How would you rank the Kung Fu Panda movies?
Most people think very highly of KFP original for setting a great precedent for how emotionally touching the movies would be. KFP2 enhances that and has very dark undertones and messages which you pick up on more if you rewatch when you’re older. KFP3 most people think had a less explored and thus more shallow villain and went for more comedy than emotional weight but it’s still mostly A-Tier.
The general consensus is KFP4 is where it really falls off.
- Kung-Fu Panda 2 (2011)
- Kung-Fu Panda (2008)
- Kung-Fu Panda 3 (2016)
- Kung-Fu Panda 4 (2024).
3 was originally supposed to be MUCH darker than it turned out, Kai was supposed to be a lot more menacing, straight up KILLING Po, which is how he would’ve gotten to the Spirit realm, and then Kai punched Po so hard HE ended up there. But sadly… The higher ups told them to tone it down because Parents complained about the second movie having… Well… Genocide in the damn opening…
- Kung Fu Panda 2 – Favourite, Shen is great. Dreamworks best.
- Kung Fu Panda – Pretty enjoyable film one of dreamworks best
- Kung Fu Panda 3 – Still a good film its higher than average for a dreamworks films and about average if it was a Disney film.
How would you rank the Kung Fu Panda movies?
- KFP1 – Has some of the most beautiful setpeices and scenes on any of the movies (Tigress leaving the jade place, that huge leap with the moon in the background, is the best shot of the series so far) had the best fight scenes, and easily the most complex villain. Po’s struggles here (for me) are definitely the most relatable (especially as someone who joined martial arts and sucked at first lol) Still can’t get over how serious this movie took itself from Tai escaping prison to him almost killing shifu. All this Despite being the first installment and that’s why it’s still undefeated.
- KFP2 – Came as close to beating the first as I think you can get. Best movie for character interactions and growth. Darkest and most ambitious of the movies. Love the premise, Love Shen. The five shine here where the never do again. And while yes Tigress shines in the movie more than any other, but the only thing holding this back is how they didn’t seem to know what to do with her. imo leaving her hanging on the boat did nothing but to leave tigress story incomplete to this day.
- KFP3 – This movies was lacking just as much as it succeeded. Kai was great but treated as a joke, still managed to steal every scene. Po finding his family is great, but the movie really drags at parts in the panda village. Love that Tigress was back in a major role, still wish she had done more. For a movie with great fight scenes, a magnificent score, and what should be a great premise. It always feels lacking
- KFP4 – for what it’s worth I like this movie, I like them all. This one just undoes a lot of previous groundwork from the series, and undoes alot of it’s own good work. Zhen is great, genuinely great addition, her being the dragon warrior? Can’t get into it atm. Tai lungs back? But he gets utterly dog walked. We’re back at the jade palace? No furious 5, shifu acts unreasonable. Great concept for a new villain, very lacking motivations. New dragon warrior? Po still saves the day. We get Po being able to relate to someone over being an orphan, and it’s not Tigress. Will say tho It’s best quality is definitely it’s leap in animation.
How does Kung Fu Panda 3 compare to the other parts? How different it is? What is the message given in the movie?
Kung fu panda 3 is great continuation for 1 and 2.
It is somewhat different for 1 and 2 ..
In 2…he needed to master inner peace and in 3 he need to master chi..and also as shown in the 2nd part ending..his father will come to him. KAI is the new villian who is the best friend of oogway once who turns evil on learning chi. Oogway fights him and sends him to the spirit world. But now , he’ll return. Po starts his life as a teacher. The chi which was once taught to oogway by the pandas should be mastered by po to defeat Kai and the story goes on.
The moral that I got from the movie is “a true power of a student comes out only when the teacher turns him into him.” I know ..it sounds ridiculous. But you’ll understand this once you watch the movie.
Very few panda movies come to the theatre that could entertain us in all aspects. This movie is one of them. Do watch it. SKADOOSH!!
Which Kung Fu Panda movies are the best?
The second is far in a way the best imo. It’s more of an extension of a normal martial arts saga.
The first movie’s story has an inferior Ratatouille “a great chef can come from anywhere” theme, the villain Tai Lung is compelling but not as dangerous to the world or as powerful as Shen. Not a bad thing but the sequel expanded beautifully on the concept without having to retread on the ‘he’s a panda’ stuff.
The second had themes of forgiveness, rising above yourself, fate, fatherhood and an extended upon Ratatouille message, the Iron Giant message of “you are who you choose to be”. Shen is a serious foe and fighting him reveals more about Po. He is a serious threat and people have died in this movie. There’s serious motivation for both sides and Shen’s cruelty and willingness to cheat and actually kill Po made him more compelling. This was a genuine and obvious fight for all of China while the other two movies had no such threat.
