Kung Fu Panda 4 Review: Even When Treading Water, This Franchise Packs A Fun Punch

It's been nearly a decade since "Kung Fu Panda 3" hit theaters, but the paw-punching panda hasn't been dormant the entire time. Since the sequel's arrival in theaters, there have been two DreamWorks Animation Television shows ("Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny" and "Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight") following Po's adventures after what seemed like a nice trilogy capper. So it's not as if we've been short on martial arts mayhem. The latter series even managed to lure Jack Black back to voice Po, and it just wrapped up a three-season run in September 2023. So bringing "Kung Fu Panda" back to the big screen really needed to feel worth it. How did "Shrek Forever After" director Mike Mitchell and co-director Stephanie Ma Stine ("She-Ra and the Princesses of Power") fare with the latest mystical journey for Po?

The good news is that "Kung Fu Panda 4" (watch the trailer here) doesn't fall to the disappointing depths of the aforementioned "Shrek" sequel by feeling like a sad, tired cash grab without anything left to give. No, this movie still has plenty of ways to entertain, from the eye-popping animated action sequences to Jack Black's pitch-perfect portrayal of Po, not to mention a stellar score from composer Hans Zimmer and his composing partner and collaborator, Steve Mazzaro. The bad news is that the movie skews closer to "Toy Story 4," still feeling like an unnecessary sequel that's treading water and trying to continue Po's story after we left him in a satisfying place. But the film isn't without plenty of redeeming qualities, even if it's missing one of the key ingredients that made the franchise so fun to begin with.

The driving force behind "Kung Fu Panda 4" is fighting against complacency and welcoming a new chapter in life, even if the change feels scary and intimidating. It's a bit ironic when you consider the fact that DreamWorks Animation is coming back to the comfortable waters of the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise rather than venturing out into new territory. 

Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) informs Po that the time has come for him to select a successor to become the new Dragon Warrior, and Po will ascend to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, offering guidance and wisdom to those who seek it. But Po doesn't feel like he's ready to become a spiritual leader, and he's not super enthusiastic about giving up his role as Dragon Warrior, which he feels quite comfortable in. Thankfully, there's a new adventure for him to go on that will inevitably teach him the right lessons in order to accept his new role.

After thwarting the threat of larceny of mystical artifacts by a thieving corsac fox named Zhen (Awkwafina), Po learns from the stealthy sneak that there's a looming threat on the horizon: a small but powerful sorceress known as The Chameleon (Viola Davis). Though she already has the helpful skill of being able to shapeshift into anybody, she hasn't mastered any of the kung fu that would make her an unstoppable leader able to take over every city and village before finally dominating the Valley of Peace. In order to achieve her goal, she needs Po's Staff of Wisdom, which will allow her to summon Po's previous enemies from banishment in the spirit realm and absorb their kung fu skills. 

Since Zhen appears to be the expert on The Chameleon, Po reluctantly busts her out of jail so they can track down this new villain and thwart her evil plan. This is easily the most refreshing element of "Kung Fu Panda 4," but it's also where one of its biggest detriments comes from. The teaming of Po and Zhen offers an amusing buddy-cop dynamic that the series hasn't utilized before.

Awkwafina does her thing where she's just obnoxious and sarcastic enough to be funny without overdoing it, making for an oddball pairing with Po, and when the two work together, it makes for exactly the kind of entertainment that makes the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise great, especially when it comes to the signature clumsy but still effective fighting technique that Po is known for. However, it should be noted that the villain almost feels like a video game creation, one who can harness the kung fu skills of Po's previous enemies, and even Po himself. So even though The Chameleon is a formidable foe, she's not nearly as compelling narratively.

However, that means the Furious Five are completely side-lined. In fact, the lack of their presence is given a quick explanation by Po at the top of the movie, where he lists exactly where Tigress, Mantis, Monkey, Crane, and Viper are. Unfortunately, the movie isn't saving them for a surprise comeback (the characters return, albeit only in a physical form without their star voices, for a training montage during the end credits), and you definitely miss the ensemble dynamic from those first three movies. 

Instead, when we're not focusing on Po and Zhen, we're watching Po's birth father Li (Bryan Cranston) and adoptive father Mr. Ping (James Hong) set off on their own adventure to make sure Po is okay, believing that he might not be properly equipped for this first adventure that takes him away from the Valley of Peace. Whenever the movie shifts to focus on Li and Ping, it slows down drastically, and this is the one element that really could have used something much more exciting. Sure, there's comedy to mine from the unlikely pairing of these characters, but it's not enough to warrant the amount of runtime they get overall. 

But where "Kung Fu Panda 4" falters in the story, it makes up for with exquisite animation and meticulously choreographed action sequences. Like a mix of Jackie Chan and "Looney Tunes," it's never boring watching Po be a skilled martial artist while still occasionally fumbling his way to victory and success. For every well-executed punch and kick, there's a pratfall or galumph that also manages to get the job done. This is particularly entertaining in a sequence involving a dive bar on a cliff peak that begins to sway back and forth, threatening to fall at any moment, only to be course-corrected as the action shifts to different corners of the shack. Ronnie Chieng is also a highlight in this sequence, voicing a fish who uses a pelican like a vessel, which raises some weird questions. 

Another fantastic sequence unfolds as a chase through the streets of Juniper City, a new location that is said to be the home of The Chameleon. Since Zhen is a wanted thief, she and Po must evade the authorities, and the skills of composers Hans Zimmer and Steve Mazzaro really pop here, because they've created an orchestral version of Ozzy Osbourne's classic rock tune "Crazy Train," which gives the sequence a contemporary edge without leaning into lazy needle drops like "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Juniper City is also where we meet Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan voicing a new character, an armadillo who oversees an underground contingent of shady characters, including the hilarious violence-hungry children glimpsed in the trailer. Quan's character isn't used to his full potential, but his voice brings an enthusiastic energy and laughs to the proceedings. 

It's sequences like this, along with anime flourishes and a seamless blend of action and laughs that keep "Kung Fu Panda 4" from being completely tired and boring. Granted, the story leaves something to be desired, and it's missing one of the franchise's signature traits, but as someone who was underwhelmed by the trailers teasing Po's return, I walked away feeling adequately entertained. Would I have preferred that the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise take this opportunity to elevate itself in the same way that "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" did in 2022? Absolutely. But "Kung Fu Panda 4" in this form is still solid. 

/Film Rating: 6 out of 10