Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

🥟 “The panda returns… but should he have?”

Lets start by showing y’all the trailers shall we?

Since this is a Universal film, Y’all know what that means? Cue the Universal Logo!

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🌸 Non-Spoiler Plot Rundown

Po (Jack Black) is told by Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) that it’s time for him to move on from being the Dragon Warrior and take up a new role as the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. Basically, he has to pass the torch to a new Dragon Warrior. Of course, Po isn’t ready to retire, and just as he’s wrestling with this change, a new villain shows up — The Chameleon (Viola Davis) — who can shapeshift and copy the powers of fallen kung fu masters.

Po teams up with a street-smart fox thief named Zhen (Awkwafina), who at first is untrustworthy but eventually grows into Po’s apprentice. Together, they must stop The Chameleon before she resurrects past villains to take over China.

Sounds epic on paper, right? In practice, it’s a lightweight, forgettable story that leans on cheap jokes, rushed pacing, and watered-down character arcs.

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👥 Character Rundown

Po (Jack Black) → Still likable, but this story doesn’t know what to do with him. He’s stuck between “I don’t want to retire” and “mentor mode,” which makes him feel tired rather than inspiring.

Zhen (Awkwafina) → The thief turned apprentice. She’s got spunk, but Awkwafina’s modern snark doesn’t really fit in the Kung Fu Panda world. Her character arc is predictable from the first five minutes.

The Chameleon (Viola Davis) → On paper, a cool villain — a sorceress who can shapeshift and channel the powers of old enemies like Tai Lung and Kai. But she’s undercooked and ends up feeling like a “best of” villain without any personal stake in Po’s journey.

Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) → Reduced to a side cameo.

The Furious Five → Practically invisible again, which makes the world feel smaller.

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🎨 Visuals & Style

The movie looks fine — the animation is polished, the fights are flashy, and the magic effects with The Chameleon are creative. But visually stunning can’t make up for a story this hollow.

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✅ Pros

Viola Davis has fun as the Chameleon’s voice.

A couple of fight sequences are decent.

Some nostalgia hits when old villains’ powers are referenced.

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❌ Cons

The Furious Five are once again ignored.

Zhen feels more like a spinoff character than someone who belongs in this world.

Po’s “mentor arc” is shallow and rushed.

The Chameleon is wasted — an idea that sounds awesome but fizzles out.

Way too much modern-style humor that doesn’t fit the tone.

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💭 Final Thoughts

By this point, Kung Fu Panda has lost its spark. The first film balanced heart and comedy. The second brought emotional weight and a terrifying villain. The third faltered but at least tried. The fourth? It feels like DreamWorks milking a brand name. Forgettable story, weak new characters, wasted potential for its villain, and zero emotional impact.

Rating: 4/10
“The franchise should’ve quit while it was ahead.”

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⚠️ Spoilers Ahead!

The Chameleon’s master plan is to collect the chi of kung fu masters and resurrect past villains to serve her. At the climax, she even resurrects Tai Lung, which should have been jaw-dropping… but instead, it’s treated as a brief cameo rather than the emotional confrontation it could’ve been. Kai is mentioned too, but again, it’s just surface-level fan service.

Po fights The Chameleon in a final battle where she uses all these stolen powers against him, which makes her look like a “boss rush” character. With Zhen’s help, Po manages to defeat her, but it feels rushed and anticlimactic.

Po then realizes he has to accept his new role and let Zhen become the new Dragon Warrior. It’s supposed to be this big passing-of-the-torch moment… but instead of emotional closure, it feels like DreamWorks setting up spinoffs. Po doesn’t grow so much as he just shrugs and goes, “Okay, fine.”

In the end, nothing lands with weight. The Chameleon is defeated, Zhen gets her big moment, and Po accepts leadership. But unlike Kung Fu Panda 2, where you walked out emotionally shaken, this one leaves you shrugging and wondering why they even bothered.