User reviews

Gorgeous visuals, fun combats, and lots of variety in characters; I feel children, especially those who belong to the age bracket of 5-10, will have a great time with it.

However, teenagers or matured adults may have reservations about the film, particularly those who have grown up with this series and hold the franchise in high regard. They would notice the diminishing charm, the losing essence, and the fading magic of the storytelling that was once prominent but now are gone.

The franchise has regrettably become a cash-cow, which serves nothing but one lone purpose: to mint money for the studio and their executives. I think they should stop now!

This movie did not respect the background of the previous ones or the development of the characters, everything is very predictable and basic. Comedy is getting worse and worse; even if I prefer the humor of the first two movies, the third managed to get some laughs out of me, this one didn't. I wish the directors understood that what made the first two films successful was how deep the story was and how well the characters were developed, something that was lost in this one. Yes, it's a movie for kids, but the previous ones were also and they still managed to touch on dark themes and be enjoyable for adults; I'm currently 22 years old and I never got tired of watching Kung Fu Panda 2, laughing, crying and getting emotional like when I was 11. But this one is just forgettable.

I think the title of my review says it all. If I had to come up with a word to describe the film, it would merely be, "passable." I chuckled a couple of times and my kids (6 & 7) loved it. At the end of the day, I suppose that's money well spent. That being said, I am a huge fan of many DreamWorks franchises, including the first 3 KFP films, with the 3rd installment being the weakest of them, but still a good time. Compared to KP4, which didn't really add anything to the franchise, the 3rd film is a masterpiece. I found the pacing and the humor of KP4 all over the map. It felt like the film was rushing the audience along without time to really feel any of the emotions it wanted us to feel. It felt like a Saturday morning cartoon rather than a memorable addition to the KFP film canon.

So, in the end, I'm glad my kids loved it because I am promptly going to forget everything about this movie. When I think of KFP, scenes like Po finding inner peace in the ruins of his village in KFP 2 will always readily come to mind. I will continue to laugh at the jokes in the first 3 films, but even now I'm struggling to recall the best jokes of KFP4 and I just saw it not even an hour ago. The best, most enduring part of this movie is callback to villains of the previous films. Otherwise, it was one big colorful, fast-paced "Meh."

The kids will enjoy it though.

You can REALLY feel the writers and actors strike with this one. It wasnt *terrible,* but it was just really lame and a major step down from all the previous KFP movies. Yes, even the third one. Not as much of a step down as megamind 2 mind you, but its definitely there. Firstly they ditched a lot of the voice actors from the original series, and so what they did was they either shoehorned them out of the story with some lame excuse, or just not gave them lines and just had them appear silent. The emotional depth is there, but again, its just a step down from what we've grown to expect from kung fu panda. The movie has a lot of filler and pointless subplots, po is reduced to a whiny baby in the first 10 minutes of the movie, the pacing is off, and the villain, OH MAN the villain was weak. Again, not the worst thing in the world, but her motives were purely contradictory from things that were established in the movies universe, shes never portrayed as a real threat. (remember back in KFP 2 when it was stated that lord shen literally killed a king fu master early on? The worst thing the chameleon does in this movie is push a guy down a flight of stairs. Oh no.) the action was there i guess, it had some creative and somewhat exciting action scenes, the animation was pretty good overall, especially with the chameleons morphs (Probably just because there isnt an "animators strike" going on as well) its definitely kung fu panda, but it just feels like they forgot a couple ingredients for the stew, so to speak. It just ended up being a step down from what we were expecting. Not terrible, just disappointing.

My wife and I caught Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) in theaters last night. The storyline introduces a new villain, a chameleon with shape-shifting abilities, aiming to take over the world. The chameleon seeks to use the staff Po received in Kung Fu Panda 3 to open a gateway to another dimension, summon kung fu masters, and steal their powers to become unstoppable. Simultaneously, Po must find his replacement to train as the next Dragon Warrior. Can Po save the world and find his apprentice simultaneously?

Co-directed by Mike Mitchell (Trolls) and Stephanie Stine (Major Motion Picture debut), the film features the voices of Jack Black (School of Rock), Viola Davis (The Help), Awkwafina (Crazy, Rich, Asians), Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie), James Hong (Big Trouble in Little China), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), and Ke Huy Quan (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom).

The animation, animal universe, and the introduction of the new villain were excellent, as always. Viola Davis was a great addition, but Awkwafina's presence felt awkward and annoying. The absence of the Furious Five was noticeable, and the two-father subplot was just okay. The film strikes a good balance between lessons and comedy, and kept us laughing throughout. While the ending was rewarding, it didn't quite match the brilliance of previous films in the series.

