Po is gearing up to become the spiritual leader of his Valley of Peace, but also needs someone to take his place as Dragon Warrior. As such, he will train a new kung fu practitioner for the spot an...
“Kung Fu Panda 4” is the weakest entry in DreamWorks Animation’s portly martial arts warrior series, but it still has enough “skadoosh” to bring enjoyment to kids and adults alike. Consisting of recycled content that’s grown weary, the film’s greatest strength (along with its stellar animation) is that Po is just such a gosh darn lovable (and even admirable) character.
Dragon Warrior Po (Jack Black) has a date with destiny, as he is on his way to becoming the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. According to Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), Po must personally chose and train a suitable replacement. Busy with auditions to find his successor, Po learns that the powerful, shape shifting lizard sorceress The Chameleon (Viola Davis) has her eyes set on procuring the Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon every single one of the master villains Po has previously defeated and cast off into the spirit realm. If these bad guys get out, it would mean certain doom. This leads Po to team up with the street smart thief Zhen (Awkwafina), a crafty fox that may very well be the successor everyone has been searching for.
While Awkwafina and Black have a naturally amusing chemistry, she feels a bit miscast in the role. Her voice work isn’t great, as she (and Davis, quite frankly) appear to be phoning it in. Thankfully Black and the supporting cast (which includes Bryan Cranston, Ian McShane, and James Hong) pick up the slack, but their tried-and-true characters are more appealing than the new recruits, who aren’t that great. This film is really missing the likes of fan favorites Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Mantis, and Viper, although they do make a very minor cameo here.
There isn’t much to the plot either. The film feels like a series of fast paced action scenes that are strung together by a weak story as Po and Zhen forge their own journey, while Mr. Ping (Hong) and Li (Cranston) embark on a near-identical path for their rescue mission. Getting to the finale isn’t the most enjoyable venture, but the battles along the route are exciting. It’s worth the wait for the final stand where Po must defeat The Chameleon, which is inventive and bursting with color, creativity, and action.
“Kung Fu Panda 4” feels like an uninspired entry into an animated franchise that is nearing its end, but the film sets itself up for another sequel with Zhen taking on a larger role. I don’t think that character can sustain the legacy of Po and the Furious Five, so here’s hoping if the panda does make his return, it’ll be with his trusted sidekicks in tow.
