Sandy Kenyon reviews 'Kung Fu Panda 3'

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Several new films are making their way into theaters this weekend, and one is the third installment of the Kung Fu Panda series.

It's a good workout for your inner child, and watching it is pure joy. And while you should be prepared to laugh, know that it's not quite as funny as the first two.

The next step for Po has him finding his roots. He remains a Kung Fu Panda, but he is no longer alone with the return of his long-lost father.

Jack Black is back as the perfect choice to voice Po, with equal parts humor and heart, and the casting of Bryan Cranston as his dad is genius.

Their reunion is sweet, and the tour of the "Hall of Kung Fu Heroes" that follows is, as described, awesome.

Angelina Jolie's character has much less to do this time around, but having her family involved must have been fun for her kids, as four of them lend their voices to this enterprise.

Much of this colorful movie is best seen in 3-D, which helps the pandas' village come alive. And parents of young children will appreciate that the supernatural villain isn't totally evil, though Kai does have a habit of turning Po's posse into jade and definitely messes with that Hall of Heroes.

When Kai threatens the calm of the village, Po must train his fellow pandas to meet the challenge. But the outcome is never really in doubt.

The second "Kung Fu Panda" was just as funny as the first, but this one is a couple of notches below in terms of humor. So while you will laugh out loud less, "Kung Fu Panda 3" has just as much heart as the others.