Cast: Jack Black, Awkwafina, Awkwafina, James Hongian, Ian McShane, Ke Huy Quan, Ronny Chieng, Lori Tan Chinn with Dustin Hoffman and Viola Davis
Genre: Family, Animation
Directed by: Mike Mitchell, Stephanie Stine
In Cinemas: 28th March 2024
In the much-anticipated instalment of DreamWorks Animation’s franchise, Kung Fu Panda 4, comedy heavyweight Jack Black reprises his role as Po, the unlikely kung fu master. However, despite Black’s return, the film fails to deliver the same charm and excitement as its predecessors. Po finds himself thrust into a new role as the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, a position he is ill-equipped to handle. The plot thickens with the emergence of a formidable villain, The Chameleon, voiced by Viola Davis, whose nefarious plans threaten to undo all of Po’s previous victories.
To combat this new threat, Po reluctantly teams up with Zhen, a cunning thief voiced by Awkwafina, forming an odd-couple dynamic that feels tired and uninspired. While the film boasts an impressive voice cast, including Dustin Hoffman, Bryan Cranston, and Ian McShane, their talents could be better spent on lacklustre dialogue and predictable character arcs. Even introducing new characters, such as Han, voiced by Ke Huy Quan, fails to inject much-needed freshness into the narrative.
Director Mike Mitchell and co-director Stephanie Stine fail to recapture the magic of the original Kung Fu Panda, relying heavily on recycled themes and tired jokes. The franchise’s once vibrant and imaginative world now feels stale and derivative. Despite its shortcomings, Kung Fu Panda 4 does offer moments of cartoonish silliness and entertaining energy that may appeal to younger audiences.
However, even they may find some of the film’s darker elements, particularly The Chameleon’s sinister plot, unsettling. In terms of visuals, the film maintains the high standard set by its predecessors, thanks to the efforts of production designer Paul Duncan and visual effects supervisor Betsy Nofsinger. However, flashy animation can only do so much to compensate for an unimaginative story and uninspired characters.
Ultimately, Kung Fu Panda 4 feels like a tired rehash of familiar tropes and characters that have long overstayed their welcome. While die-hard fans of the franchise may enjoy seeing their favourite characters on the screen once again, for others, the film offers little originality or excitement.
Overall: 5/10
Movie Reviewer