In conclusion, Kung Fu Panda 4 offers a fun, above-average animated experience but stands as the weakest link in the series. I'd score it a 6/10 and recommend seeing it once.

To be honest the 8 year wait to see po action again was a bit disappointing (for me personally) a hollow one hour and thirty four minute run time.

It seems like they have run out of ideas and are pushing too hard to make it, but this film is still enjoyable to watch (not to the point of falling into the trash category)

I will tell you about the shortcomings of the Kung Fu Panda sequel this time (in my personal opinion)

-Unchallenging enemies

-more inclined to comedy than action, even then there are some comedies that actually force the audience to laugh

-and finally a non-dramatic ending

That's the review from me, one of the viewers from Indonesia.

After many years, '' Kung Fu Panda Four '' returns with Po 'maturing' and ready for new adventures.

First of all, I did find this movie better than the third one. It was nice to see the old villains back (which makes this movie difficult to watch if you haven't watched the previous ones, as many of the jokes and the charms of the movie will be lost), and there were enough funny moments to keep things light.

And, sure, the plot of the movie was predictable, but it was, overall, enjoyable, and the characters lovable, even the new ones. The villain was interesting, moreover, but too basic in the end.

Personally I loved it the visuals the fighting. However the story telling is obviously shaky but let's be honest we all saw that coming so why not just embrace and enjoy? Seeing this movie brought a part of my childhood back. Another part I don't agree with Po's successor just feels a little rushed.

I think the movie should have been longer after all Kung fu Panda 4 is a literal money grab. The essence isn't really there the style is different but that's acceptable if the movie is decent. I can see what they are going for but couldn't execute it perfectly. Despite all this Jack Blacks performance was amazing. Keep an open mind and just have fun.

Probably the weakest of the franchise. Don't get me wrong, I had a lot of fun watching it. Four movies in, the charm is still there, and the chemistry between Po and Zhen were great. The charm might be there, but the emotion is missing. The villain was very weak and brought the movie down to me. What the first three were able to do were truly special with how they were able to bring humanity to the villains by connecting them to our heroes we love so much. That wasn't there for the Chameleon, but that being said. It's a new story, and it's time to let go of the past, don't worry it'll always be there.

Possibly a surprise to see the infamous Jack Black again with more excitement in his iconic adorable character, Po this time will have to be a teacher for an upcoming dragon warrior and that could possibly be an interesting concept. However, the film sins in its antagonist who becomes irredeemable and inconsistent, but these are not obstacles to buying some popcorn and going to the cinema to enjoy with the little ones a great adventure around China with Jack Black, Awkwafina, James Hong, Bryan Cranston among other renowned actors.

It may not have the charm of the first two films, but it could be interesting.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is easily the weakest instalment as it lacks the emotional heft that made the trilogy so great but it's still a fun and fast paced 90 minute adventure that makes sure Po still grows as a character by the end. A predictable story that has charm and heart as it shows you're never done learning.

Jack Black just isn't capable of phoning it in at this point, once again bringing 100% and imbuing Po with the same energy and endearing quality that he had from the beginning. Awkwafina is the ideal counterpart for this double act and their chemistry almost makes up for the lack of the furious five.

Viola Davis brings a commanding presence and some solid humour to the chameleon which is needed more than ever considering how weak the villain's motivation is. Bryan Cranston and James Hong remain a wonderful double act and Ian McShane deserved something more substantial for Tai Lung's long awaited return.

Director Mike Mitchell and co-director Stephanie Ma Stine ensure the action has the speed and satisfying choreography whilst taking time for some stylish flourishes. The animation is as vibrant and detailed as usual, keeping the same style as before opposed to a post Spider-verse reinvention.

The score by Hans Zimmer and Steve Mazzaro disappointingly goes unnoticed for the most part, which kinda felt like a given. Anytime it does stand out it's only because it's using some of the pieces from the previous films which are always a joy to hear and still evoke so many emotions.

This movie was really okay, and it had a pretty decent plot (nothing different though).

The main thing I was quite pleased at with Kung Fu Panda 4 was the animation and visualization. It was unique, pretty different than the others.

Nothing too vibrant, colorful, crazy, sharp, you name it. It was just perfect. Props to the animators for that.

It's pretty good for the kids, and as for the adults, there aren't any corny jokes. In fact, the jokes in Kung Fu Panda 4 was decent. I had a few giggle in here and there.

Overall, Kung Fu Panda 4 is pretty decent, you should definitely give it a watch. 7.4/10.

