Kung Fu Panda 4 Movie Review: A predictable yet uproarious addition to the franchise

Po’s introduction in Kung Fu Panda 4 is narrated by his newfound biological father Li Shen, who says, “If I know our son, he's just kicking back and catching some rays.” Now, our mind immediately imagines Po lying on a beach chair, with a Hawaiin hat, catching some sun to get the right tan. Instead, he is wearing a superhero cape, swinging his hands in the air, and throwing punches against a rayfish, to protect his people. The punny humour in Kung Fu Panda 4 begins right at the get-go, just like its predecessors. And all we’re expected to do is fasten our seatbelts for a hilarious, but extremely predictable ride ahead. 

Director: Mike Mitchell

Cast: Jack Black, Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong,  Bryan Cranston

Po (Jack Black) is tasked with defeating the toughest of his enemies, the shape-shifting villainous sorceress, The Chameleon. Instead of his furious five, he teams up with Zhen (Awkwafina), the fox, to take on the sorceress and sustain peace in the valley. 

By now, it is amply evident that every Kung Fu Panda sequel follows a pre-set template. The villain is introduced. Shifu advises Po to level up. Po finds it difficult to make progress. Then, as he finds himself in trouble, Po achieves the unachievable and saves the day. Despite this predictability, we enjoy watching Po Kung Fu his way through the bad guys, as we have done for the last three times.

Zhen, the thieving fox who partners with Po to outwit The Chameleon, is a delightful addition to the franchise. At a point in the film, we forget the animation, the story, and become engrossed by Awkwafina's infectious energy. Whether it's Po's hilarious attempts to teach her "Skadoosh" (which only comes out of her mouth as "Skablam"), or when they try to escape an army of sleeping lizards but get caught because of a fart, their chemistry is pure magic. So much so that in a film about Kung Fu, the most satisfying scene is one where Zhen hugs Po. 

However, we do miss The Furious Five - Tigress, Viper, Monkey, Mantis, and Crane, characters who became fan favourites through the years. The film attempts to compensate for their absence by pitting Po against all his past nemeses - Tai Lung, Lord Shen, and General Kai - who are resurrected by the villainous Chameleon. Even a glimmer of Grand Master Oogway's return would have been warmly welcomed, but sadly, that wish remains unfulfilled. Although the new entrants to the franchise are enthralling, the old ones are terribly missed. 

One of the most interesting things about the Kung Fu Panda franchise is how it aptly captures the characteristics of every animal portrayed. When goats greet each other at the beginning of the film, they say ‘hey’ like ‘mehheheh’. An armadillo rolls into itself and opens up with a bang, every time it fights villains. While these are still smaller details, it is the Chameleon that catches one's eye, an evil shape-shifter, who is voiced by the brilliant Viola Davis.

Somewhere amidst the Kung Fu and the comedy, the film talks about the politics regarding denied opportunities. Through a character like The Chameleon, we are shown the evils of denying people opportunities based on a person's appearance, birth, or gender. And through Zhen, the film conveys a message of what poverty can do to a person, and how anybody and everybody is susceptible to change. While not compromising on entertaining elements like slapstick humour, wordplay, and action comedy, the film still manages to convey the heavier themes at its heart.\

At the end of the day, Kung Fu Panda 4 is a mixed bag, no doubt. Does it bring anything new to the table? Not really. But does it shut off your brain and make you enjoy some Kung Fu cuteness for its runtime? Absolutely! When you walk out of the theatres, you have two choices. You could either judge the film for all its weaknesses. Or you could follow Po's advice, “Sometimes the greatest dishes come from the most unlikely ingredients,” and understand that this is a film made of unlikely ingredients but flavourful nonetheless.