KUNG FU PANDA 4 – A Review by John Strange
Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) wants Master Po (Jack Black) to move on in his progress towards enlightenment. To do this requires that he find a candidate to inherit the mantle of Dragon Warrior. Po is not quite ready for this.
The path to his enlightenment is studded with humor and action. The evil character DuJour for this sequel is The Chameleon (Viola Davis). She is as evil as they come. Her criminal dream is to add world-class kung fu fighting ability to her capabilities as a sorcerer.
Add to the mix, a wanted thief, Zhen (Awkwafina) whose main occupation seems to be to drive Po to distraction, all the while helping him track down The Chameleon.
This is a convoluted story that has lots of humor. And lots and lots of action. Deep down there is love of family and honor. Honor slips in and becomes Po’s mightiest weapon.
This is a great action film. The humor is well done. The use of the previous evildoers was brilliant. And of course, the level of voice talent in the film like Ian McShane (Tai Lung), Brian Cranston (Li Shan), and James Hong (Mr. Ping) added to the already high-level talent in Black, Davis, and Awkwafina, knocked this film out of the park.
I walked out of the screening with mixed feelings about the film. It was after I sat down and re-examined the story that I realized just how good it was. I give the film a strong 4.5 stars, only reduced by the fact that this film may go over the younger kids’ heads.
Director: Mike Mitchell, Stephanie Stine
Cast: Jack Black, Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Ian McShane, Ke Huy Quan
MPA Rating: PG for martial arts action/mild violence, scary images, and some mild rude humor.
Selig Rating: 4.5 Stars
Runtime: 90 Min.
Release Date: 03/08/2024
Language: English
Official Site: KUNG FU PANDA 4 Official Site
Trailer: KUNG FU PANDA 4 Trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