The third, for me, kinda ruined how amazing the second movie’s parenthood storyline was. Po had reaffirmed how his dad will always be a duck, whether its biological or not. Him getting a new father is a bit like reopening the issue. I dont like the new father panda, I dont like how Po retired the Wushi finger hold despite achieving so much in the second movie. It also feels like they let down the te soon with comedy in slightly the wrong places in this movie for my taste.
How would you rank these Kung Fu Panda movies from your favorite to your least favorite, Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Kung Fu Panda 3?
- Kung Fu Panda 2 – This movie is perfect in every way. This movie took deeper, darker tones such as the wounds of the past and finding inner peace. This movie proves that animation is not just directed at kids but also teenagers and adults. Tai Lung is the best villian in this franchise. This movie touched me and inspired me so much. One of the finest sequels to date.
- Kung Fu Panda 1 – The first installment in a franchise is usually top of the rank but this movie only falls short of Kung Fu Panda 2 by a few points. This movie is really funny, amazing and I loved every moment in the film.
- Kung Fu Panda 3 – I was disappointed with the third film because the villian is the weakest among other villians in the franchise. He is funny but it makes him look a bit vulnerable than the other villians. The final battle was good but not the best. However, Po meeting his dad and the extended family was great and I especially loved the relation between a father and a step-father (Not something you usually see in movies).
How does Kung Fu Panda 3 compare to the other parts? How different it is? What is the message given in the movie?
It fares much better than expected. The ideology behind a sequel is to make sure it continues what the prequel left unexplained or unexplored. Continuing this idea, I think Kung Fu Panda 3 did a tremendous job to grapple to the idea and move it forward rather than just leapfrogging.
The message as per me was loud and clear “ Don’t turn yourself into someone else, just turn you into you”
Once you do this, great power awaits you. The power of chi (or Qi)- internal energy – which can be followed only if you unlock the hidden art of mastering self.
I must admit, I loved the message maybe because of the fact that couple of days before I had indulged myself into another freshly thought movie from Disney- Zootopia. Now this matters, as I say, because I found the moral from both this action packed, pendulous animation movies similar. The message -” Anyone can be anything they want” – felt similar to me at large.
Adding to other specific messages from the movie (Spoiler Alert!):
The more you take; the less you have
- At the start, Master Oogway, while being defeated and stripped off his chi (energy inside you, mastered over years) mentioned to Kai, the maker of widows, that the more of chi he takes the less he will have.
- In the end, he got greedy and tried to extract Dragon warrior’s chi, which also included all of the Secret Panda villagers chi in it, even after already defeating every master in China and taking away their chi.
- This greed exactly what first allowed him his long-waited return to the mortal realm after 500 years also became the reason for his defeat and return back to spirit realm.
Before the battle of fist; prepare for battle of mind
- Po’s enthusiasm throughout the movie for having a dramatic entry never withered away.
- This matters, because, although Po knew that though he wasn’t equipped to fight him or defeat his enemy, he can surely defeat him in his mind by making that superman-like, confidence-boosted entry.
- Having done this, can help you earn a head start in the fight, not physically but by mental attack to your enemy.
If you only do what you can do, you can never be more than what you are now
- Master Shifu commands Po, the dragon warrior, to go outside of his comfort zone if he wants to master chi.
- He guides him to follow the path which Master Oogway has seen for him and be a teacher.
- Po trying hard to do it, miserably fails; until he understands his true inner self and teaches people of secret Panda village just to be themselves, as the message says, and nothing more.
- In this process, Po stepped out of his comfort zone, consciously or sub-consciously, and became the teacher he always was fore-sighted by Oogway.
So, just go and watch the movie for yourself. Don’t trust the reviews or your friends, just go. You may not know what you might learn for yourself from the movie. Skadooosh!
Which Kung Fu Panda movie is the worst?
Kung Fu panda is really one of my top favorite movies. It has so many moral values in it.
It takes issues like body shaming into a ball of snow and smash in the ground. It tells young people that everyone has a different body size. A panda is big and fat and it eats more. A praying mantis is small and eats much less. But that doesn’t mean that they are have limitations. They both can kick asses.
An adopted child and parent is as real as a biological one. Who’d be able to guess that the goose wasn’t Kung Fu panda’s real dad? Nobody.
And never give up. No matter how close you are to failure, don’t give up. No matter how hopeless it seems, keep moving forward.
While opinions can differ, many fans tend to agree that movies of Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) are generally considered the weakest of the trilogy. While it still has charming moments, humor, and stunning animation, some viewers felt it lacked the emotional depth and character development that made the first two films stand out. However, it still has its fans and enjoyable aspects, so it’s not “bad” by any means!
How would you rank the Kung Fu Panda movies?