Rating: 7.3 Overall, a pretty good installment in the franchise as the film is animated very well and has noticable voice acting performances, but the movie is not as strong as the first three because its tailored more towards children and feels like a cash grab.

Pretty Good Direction (The macroscale is very good as they once again take a simple plot and make the most out of it, going above and beyond with more advanced visuals and grand fighting scenes; the microscale is pretty good as the interpersonal momenets felt very similiar to the other movies in the franchise, but the movie is less deep this time around as they try more to entertain rather than finding personal messages; the storytelling is very similiar to other children's movies, and while it is different this time around by have multiple storylines, this makes the movie more shallow), Good Acting (Very Good from Jack Black (Carries where he left off as he continues to show how Po was tailored to his real-life personality), Good to Very Good from Awkwafina (Does a good job in portraying a holistic character and really embodies the character as it seems like it is really tailored to her personality/mannerisms), Good to Very Good from Viola Davis (Does a good job in using her experience playing villians to bring this one to life as this was probably the best villian in the whole series), Good from Dustin Hoffman (Continues his performance from the previous movies, and while he is given more screentime this time around, it is pretty noticable that he has aged since the last movie), Good to Very Good from James Hong (Continues to give the character life and has really good chemistry with Jack Black and Bryan Cranston, but its noticable he has aged since the last one as he does not have the same energy as the last film (but he's 95 so I give him a big pass on this one)), Very Good from Bryan Cranston (An improved performance this time around as it feels like he's tailored the performance more to his comedic style and is given more to work with), Pretty Good from Ian McShane (Continues where he left off in the first film), Good from Ke Huy Quan (Does well in the screentime he is given), Pretty Good from the rest of the cast (All the supporting performances really feel like they are buttressing the main cast)), Pretty Good Story (The concept is kinda forced this time around as it feels like an unnecessary story (even though they do carry it out well); the plot structure is laid out well as it does not try to overcomplicate the story (has one simple conflict and uses its short runtime to resolve this); flow between sequences is good; character writing is pretty good as they do a good job in showing the dimensions of the other characters, but it really feels like they did not give Po as much depth this time around), Good Screenplay (The dialogue is pretty sharp for a children's movie, but there are some forced lines; the humor is good for the most part, but is really geared towards children more this time around; the symbolism is more forced than present as the movie is pretty shallow in its message; the foreshadowing is more predictable this time around as you know where the movie is going within the first 10 minutes), Pretty Good to Good Score (Used well throughout the movie and still incorporates many Chinese tones, but does not feel as strong as the previous three films), Very Good Editing (Really shines in the scenes where they mix animation styles as well as the fighting scenes; a good amount of the cuts felt seamless; probably the best in the series), Good Sound, Very Good to Great Visual Effects (The most polished film in the franchise as they seamlessly incorporate different animation styles and do a great job in bringing to life the world and the fighting scenes; the visual effects are held back a bit because a lot of the new character designs feel very similiar to 'Zootopia'), Pacing was very good for its short runtime as every scene felt intended and the right length, Climax is executed well as it shows off the film's animation excellence as well as the display the message/ close the storyline they intended to have in this movie, Tone feels more like a children's movie this time around as they really try to force laughs and please the younger audience, The movie just feels unnecessary and does not really provide anything worth towards Po's character arc.

A Shameless Cash-grab for a Beloved long running animated series. Everything Po was, is and became through the last 3 movies started from 'Becoming the Dragon warrior', to 'Finding about his Past, his Heritage, His People, His Core..' was rather swiftly or otherwise substantially undone. Dreamworks should've stuck to their writing pads and should've concentrated on expanding the lore of the characters had been already introduced than diluting the universe of characters that were introduced in previous movies. (I'm saying this as an Movie-only watcher; I haven't verified whether the universe has been in a way that doesn't make viewers: Adults, Youngsters or Children feel excessively Juvenile) Sufficient to say, This Partially or Completely Unecessary belonging in the perfect Kung Fu Panda Trilogy. It'd have been better if A Furious 5 movie would've been made, I'd have rather watch that than this disappointment of a movie or whatever this ended up becoming..

LIKES:

Great Animation -DreamWorks has created another fantastic world filled with stunning design and animation.

-Fluid movement combined with great animation makes a fantastic place to enjoy the adventure, loaded to the nines with that same splendor found in Kung Fu Panda.

-The animals hold so much personality, which when mixed with the gorgeous setting, creates a vivid world that is pleasing to the eyes, especially in 3-D.

Strong Voice Acting -A fabulous cast comes together to bring the animals to life in ways that create engaging characters.

