It’s been eight years since the Dragon Warrior’s last adventure on the big screen and his return has been highly anticipated. But does our favourite dumpling eating panda have enough fight left in him for a fourth round of kicking butt?
Jack Black returns as our favourite butt-kicking panda.
The Kung Fu Panda franchise is one of the most beloved family trilogies of all time that has kept audiences, young and old, laughing and smiling since 2008. The first film was an instant hit, making over $600 million at the box office, which is very strong for a first outing. Its impressive all-star voice cast, pitch perfect comedy, stellar visuals, fight sequences and touching messages made it a beloved classic from the get-go.
Then fast forward three years and it’s inevitable sequel, Kung Fu Panda 2, was released and generated even more money. Audiences were once again impressed, but this time round with how much darker the story was. Despite this, the film managed to blend the serious and the silly to create another classic that families would revisit.
A little while later, five years to be exact, and the third film in the franchise was released. Kung Fu Panda 3 may have made a little less money than its two predecessors and been criticised for being a tad too silly. But audiences still had a blast by being introduced to Po’s panda family and the visuals being the most gorgeous they’ve ever been.
But just when you thought Po’s big screen journey had ended, Jack Black returns to deliver another fun family adventure.
The Dragon Warrior and his new accomplice prepare for battle.
Kung Fu Panda 4 is perhaps the weakest of the franchise as it’s story feels very repetitive from what we’ve seen done before in the series and other animated films. It’s predictable and cliché and considering Dreamworks’ recent triumph Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, we were maybe expecting a little more.
But with all that being said, there is still a lot to enjoy with this long-awaited instalment. It may not have lived up to high expectations but that doesn’t make it a complete let down.
The highlights of the film are Jack Black’s enthusiastic return as Po and new villain The Chameleon, voiced spectacularly by the one and only Viola Davis, who fits right in with our other previous memorable villains, Tai Lung, Lord Shen and General Kai.
Jack Black’s clear passion and devotion to this character and this franchise is what has kept audiences coming back for 16 years. He puts his likeable and zany personality into Po in every adventure and while the quality of this film isn’t as strong as the others, Jack Black’s performance has never dipped in quality.
His comedic timing is perfect, even if some jokes don’t completely land, you still smile as you know he’s done the best job he can with that line. Po remains to be as funny and as likeable as ever, and it’s all thanks to Mr. Jack Black.
And Tenacious D’s cover of ‘Baby One More Time’ will make you dance in your seat as it plays perfectly through the credits.
Viola Davis is an actor that can do no wrong, and that seems to still be true through voicework. In her first animated film, believe it or not, Davis manages to steal every single scene her voice is featured in. The Chameleon is a fantastic villain who has a memorable visual appearance and a very cool set of powers that make for some very entertaining sequences.
Despite The Chameleon’s small size, her presence is extremely threatening, making her a great and memorable villain. Her desire is to gain the powers of kung-fu from some of the strongest masters in the spirit realm, a desire which leads to a lot of exciting hijinks in the final act.
From the minute she appears on screen, she’s a character we can’t take our eyes off of. And not only because her transformations are animated so disturbingly divine. The final act of the film is where she truly comes to play with her powers that are utilised greatly, feeling like a return to form for the series.
Po faces a new shapeshifting nemesis, The Chameleon…
Alongside Po this time around is Zhen, a vigilante outcast who teams up with Po to find The Chameleon. And while Awkwafina, once again, delivers a strong voice performance, Zhen is a character we have seen multiple times before in various other animated films, and done a lot better. It felt too simplistic for a ‘Kung Fu Panda’ story. However, through her we are introduced to Ke Huy Quan, and any character who does that deserves credit, and Quan should’ve been in the film longer.
Dustin Hoffman’s Master Shifu returns along with James Hong and Bryan Cranston as Po’s fathers, and while it’s delightful to see them return, it often felt like treading familiar water.
What’s really missing here is of course, the Furious Five who’s presence and energy is very much yearned for. And many would argue, why bother making a ‘Kung Fu Panda’ film without the Furious Five? Let’s hope that if a fifth film comes our way, it’ll be with Tigress, Mantis, Crane, Monkey and Viper.
The animation is still very slick, with the backgrounds, world building and fight sequences all looking extremely pleasing to the eyes and despite its predictability, you will never be bored as there are a lot of stellar moments that keep the energy high and fast.
So, while Kung Fu Panda 4 may not be on par with the original three films due to its standard story and lack of favourite characters, there is no doubt that families will have a more than pleasant time in this world once again.
