Anthony's Film Review - Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

Eight years after Kung Fu Panda 3, the series still manages to remain fun and tell a new story...

The third Kung Fu Panda ended in a way that could've been the finale for the series. The titular character, named Po (voiced by Jack Black), went from a clumsy weak animal in the beginning of the first movie to a good kung fu warrior in most of the series, before becoming the Dragon Warrior by the end of Kung Fu Panda 3. It's such a powerful role and status that it's hard to imagine what other heights there are to climb. But guess what? There's still more growth possible, which means we can have a Kung Fu Panda 4.

You see, as the red panda Master Shifu explains to Po, the Dragon Warrior eventually becomes the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, which means he must choose a successor to be the new Dragon Warrior. Po isn't ready to take that step, simply because he loves the fighting that goes with being a Dragon Warrior, which is more exciting than being a Spiritual Leader who shares words of wisdom. Well, he will soon have a chance to be Dragon Warrior for another day, because a crisis situation has come up that requires his help.

The villain of Kung Fu Panda 4 is the Chameleon (voiced by Viola Davis), who is both a shapeshifting reptile and a powerful crime boss in the criminal underworld. Right now, she thirsts for ultimate power, but it requires a certain special artifact that Po knows about. It is up to Po to stop the Chameleon before it's too late. To do so, he will need some help, from a fox thief named Zhen (voiced by Awkwafina), who can lead Po to the city where the Chameleon resides in a tower above it.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is very much like the first three movies: fast-paced and silly, yet ultimately fun and even a bit uplifting. The film is only 90 minutes or so long, but if the story moves quickly, that's all the time you need to tell it all from start to finish. The humor is decent, certainly generating smiles in response to jokes. One of the few scenes that did make me laugh a little occurs during a chase sequence, as a reference to the old phrase "a bull in a china shop." But no matter how much the humor appeals to you, there's no denying that the story is good, because seeing a character grow and learn lessons is always nice.

So what happens from here on out? Well, from what I've heard, there may be two more Kung Fu Panda movies after this, even with Po becoming even greater than he has already achieved. I have no idea what Kung Fu Panda 5 and Kung Fu Panda 6 will have in store, but based on how Kung Fu Panda 4 ends, there are plenty of interesting possibilities. I won't spend time pondering what is next for the franchise. I'll just simply wait and trust that they'll keep me amused.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Kung Fu Panda 4, visit the Internet Movie Database.

In addition, check out my reviews of Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Kung Fu Panda 3.