it! But I agree with Doug, the second one is my favorite

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  7. they did a great job with these movies, they're genuinely great and not just kids movies, it's a shame they didn't make Shen's reason for being evil that his parents were ashamed of him because he was born as an albino in royalty which would explain his evilness instead of being born with it

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  10. I thought it was funny and i watched it and i liked it good movies, i do not think that a series would be needed but its ok
    My problem with the tv series is once he became full master and teaching other pandas everyone has been able to learn martial arts easily

    Yea we cannot disagree Tigra and Po are in love its obvious

    I saw Hangover 2 and Kung Fu Panda and yea i like Panda more cause its Kung Fu and fun while Hangover is a fun comedy but its simple buddy comedy Mike Tyson is the most fun part
    Hey the Pirates movie was really good unlike the other you shown

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  11. I would say the Kung Fu panda movies (specifically the movies), to ME feel like some of the BEST movies Dreamworks has done. I'm not too big on HTTYD and I feel Rise of the Guardians is criminally underrated but KFP, especially 1 and 2 are leagues above Hotel Transylvania and many other animated works that have come out recently.

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  12. I think my FAVORITE part of the first movie is that….Po didn't gain some Deux Ex machina super power (except for picking up the wuxi finger hold) to help him win in the end and it was his qualities, which Shifu helped capitalize on in his training, that helped in his final battle. Because Tai Lung knew every martial arts style it was Po's crazy antics that tripped him up every single time. It was because Po was so fat (brilliantly brought up earlier in the movie) that Tai lung couldn't use his acupuncture attacks, etc.

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  18. Going into these movies, I did this expect anything special to come out of the Kung Fu parts of them what with how they're geared towards kids. But to my surprise, the Kung-fu parts is where they stopped being kids films. Holy cow the fight scenes I'm this franchise did not need to slap that hard.

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  19. The message of these movies is to hone the skills you have and improve yourself to be the best you you can be.

    I admire that message but these days it’s more:

    You can be anything regardless of skill or reality and anyone who says otherwise is evil.

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  24. The problem with Kai is that the writers didn't know how they could do better thanTai Lung and Shen. So they just focused on making Kai as powerful Oogway , while trying to be funny and charismatic.

    It would've helped if they gave Kai more of a reason to turn evil other than power, but that would've been too much like Tai Lung.

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  33. I like what Tai Lung's villainy says about Shifu. Tai Lung came to Shifu a blank slate. And Shifu shaped him to be a monster by putting him through torturous training with the only light at the end of the tunnel being the promise of the title of Dragon Warrior. Only to not so much as argue when that light is snuffed out.

    The feeling of that betrayal would be immeasurable. Anyone would flip out after that. Add 20 years of solitary confinement without so much as a visit, and yeah, Tai Lung was absolutely Shifu's fault and a truly tragic villain.

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  36. I still stand by Tai Lung as the best villain in the trilogy. He is so overwhelmingly, physically intimidating with his martial arts skills and agility, that I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he could decimate Shen and all of his henchmen. In a martial arts movie, I prefer a jaw-dropping physical threat who I never get tired of watching fight and move, over a more Bond/Disney movie type of villain like Shen.
    Edit- And besides, did any of Shen’s lines spawn any “legendary” memes like Tai Lung did? I don’t think so. 😉

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  37. In regards to your reaction to seeing Kung-fu Panda 4 in production: I'd bet that you'd have had the same reaction years ago when they announced a Kung-fu Panda 2. Have they not turned in enough good work at this point to have earned, at least your initial trust?

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  39. 12:07 Oh u did not just say that when the fanbase actually shipped them because of the movie and how there were plans for the third movie to go more into the Po x Tigress direction (which would have had played a B plot along with the very shown off female panda woman who Po was originally going to get married to befoe the climax) but it was cut and like most of the 3rd movie's original ideas toned down, due to how dark the 2nd movie was… and you felt like the third movie was holding back with.. basically everything.

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  41. 16:05 weird u saying that cuz the series was meant to be a 5-7 part movie series, a hexalogy basically but due to not wanting to rush things and.. lets be honest the changes and impacts done by the 2nd movie and how it scared and influenced an audience coming from the first movie did let to lower movie scores for the 3rd movie, and perhaps higher ups scared directors and producers away for more movies, tho apparently a 4th movie is in production since quite some time.

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  43. I gotta disagree about Tai Lung not being memorable or having powerful moments. When Tai Lung has his claws alight in blue flame and is screaming “Tell me how proud you are Shi Fu!” it’s pretty powerful.

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  44. I feel like this series had a bit of the "Ninja Turtles" complex, where the title itself sounds like a goofy idea, the actual stories and content can be seen as a masterpiece. The Kung Fu Panda series will never not be one of my favorite Animated Film series of all time.

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