Kung Fu Panda 4 review – Everybody was kung-fu fighting

There’s something about the number three that just feels right, you know? Trilogies are a frequent occurrence in literature and Hollywood cinema, especially for this very reason. But what about fours? Quadrilogies are a much less common occurrence, presumably because the addition of a fourth instalment initially breaks the perception, we have that a trilogy is somehow satisfying. Whether this is true or not (probably not), most Hollywood studios’ solution to this problem is to use the fourth instalment as a hard reboot à la Mad Max: Fury Road.

Others choose to go for a soft reboot, by pairing the iconic franchise hero with a plucky young individual who is a possible successor, testing the waters and putting the franchise in a position where it can pivot in a new direction with a new star if needed (see: Indiana Jones 4 with the addition of Shia LaBeouf, or Thor: Love and Thunder with Natalie Portman, and even Despicable Me 4, coming later this year, features the introduction of one Gru Jr.).

Kung Fu Panda 4 is another such addition to the catalogue of quadrilogies, a very soft reboot that, while continuing Po’s adventures, removes him from the Fast Five and introduces him to a potential successor. While it offers some fun action and humour, it ultimately struggles to escape the trap of clichés that filmmakers are faced with once you’ve squeezed most of the magic out of a franchise in earlier movies.

Kung Fu Panda: 4 the future

In the last instalment, Dragon Warrior Po had to deal with the responsibility of leading the Furious Five, whilst reuniting with his long-lost father Li Shan. Now, Master Shifu arrives to inform him that it is time for Po to ascend to become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, meaning he must choose a successor to replace him as the Dragon Warrior. He stops a tricky and resourceful fox (whom we later know as Zhen) from stealing ancient weapons and has her arrested.

Unfortunately, though, there’s news of Tai Lung’s return, and Zhen informs Po that this is the work of The Chameleon (dun dun dun!), a shapeshifting sorceress who is hell-bent on stealing and absorbing the kung-fu abilities of Po’s vanquished enemies.

In Kung Fu Panda 4, Po is still that bumbling, brave dumpling-loving goofball we remember from previous films. He shows an ability to solve problems without getting away from his unending belief in the goodness of others. It’s this that ultimately gets Zhen out of prison, and into the film as one of its main (and best) characters.

If there’s any problem with Po, it’s that he’s almost too good. He’s so far into his journey as the Dragon Warrior that he can find a solution to almost any problem (even if he winds up creating more on the way). He has little doubt, no existential fears. Everybody loves him, his fathers get along, and his belief in others is almost always rewarded. His only problems are how strong and powerful the villain he is currently facing is, and he always overcomes those, too. It’s a shame the movie doesn’t use this to have Po ponder his mortality as a warrior.

Zhen’s backstory is simple and run-of-the-mill. She’s an orphaned fox who learned to steal and hustle on the busy streets of Juniper City. She creates an interesting dynamic throughout — with her confident and brash personality — countering Po’s frantic and uncertain energy. And it’s here where most of the film’s comedy chops are put to the test.

Mortal Combat

If you were at all stressed about Kung Fu Panda 4 fumbling its villain, don’t be. You can thank Viola Davis’ amazing and electrifying performance for that, dominating any scene she’s given space to run around — creating what turned out to be a rather formidable foe — for both Po and the writers.

Unfortunately, it’s here where the film stumbles a bit. After a life of constant rejection for her size, The Chameleon decides to master kung-fu by way of sorcery. It’s unclear why exactly her goals are beyond becoming the supreme kung-fu practitioner. Is it for pride? To be loved? To be feared? If so, why? Her master plan is a great undertaking of effort, but her motivation for it is a little thin.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is packed with well-choreographed action scenes, but you probably already guessed that. Though they aren’t filled with as much originality as previous films, they’re still fun and kinetic. The film’s final showdown is its crowning achievement, as expected, offering up a visual spectacle befitting the Kung Fu Panda name. Even so, we’d have liked to see The Chameleon take on a few more action sequences throughout the film.

Kung Fu Panda 4 verdict

It’s hard to inject freshness and novelty with each new entry of an established franchise — especially when you’re nearing a fifth instalment. As the well of great and original ideas runs out, filmmakers and producers play it safe, staying away from bold creative choices that risk alienating fans and thus, shrinking that box office haul. This results in a product that is ‘just fine’, as long as it’s profitable. And that’s what Kung Fu Panda 4 is: just fine. It’s filled with fun action scenes and some good humour, but its fear of daring storytelling choices leaves the story vulnerable to the cliché, betraying a lack of the out-of-the-box storytelling that made previous movies so great.

If you have a hard time with this, you may find the story too predictable. This is not likely to be a problem for the children, though. The movie is packed with enough action and humour to keep them entertained for the relatively short 1:30-hour runtime. Kung Fu Panda 4 promises to be yet another fun and colourful experience for the little ones, especially if they love action heroes. The adventures of Po the Dragon Warrior continue in this film with colourful landscapes and fight scenes, and a cast of side characters with their own funny quirks. The animation is good, and the voice cast does a wonderful job.

Kung Fu Panda 4 releases in theatres this Friday, 22 March 2024.