Home

Emmy winner and Golden Globe® nominee Jack Black  returns as Po, the world’s most unlikely kung fu master, in this butt-kicking new chapter from DreamWorks Animation’s beloved action-comedy franchise: KUNG FU PANDA 4. After learning he must find a new hero to take over as Dragon Warrior so that he may fulfill his destiny as the next spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, Po decides to take one last adventurous mission. He teams up with a quick-witted thief named Zhen, voiced by Awkwafina, a corsac fox, to discover the truth about recent sightings of villains he’s defeated in the past. In a journey that puts both to the test, it will take a wicked, powerful sorceress, The Chameleon, voiced by Oscar® winner Viola Davis, to bring them together and remind Po that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places.

What We Thought:

Kung Fu Panda 4 was another solid hit at the box office. Four movies deep, the franchise is still going strong as families and fans continue to eat up these flicks. I had never actually seen any of them prior to this year and was quickly converted to being a fan. Jack Black’s Po is lovable with a heart of gold and brings tons of laughs with every movie.

This time around Po is looking for his replacement as Dragon Warrior, but soon crosses paths with a new enemy, a sorceress named Chameleon (voiced by Viola Davis). The Furious Five aren’t there to help him, but instead he’s joined by a new character voiced by Awkwafina. Fan favorites like Master Shifu, Mr. Ping and Li do return though so it’s a good mix of previous and new characters.

What I like about these films is that they are family friendly, but are also fun enough for adults. I don’t have kids of my own, but I can enjoy watching them alone or can also share them with my nieces and nephews because they are safe enough for them. There is martial arts, but nothing too violent and Po is just too lovable kicking butt and eating dumplings. Characters are fun and light and the story is always uplifting by the end with Po saving the day. If your family enjoyed the first three, they will like this one too.

My only real negative is that Awkwafina has grown a bit tiresome for me. Even in animated animal form, it feels like the same performance she’s been doing for years now. Ke Huy Quan is a new addition and he’s great as the boss of the Den of Thieves. If there is a spinoff movie or TV series I hope it’s with these new characters especially the young rabbits who steal every scene they are in.

Kung Fu Panda 4 looks stunning on 4K. The colors are vibrant and the sound quality is fantastic. It is jampacked with bonus features including a new short. The film doesn’t really bring anything new to the table and ultimately isn’t all that necessary, but I’m fine with that. These are kids movies after all, just be fun and family friendly. If your family likes the Shrek/Puss in Boots franchise and haven’t checked out Kung Fu Panda I highly recommend the films. If your family is already a fan then Kung Fu Panda 4 is…

Recommended!

BONUS FEATURES:

  • Dueling Dumplings – In this original short introduced by Jack Black and Awkwafina, Po and Zhen battle over whose dumplings reign supreme.
  • Mastering the Dumpling – Jack Black learns how to make dumplings with influencers Phil and Helen of WongFu Productions.
  • Bad Bunny Review – The Bad Bunnies give their unedited opinion on some scenes from the film. Set up as a “Screening Room” style piece, the Bad Bunnies add their own commentary.
  • Deleted Scenes
    • Dads on the Trail
    • Mahjong
  • Kung Fu Talking – Voicing an animated movie takes time, time spent in a small booth being spoken to through headphones as you try to inhibit a character that might not actually exist beyond a few simple sketches and under that pressure, crazy things often happen! And we’ve captured them, put them to music and serves them up for your pleasure in this hilarious montage of off mic moments!
  • Meet the Cast – From the Dragon Warrior himself to newcomer, Zhen, and a full cast of amazing characters in between, we get to know the voices behind some of our favorite roles in this series of short featurettes. Discover what attracted them to the role, what their motivation was and what parts of the character they took away with them after recording had finished.
    • Po
    • Zhen
    • The Chameleon
    • The Dads
  • Kung Fu Panda 4 All!! – Join us as we go behind the scenes to see how the fourth installment in the franchise was brought to life, what makes it different from the previous films and where we find Po and the gang in this new escapade. Featuring interviews with the filmmakers and cast as well as a plethora of concept art, storyboards, animation tests and ADR footage.
  • How to Draw – Enter our virtual dojo and join one of DreamWorks Animation’s talented artists as they show fans of the film “How to Draw” some of the characters in the film, and then watch in amazement as they come to life before your very eyes in a Shadow Puppet Theater.
    • Po
    • Zhen
    • The Chameleon
    • The Bad Bunnies
  • Shadow Puppet Theater – Using the amazing illustrations from the “How to Draw,” we will teach fans of the film how to create their very own Shadow Puppet Theater so they can bring Po and the gang to life and continue their many adventures.
  • Feature Commentary with Director Mike Mitchell, Co-Director Stephanie Ma Stine, Production Designer Paul Duncan, Head of Story Calvin Tsang, and Head of Character Animation Sean Sexton

Leave a comment