-Jack Black is the martial arts mammal and is still as ridiculous as ever with his clumsy, goofy, and naïve self that continues to melt our hearts. Somehow, he still gives some heart to his performance to bring out the deeper levels of Po's character development.

-Awkwafina is a newcomer to the game and brings that sass and attitude to the fox character, Zhen. A great personification of the actress, she's a welcome addition to the world, with her humor fitting well into the animal antics.

-And Davis rounds out the acting with a solid performance. The chameleon has a poignant prose, and her status is well-matched to Davis' strong demeanor, deep, icy voice, and threatening attitude that the actress carries well.

Funny At Many Parts -If you are a fan of Kung Fu Panda humor, chances are you will find enjoyment in the fourth installment.

-Po's adventure is loaded with quirky dialog that is innocent and jovial. His naivety is charming to watch, but I like how Po engages with the cavalcade of characters who spice up the antics.

-His dads come along for the ride as well, forming a fun substory that held its charm and cuteness. The little intermissions from the story helped keep the humor fresh and blended nicely to the ending without going too far out of the way to accomplish it.

-Altogether, the movie accomplished much in this department and stuck to its roots for simplistic chuckles and laughs.

Deep Story Components -Despite being a kid's film, Kung Fu Panda 4 still manages to give some deeper plot elements that were very relevant to me.

-Po's journey keeps evolving with each film, requiring the clumsy oaf to face the changes life throws at him and take the lessons to heart.

-It did not matter with whom he engaged. Po somehow manages to find those vulnerabilities and engage them in a manner that feels legitimate and authentic.

-This helps reign in the movie from becoming too comedic and helps viewers invest a bit more into the film and complete this journey with the panda.

Entertaining End Credits -The first half of the credits gives you more animated goodness with our characters and brings some nostalgia that I quite enjoyed.

-A cover by the lead actor's band accompanies the scenes and provides a solid track that matches the theme of the sequence.

-Surprisingly, the song is also quite a good cover with comedy and rock beautifully combining into an engaging and energetic track.

Cute And Balanced -The movie accomplishes much in being an entertaining film for all ages to enjoy.

-One level is the heavy emphasis on silly antics, laughable clumsiness, and the censorship that cushions the violet components of the movie.

-Yet, Kung Fu Panda 4 is not pulling punches either. The movie provides plenty of inside jokes and elements for parents and older members to enjoy that helps expand who will enjoy the movie.

-Such a balance is what I loved in nineties movies and this film felt in touch with that balance.

Action That Works Super Well -Surprisingly, I really loved the action of this film and found it to be one of the better sequences I've seen in a while.

-The animation is a solid display of computer-generated imagery, with strong attention to detail to display the martial arts in an accurate manner.

-Dynamic fight sequences unleash the tension of the moment and hold anime level quality of fast punches, wicked reversals, and physics defying finishers. All with that magical twist representative of the lore.

DISLIKES:

More Of The Same -It's a great movie, but the fourth installment still is more of the same design and function as the others.

-While the base is important, I would have enjoyed the movie adding that twist and edge that the first two movies held.

-Or at least reintegrate the other characters a little better to help give a bit more climactic suspense into the movie and elevate the movie's inclusion of many new characters.

A Rushed Finale -Another instance of timing issues, this film still struggled to perfect the final battle and finish.

-Po's part they knocked out of the park, which was the saving grace of the movie. While the planning, character speeches and last-minute solutions were the weaker elements that needed another ten to fifteen minutes to make it worthwhile.

-Even the touching speech at the end felt a tad drowned out by the quick wrap up, only saved by the transition to the fun credits and the promise something more could still come from this film.

Predictable -No surprises here. King Fu Panda Four doesn't add too many twists or surprises that I could not predict early on in the film.

-There isn't much more I can say. So don't expect any mind-blowing moments, but in a way it doesn't matter.

Tries A Tad Hard To Be Funny -And like always, Jack Black and the crew sometimes try a bit too hard to get a rise out of you.

-Some lines are a tad over-emphasized, a little too much push to get the line out and get you to laugh.

-Other running jokes become stale or annoying, never knowing when to quit. I suspect such antics will be enjoyed by kids, but viewers like me might just roll their eyes at the constant reiteration.

