Rated PG
Opens: March 8, 2024
Kevin says KUNG FU PANDA 4 Kinda rocks!
After a successful trilogy, DreamWorks brings another installment of the unlikely Dragon Warrior. The aptly named KUNG FU PANDA 4 follows Po as he battles a new villain, a shape-shifting sorcerer seeking the powers of the kung fu masters.
The first Kung Fu Panda was a pleasant surprise, and the sequels have been decent continuations of the one-joke story. This series manages to juggle the new characters picked up along the way, making it better than most for a fourth film.
The cast is good led by an always energetic Jack Black, with Bryan Cranston and James Hong showing a surprising amount of chemistry. However, Akwafina is a bit overexposed right now and wore on my nerves.
The animation continues to impress with slick anime-inspired action elements. And all the cuddly animal characters make it a good bet for families.
Still, the premise is a bit of a stretch this time around… and that’s saying something for a series based on a fat panda who learns kung fu. I’m not sure how many more of these the studio can milk out of the idea, but this one remains clever and fun.
KUNG FU PANDA 4 gets three dumplings out of five. I’m Kevin Carr, and that’s the way I see it.
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