Kung Fu Panda 4 Review: Po's Undeserved Farewell

In this Kung Fu Panda 4 review, we revisit the beloved franchise that has captured hearts for years. After an eight-year break, Kung Fu Panda returns to theaters with high expectations. However, the initial wave of nostalgia quickly fades. The film’s rushed storyline and lack of depth leave fans disappointed. Po’s journey as the Dragon Warrior ends without the grand finale he truly deserved.

Plot & Storytelling

The movie begins with Master Shifu realizing that Po’s time as the great Dragon Warrior has come to an end. Po must now become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace and choose his successor. While this seems like a fitting conclusion for the series, the execution falls flat. Po’s role as the Dragon Warrior feels too brief, and his transition to a mentor seems rushed. The unexpected news catches Po and the audience off guard, leaving us wanting more explanation.

At the same time, there is the emergence of a new enemy, “The Chameleon.” The antagonist, with a rather unimaginative name, is a chameleon that can change into the form of all of Po’s archenemies. Her goal is to acquire Po’s Staff of Wisdom to gain access to the spirit realm and complete the final part of her sinister plan.

In a timely fashion, Po’s path intersects with a sly fox named Zhen, voiced by Golden Globe winner Awkwafina. Despite Zhen being a thief, Po and Zhen quickly establish a mutual interest in working together to head on a quest to Juniper City to stop “The Chameleon.” However, it is also painfully obvious that Zhen will undergo a positive character transformation making the storyline incredibly predictable.

Out of fear for Po’s safety on this new quest, Po’s fathers decide to venture together to ensure Po’s safety as he takes on this new challenge. This unnecessary subplot doesn’t add much value to the film. The film would have been better off with the extra runtime used to expand on the main storyline.

While the movie does end as one would expect it to, it does feel that the producers left a lot on the table. The movie’s climax was a bit underwhelming, with stale and uninspired fight scenes and an overall lack of flair.

Perhaps one of the biggest misses from the film was the absence of the Furious Five. While they do make a cameo in the credit scenes, their inclusion would have made for more exciting action scenes. Plus, if this is to be the last of the Kung Fu Panda movies, then one final battle against The Chameleon which brings back the original characters would have been a much better send-off.

The absence of a spiritual theme diminishes the distinctive charm of the franchise, replaced instead by unoriginal and juvenile elements.

Character Development & Dialogue

Due to the rushed pacing of the film, several characters, especially “The Chameleon,” had underdeveloped backstories. Understanding the motivations behind her villainous actions proved to be a challenge when it came to connecting with her character. The film’s inclusion of all the master villains serves to underscore Tai Lung as the best of the villains. His magnetic presence, captivating style, and commanding aura outshine all other antagonists.

In terms of dialogue, the comedic odd couple duo of Jack Black and Awkwafina do appear to have a good dynamic. One notable cameo was that of comic Ronny Chieng as Captain Fish. His character brought some much-needed freshness to the movie embracing Ronny’s directness.

Unfortunately, the script fails to leave any room for audience speculation or anticipation, making the plot predictable and less engaging. Some of the jokes manage to elicit genuine laughter, but it becomes clear that the film prioritizes quantity over quality. Many “humorous” exchanges are needlessly prolonged and ultimately fail to hit the mark.

Animation & Visual Effects

The animation and visual effects were what you would expect from any DreamWorks film features. Nevertheless, the artwork and special effects in this film lacked anything distinctive or noteworthy.

The kung fu choreography in the movie is not as good as it was in previous movies and lacks creativity. Po’s mad martial arts skills were not adequately demonstrated in the movie; instead, Zhen’s skills received much more attention than Po’s throughout. The action sequences were also short and lacked any flair, particularly during the climax of the film.

Entertainment Value

Overall, the film does offer fair entertainment value through its formulaic and predictable plot, with the producers opting to play it safe. While the film is worth watching, its rewatchability is debatable. Unlike the previous films, Kung Fu Panda 4 does not give anything particularly noteworthy or lingering that will compel you to relive the experience.

Final Thoughts

This fourth movie in the Kung Fu Panda series may be the last we see of Po, but maybe it’s for the best. It’s unfortunate that Po perhaps didn’t get the big finale he deserved. The spiritual nuances of Kung Fu Panda also seem to be missing in the film, which made the brand unique, emphasizing how the film has lost its charm. So as an audience, we perhaps need to find our inner peace knowing that the first film will remain the best of the Kung Fu Panda series.