The tale of a lovable and entertaining panda with mad martial art skills continued this month with the release of its latest installment.
“Kung Fu Panda 4” came out on March 8 and revisits the story of Po, a big and comedic panda voiced by Jack Black.
This series began back in 2008 with the original DreamWorks Animation film. Back then, Po was leading a mediocre life which included helping his dad cook and serving in his family restaurant.
One day, Po’s life changed when he sees a poster about a competition to become the new Dragon Warrior, a title given to the strongest Kung Fu master.
He decides to give it a shot and in a surprising turn of events, Po becomes the Dragon Warrior despite not knowing any Kung Fu.
“Kung Fu Panda” showcases an unprepared Po having to overcome his self doubt and fight one of the greatest warriors of all time in order to protect his home and loved ones.
The story continues with its sequel, “Kung Fu Panda 2”, where Po learns to come to terms with his past. A couple of years later in “Kung Fu Panda 3”, Po is reunited with his biological father.
Now, “Kung Fu Panda 4” begins with OG antagonist Tai Lung (Ian McShane) attacking a flock of sheep, warning the audience of his return.
The movie cuts to Po and both his fathers enjoying the opening of their new noodle shop.
The enjoyment was short lived because Master Shifu, Po’s mentor who is voiced by Dustin Hoffman, tells Po that he needs to find a successor to become the next Dragon Warrior.
Po, taken aback by this, expresses that he doesn’t feel that there is a need for another Dragon Warrior at the moment. Unfortunately for Po, Master Shifu is adamant that he look for someone to eventually take his place.
While Po meditates and asks the universe for advice, he notices someone sneaking into the Jade Palace and follows them.
After an intense chase and fight, the thief is caught and reveals herself to be a fox named Zhen (Awkwafina).
Then, the sheep from the beginning of the movie tell Po that Tai Lung has returned and is terrorizing the valley.
Zhen becomes an important character later in the movie as she and Po work together to defeat the villan, who is revealed to be different than they appear.
Overall, this fourth installment of the Kung Fu Panda series is an entertaining and reminiscent movie to be enjoyed by all ages.
Throughout the movie, Po faces many formidable challenges as he learns the importance of friendship and trust.
But “Kung Fu Panda 4” didn’t give the same feeling as the rest of the series. At times itt felt like Po was portrayed as a sort of side character and the main focus was on his partner Zhen, the sly fox.
The movie contained little character development from Po, and what was shown was often overshadowed by Zhen.
Although the main focus of the movie was to find a successor to become the Dragon Warrior, “Kung Fu Panda 4” could have done a better job focusing on Po and how he grows throughout the movie, like the previous films did.
Another issue that downgrades the movie was how the Furious 5 barely made an appearance in this film. The Furious 5 is a big part of the Kung Fu Panda series and without them, the movie didn’t feel right.
“Kung Fu Panda 4” is a decent continuation of the Kung Fu franchise, but when compared to the other movies, it felt a bit underwhelming.
