Kung Fu Panda 4 – Review

The third sequel to the somewhat groundbreaking original from 2008, Kung Fu Panda, can this fourth installment equal the surprising success of a recent entry in another venerable franchise which has also been around for quite a time (2001, to be precise): that of the Shrek spin-off Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (part of a multi-appearance franchise in its own right)?

**NOTE: this post may be updated with audio once we actually have the chance to talk about it. Until then, you can read Mark’s review below. Remember, though, you can listen to all our discussions of this and every other movie directly over on ACAST. Stay tuned.**

94 Minutes, Rated PG
Written by Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger, and Darren Lemke
Directed by Mike Mitchell and Stephanie Stine

Synopsis:

After Po is tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, he needs to find and train a new Dragon Warrior, while a wicked sorceress plans to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm.

The short answer to the question above is: No. No it can’t.

Not even close.

Forgetting for a moment that the Panda franchise is a Dreamworks property and Shrek/Puss in Boots is owned by Universal, the two characters seem to be coming at life from completely different directions. Po has always been a silly character, designed to entertain through his ineptitude and low-brow humor. Puss is a more mature creature: headstrong, confident, and tackles things a franchise like Kung Fu Panda would never… like the creeping spectre of death.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is so incredible because it combines fun and colorful adventures for children, while also addressing deeper issues in ways that make the film palatable to adults.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is, for lack of a better word, Not That.

Jack Black, whom I do enjoy, is basically a Lowest Common Denominator character in the Panda films. Panda 4 is no exception. We get laughs for the kids through fart jokes, cute-but-homicidal bunnies, and Awkwafina playing, well… Awkwafina.

That is to say, she’s playing the wacky side-kick, similar to her roles in Crazy Rich Asians and Shang-Chi, she’s there to motor-mouth, belittle the protagonist through personal insults, but who eventually finds themselves doing the right thing.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is fine for children under 10. They won’t need more than this film gives us, which is a by-the-numbers exercise is content generation. There is literally not a single plot point or character action in this film that you don’t see coming and can check off the bingo card:

In so many words, Po must choose a successor as Dragon Warrior, as he is being “promoted,” but he fears change and doesn’t believe he is destined for more than being Dragon Warrior (a position he didn’t believe he could do, either…). He refuses, but captures a talented thief, Zhen (Awkwafina), stealing from the Jade Palace.

Tai Lung appears to have returned, and Po must find an evil sorceress, The Chameleon (Viola Davis… great villain, as always), to stop her from releasing all master villains from the spirit realm.

There’s a betrayal (shockingnotshocking), as The Chameleon’s plan is very similar to Master Kai’s plan from Kung Fu Panda 3, involving the power of those masters.

You get the idea.

Look, kids are, in fact going to enjoy this movie for the colorful spectacle it is, but for the parents, the only high points might be the Asian-inspired instrumental rendition of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” and perhaps Jack Black’s version of Britney Spears’ “(Hit me) Baby One More Time” that runs over the credits.

Otherwise, this movie is going to make a lot of family money, though probably not Mario money. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dreamworks isn’t already developing a fifth installment, as (let me put on my Wonk hat, here) the Return on Investment/cost-benefit breakdown surely supports such a move.

This is the Hollywood we have, now, folks.

Kung Fu Panda 4 hits theaters this Friday and features the voices of Jack Black, Awkwafina, Dustin Hoffman, Bryan Cranston, James Hong, Viola Davis, Ian McShane, Ke Huy Quan, and Ronny Chieng.

And remember, if the BEST thing you can say about a movie is that it’s “visually stunning,” then they’ve done something wrong.

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