We’ve seen great anime series fail to make as many sequels as they make them, with diminishing returns. Here are some recent examples: How to Train Your Dragon, Despicable Me, CarsSuch Kung Fu Panda Another franchise that unfortunately falls into this category. The third movie, released in 2016, was chosen by many as the weakest installment of this beloved franchise. This made me quite skeptical that the world was ready for a return of this franchise. There was good reason not to get expectations too high, especially considering the weak marketing campaign and small production budget. To make matters worse, it was reported that the Furious Five would not be featured in the story.
I went with tempered expectations but was pleasantly surprised – it’s been 8 years since my last time. Kung Fu Panda The best thing about Po is that the film reminds the audience why he is so lovable and why we love him so much, which is one of the best things the filmmakers have done. Jack Black is such a natural fit for the voice of Po and in this latest film, he makes the character special with his wit and wisdom.
This film has a completely different structure than the other three. It focuses on Po’s search for a successor and his ascension to the position of Master of Peace. The main characters are separated quite early on in the film and sent off on separate adventures in a buddy cop style scenario. On one side we have Po and Awkwafina’s Jen, and on the other we have Bryan Cranston and James Hong as Po’s father. These two pairings are great fun in their own way.
Po and Zeng have a good boy/bad boy kind of relationship, while their fathers have a carefree brother kind of relationship. These two sets of misfits provide a series of humorous scenes that will make the audience laugh heartily. The humor works for the most part, except for one or two places, and the dialogue is very well written. The story, on the other hand, is the weakest part of the movie.
The structure is very conventional, there’s a very mundane twist early in the second half, and the screenplay generally fails to offer anything new. But it deserves credit for executing the sequel better than many films that have tried, especially Cars 3. The writers are committed to humor and entertainment, but they also provide some fascinating moments and subplots that come full circle.
The animation in this film is amazing, especially considering the significantly lower budget. The trailer doesn’t seem to give much away to the quality of the animation, but it’s really well done, if not Dreamworks’ finest work. The background music also hits the spot, both complementing and elevating the scenes. The voice cast is pretty solid as well; Jack Black is great as always, and Awkwafina’s Ke Huy Quan is a welcome addition.
Aside from Po, the best parts of the movie are Li and Ping. They are the heart and soul of the film. They have incredible chemistry together and Mike Mitchell found a way to bring out the best in both of them. They tease each other in such a ridiculous and quirky way that it’s fun to watch. I could see them getting a spin-off. Ian McShane’s return as Tai Lung is another highlight of the film. He fits in well and fits well with the story being told. On the other hand, Viola Davis’ Chameleon is a bit of a disappointment. For a villain with the same powers as all the previous villains, she was a pretty tame antagonist.
whole, Kung Fu Panda 4 is a return to the beloved series’ roots. It has much of what made the series successful and is a much-needed reminder of how much we love these characters, especially Po. Jack Black hits the mark with Bryan Cranston and James Hong as surprise standouts. It lacks the emotional depth of the first two films and the villain is disappointingly bland, but it’s a big improvement from its predecessors and is predictably very entertaining.
Kung Fu Panda 4 will be released in cinemas on March 8th.
