After Shrek, Kung Fu Panda is DreamWorks’ only other franchise to have gotten at least four mainline movies (not counting spinoffs). This makes it arguably the next most popular franchise at the studio, and that’s not surprising, considering how great the first two movies were. The franchise experienced a drop in quality with 2016’s Kung Fu Panda 3, which resulted in the franchise slumbering for a bit. Is Kung Fu Panda 4 the franchise’s triumphant return?

Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting

Po (Jack Black) in Kung Fu Panda 4 directed by Mike Mitchell.

It’s been almost 8 years since the last Kung Fu Panda movie and even longer still since the very first one (2008!). It’s no wonder that Kung Fu Panda 4 is very much a legacy sequel of sorts. While the main focus is still on Jack Black’s panda Po as the protagonist, the narrative and character development are about him passing the torch. It’s the natural progression of his character. What more can he achieve after becoming a Kung Fu master? Passing his mantle to a successor, and in the case of Kung Fu Panda 4, that comes in the form of a fox named Zhen, played by Akwafina. If you’re not a kid, I know many must be groaning about having to hear Akwafina in yet another annoying animated role. However, surprisingly, she tones down her usual grating voice as Zhen, which results in a more earnest performance than she usually delivers.

Sometimes, legacy sequels like Kung Fu Panda 4 tend to shift the focus more on the new characters instead of the older ‘legacy’ ones. Thankfully, the spotlight of the movie is mostly still on Po instead of Zhen. Zhen doesn’t overshadow Po, so fans can rest assured that Po is still given proper screen time and respect. This is Po’s movie, and it’s not like Luke Skywalker in 2018’s Star Wars Episode VIII The Last Jedi. As for the animation and action scenes, they’re just okay, I’d say. Nothing to shout about, but there’s nothing bad to say about them either. Nothing comes close to the Tai Lung fight scenes in the first one or the massive climactic battle in the second one, but there are several fan-pleasing fight scenes in Kung Fu Panda 4. It would’ve been great to see a Kung Fu Panda movie animated like DreamWorks’ other recent movies such as 2022’s The Bad Guys or 2022’s Puss In Boots The Last Wish.

Some people may say that Kung Fu Panda 4 recycles or even rehashes certain elements from Kung Fu Panda 3 at first glance. It may seem that way, but Kung Fu Panda 4 does everything better than Kung Fu Panda 3 did and Kung Fu Panda 3 was extremely forgettable anyways.

(from left) Po (Jack Black) and Zhen (Awkwafina) in Kung Fu Panda 4 directed by Mike Mitchell.

In Kung Fu Panda 4, we finally see Po grow from being just the Dragon Warrior to becoming a master and mentor to future generations, which feels like a proper next step for the character, especially one that’s already been around for almost two decades at this point. In comparison, Kung Fu Panda 3 felt more like filler than Kung Fu Panda 4. While the new antagonist in Kung Fu Panda 4, Viola Davis’ The Chameleon, may not hold a candle to the likes of Ian McShane’s Tai Lung and Gary Oldman’s Lord Shen before her, she still feels miles more menacing and in line with those previous villains compared to the weak and forgettable General Kai (who was played by J.K. Simmons). That’s another major improvement that Kung Fu Panda 4 boasts over Kung Fu Panda 3.

That being said, there is one glaring flaw or omission in Kung Fu Panda 4. Fans of the franchise will lament over the absence of the iconic Furious Five. Perhaps DreamWorks couldn’t get all five actors to return for their roles but their absence still makes it feel like something big is missing from this movie, especially considering that they had significant parts during subplots in previous movies. In Kung Fu Panda 4, the role of the B-plot or subplot has been replaced by Ping and Li, with James Hong and Bryan Cranston reprising their roles. Their parts feel mostly like filler but at the very least we do get a few good jokes from them. What about the quality of the jokes and comedy in Kung Fu Panda 4? Not all of them land well, but a few were funny enough for me to laugh out loud and reminded me a bit of the first two movies. The jokes in Kung Fu Panda 4 may be inconsistent but at least they’re still better than what was in the third movie.

(Center) Chameleon (Viola Davis) in Kung Fu Panda 4 directed by Mike Mitchell.

The Dragon Warrior

(from left) The Chameleon (Viola Davis), (right) Tai Lung (Ian McShane) in Kung Fu Panda 4 directed by Mike Mitchell.

Overall, Kung Fu Panda 4 feels like a more deserving cap to the franchise compared to Kung Fu Panda 3. Does it reach the heights of the first two movies? Not really, but that’s actually a testament to how amazing those first two movies were. Still, Kung Fu Panda 4 is a movie worth watching that is at least not as underwhelming as Kung Fu Panda 3 was.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100

We attended a press screening of Kung Fu Panda 4 courtesy of United International Pictures Malaysia. Kung Fu Panda 4 is now showing in Malaysian cinemas.