The VERIDCT: Kung Fu Panda's latest installment may not be the most unique experience I have had, but it certainly is one of the more fun movies I've gotten this year. Sticking to its roots, Po's story continues to be a fun adventure filled with family-friendly laughs and balanced storytelling for all ages to enjoy. Beautiful design and animation make the world come to life and strong voice acting helps to further develop the characters we've grown to love. And with action that is very fitting and perhaps some of the better fights I've seen in a long time, the movie accomplishes much in a shorter run time. Sure, a few twists could have broken up the monotony alongside better character usage. A less rushed ending also would have helped this movie end on the strongest foot it could with that wisdom meets humor, but the entertaining credits are a blessing. With everything incorporated, I give this movie:

Animation/Action/Adventure: 8.0 Movie Overall: 7.5.

For me removing the most important aspect of the Trilogy felt out of place, removing the Furious 5 did not work in my opinion. They were so Important for Po and his development. And also everything is breezed past with brisk pacing and not enough depth for the Villains story. The First film is among the BEST in Dreamworks History, Number 2 closely follows. And Number 3 was good to a certain extent. So Let's review "Kung Fu Panda 4".

The first thing which I think is a flaw and doesn't suit the rest of the films, was the fact that Po couldn't be the leader as he had to choose someone else. The problem with this is, their was no reason for that to happen and it does come out of nowhere. That's a big part that didn't work for me. Now I am not the biggest fan of the Films but I do enjoy them, and I won't pretend like I do know alot, but for me removing the two most important components that worked heavily in Numbers 1 and 2, and again 3 to a certain extent just feels forced.

The Villain was a shape-shifting Camillion, and it's stated that she wasn't taught Kung Fu, and that's how she has become a Villain. For me, the Villains are much more characterised and developed in the Trilogy, where as the 4th parter with the Villain falls flat on it's heels and doesn't stick the landing. I like how she can change into anything, which does add the stakes. Which is a Swing and a hit, I must say. But they don't do much with it, aside from the fact she turns and fights, that's all.

But I will give this film some credit as it does deserves some praise, I like the performances. Jack Black is still the charismatic and charming Po he always was. And Awkinfewa Is a nice audition, she's great as the hopping and bouncy Bunny, which does suite her personality well. I like some of the set-pieces they put her through and Po, as they feel very creative and some inventive ideas are at play. I did Chuckle and I was Entertained too.

Another thing is the artsy animation style, it's very creative and I love the sets for the film, For me it works, and they even had a nice beutiful looking sunset. So the effects are a hit. The other things are a miss, in terms of story and story progression. As the movie is quicker then an aeroplane where nothing is developed and we are here for the journey. Which can be good and Bad.

I did like the action and the set-pieces, very well choreographed and animated. So whilst Number 4 can be a Swing and goes high, It also is a miss in the franchise. So here's my rating of all 4 Films, Kung Fu Panda-7.5/10, Kung Fu Panda 2-7/10, Kung Fu Panda 3-6.5/10 and lastly Number 4 which gets a solid 6. Now time for the Verdict.

Would I recommend this Film?

As a Family Movie. Yes. Any other reasons, No. Franchise Ranking as a whole 27/40 Not Bad at all!

To be fair to it this movie was much better than I thought it would be. I thought it would just be another lazy cash grab but it was slightly more. First off the trailer honestly gave off way too much. I successfully predicted almost the entire movie before it even started.

This movie would have been a bazillion times better if awkafina wasn't in it. On the flip side it would have been so much more if not for viola davis' powerful voice acting. The ending in ways was a bit silly and this movie was extremely inconsistent with the spirit realm, because what is it exactly. Heaven? Or some kind of prison. And maybe tai lung I understand but I don't for one second believe general kai or Lord shen would peacefully go back to the spirit realm without seeking revenge. 6.1/10.

First of all, I want to say that KFP4 is a very solid movie. It's certainly not bad, as some people say, but it's not necessarily "good" either. So, Po has to give up his title as the Dragon Warrior and become, what, "The Mental Consultant of The Valley of Peace"? But, he just doesn't want to be promoted and wants to keep being the Dragon Warrior. Then a bunch of goats just come in and say that Tai is back. So long story short, Po teams up with a fox named Zhen, who says that a villain named Chameleon is going to (guess) take over the Valley of Peace. This is where many spoilers come in, so I won't say the rest. So, overview: Story: 7/10: Decently intriguing story, fine by me Animation: 9/10: Polished, like the last few. Nothing to say here.

Characters: 6/10: I feel like some of the characters were, well, unused, especially Chameleon. The movie just wastes her and some other characters.

Kids will enjoy it, and I maybe laughed a few times but only 3 or 4 times. Maybe the problem here is they were working on a lower budget ($85 million) compared to the previous films in the $100 million - $150 million range.

Overall, I'd give it 7/10. Fairly decent but not much to enjoy here.