'Kung Fu Panda 4' movie review: The beloved Panda returns for an adventurous and entertaining joyride

Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Jack Black, Viola Davis, Awkwafina

Director: Mike Mitchell

Language: English

Some things never change. Some things should never change. That’s precisely how one should describe the adorable Panda called Po, that has been entertaining us for 16 years and four movies. Obviously it’s Kung Fu Panda that’s being referred to here, a franchise whose adventures and admirable visual appeal only continue to grow as sequels pass by. This time, the Panda has to face its tiniest and most powerful nemesis- A shape shifter, a chameleon. And its battle comes with a price, it has to abandon the title of the Dragon Warrior as Master Shifu wants the creature to be the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace.

Of course, this means the panda has to find a successor and it does in the form of a fox. The scenes between them are laced with humor, and Po continues to be just as sharp, witty, and agile as we saw back in 2008 for the first time. The franchise isn’t only built on entertainment and effects, but sermons too. After a point, there was a desire to note down all the homilies that came the viewers’ way. The chameleon is voiced by Viola Davis, and she does a terrific job of camouflaging her intense baritone with the remorselessness of this little monster. And Jack Black continues to be the evergreen voice of the unforgettable Panda, switching his voice from tense to exhilarated to exhausted to excited within seconds.

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This is that rare kind of a franchise where the hero has as memorable chemistry with the villains as it has with the heroes in its life. Master Shifu is the name that gave this careless creature all that it has today, and even after so many years, the love-hate relationship persists. And then of course, Mr. Ping, the goose that imparts multiple life lessons to its adoptive son, especially about the secret ingredient that ultimately is a metaphor for self-belief.

Upping the game of visual effects

If the hero has grown, the villain’s destruction abilities have quadrupled, how can the effects be behind. _Kung Fu Panda 4_ has some really edge-of-the-seat action scenes that are accompanied by marveling animation. The climatic battle lasts only as long as it should, and in those few moments, it’s clear the makers have raised the bar for the franchise. Of course, it’s not as entertaining as part one, where it all began, but only for the misadventures of our beloved Panda, fans are likely to be in for a treat. It’s all about Po’s inner peace in this film, hope it can find what it hilariously says in one scene- Dinner Please, in part five if we get one.

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)