Movie Review: Kungfu Panda 4

There aren't many animations that have grown from being a single installment to a worthy franchise. Kungfu Panda introduced us to an unusual hero who's kindness, pureness of heart and determination earned him the position of the Dragon Warrior. In this latest installement, Po doesn't just have to face a villain, but also himself.

Quick Recap

Po must choose a successor to be the next Dragon Warrior as he takes his place as the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. While the idea of a promotion may sound enticing to anyone, Po had other things in mind.

The Villain 🦎

You have to give it to the producers. A Chameleon is an unlikely enemy. In its natural habitat, it’s the least to be frightened about as it blends ever so casually into the environment. Taking that ability to blend and then upgrading it to shapeshifting made the entire villainship insane. Not only was it menacing and intimidating, it was also worrisome as anyone could be the Chameleon.

Viola Davis brought her A-game to the voicing and delivered on every mood, tone and pitch required per scene. The funniest scene was the blood moon scene where she just boycott the whole thing and went straight to the point. I love when villains don’t waste time in getting to their evil deeds. It proves the writers want to give the hero a good challenge and not just a simple victory.

The Fox🦊

I knew the fox was shady. Duh! It’s in the name, already. Was it predictable that she would be his choice? Yes. It was. Did I forsee a trap? Actually, I didn’t. Akwafina has proven that she can act and has a natural talent for voicing, too. Though, it may be nice to see her pull some range with her voice. (Like Bradley Cooper did for Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy). I have no doubt she would make a great successor and Dragon Warrior.

Master Shifu

Most animations try to be too happy and joyful and accepting, but one can clearly see that Shifu has been struggling with Ogway’s choice since the very get-go. From choosing Po over Tigress as the Dragon Warrior, to giving Po the Staff of Wisdom. He wants to be the Spiritual Leader and we can see that it’s not easy for him to watch Po take that role, but as an adult and one who understands that life works differently than hoped, he tries to accept it. Despite his disapproval of the Fox, I have no doubt he’ll come around— eventually.

Honourable Mentions

The sketch artist deserves a raise. The speed at which he delivered those portraits was impressive.

The bunnies from Juniper City are nothing like Kevin Hart in the Secret Life of Pets. The switch from adorable to monstrous was truly incredible to watch and they way the thieves misinterpreted the statements from Zhen and Po was just ludicrous.😂

Po 🐼

“Inner peace. Inner peace. Inner peace. Dinner, please.”

I laughed😂🤣🤣 a lot there. Po has and will always be about food, so much that he rhymed inner peace with dinner please.

What a 🐼!

In the first installment we saw how Po had to battle stairs to witness the Dragon Warrior ceremony and after successfully crashing it, he was chosen. While many, especially Shifu felt it was a mistake, Ogway remained stoic in his choice ensuring Po was trained in Kungfu. When it comes to overcoming obstacles, Po has always emerged victorious, albeit not without one or two missteps. In this fourth take, we find him struggling to let go of his position. Not because of pride or ego but out of familiarity.

Fight Scenes

The fight scenes had some cool effects but my favourite part was when they merged bad Po with good Po. That was cool.Also, when Chameleon merged every villain’s power and manifested into them. I tell you, if I were Po, I would also be impressed.

The Future

One of the best voice castings in any animation, is Jack Black as Po. His carriage and inner child is the perfect synergy for Po and if you know Jack Black, you know he acts like Po real life, too. With the inclusion of this “handover” I wonder if maybe this is the end. I wouldn’t want a Kungfu Panda without the Panda in it and I don’t see how Akwafina can carry this franchise. This isn’t doubting her skills as an actor, but there are some changes that just shouldn’t happen. I guess only time will tell.

The Message

Po is a clear-cut example of the many times we find it difficult to let go of our comfort zone because we feel we can’t handle what’s next or feel it’s out of our league. His major argument about not choosing a successor surrounded the idea that he wasn’t wise enough and was only good at Kungfu and dumpling. But the movie proves otherwise. He is wise and smart, maybe not in the conventional way, but he is.

It’s natural to not want to let go of familiarity. Heck, it’s difficult to even fathom the idea of trying out something scarily new, but like Po, we are reminded that new isn’t bad and there’s absolutely nothing to be scared of. The same way we overcame the previous zone to arrive at where we are now, is the same way we just have to keep overcoming.

Overall, the plot wasn’t entirely unpredictable. You could tell what would happen, but this time, it wasn’t about the destination, but the journey. The journey that allowed Po not only find himself but also his successor.

An awesome watch!

Skadooosh!!!