Kung Fu Panda 4: There Isn't Much "Skadoosh" Left

the fourth installment of the Kung Fu Panda franchise shows it might be okay to say goodbye to Jack Black’s beloved panda bear.

---

Disclaimer: this movie review contains spoilers for “Kung Fu Panda 4.” 

I told a friend I was seeing Kung Fu Panda 4 this weekend at the theater and their response to me was, “wait, there’s four of them?” 

I think that basically sums up my point. 

Kung Fu Panda 4 came out earlier this month, bringing back the beloved Jack Black as Po, the panda bear. Directed by Mike Mitchell and with a budget of $85M, the movie is the fourth installment of the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise. 

The original “Kung Fu Panda” movie is a classic for DreamWorks enjoyers – the story follows a dumpling-loving, dumpling-shaped panda named Po who works in a noodle shop with his adoptive goose father. Po dreams of meeting his kung fu heroes, “the Furious Five.” 

Despite his lazy, goofy and somewhat clumsy demeanor, Po was flung into the world of becoming a kung fu legend, known as the “Dragon Warrior.” He was the only kung fu master that could defeat the notoriously evil Tai Lung. 

The fourth movie of the franchise circles back to Tai Lung, as Po is quite comfortable in his Dragon Warrior role, having fought several villains throughout the course of the past three stories. Now, he must retire from the position and deem a worthy successor, but plans are foiled when a new villain by the name of “The Chameleon” (…right…) appears.

From a generic standpoint, the film contains all of what Kung Fu Panda lovers long for – action-packed sequences, an engaging soundtrack and proverbs. Well, actually, there might have been too many proverbs. More on that in a second. 

Unfortunately, the screenwriting feels full of recycled jokes and inconsistent pacing. In general, the best movie writing is done through “show don’t tell,” but in this film, the viewer is force-fed the plot in the first 10 minutes. It is difficult to keep up with how fast the characters move through the story, and they often say exactly what is happening on-screen.

Most of the actual comedy is fairly repetitive as well. It focuses too much on set-ups and pay-offs, never satisfying older viewers with “adult” jokes as in past movies. And, often, they say exactly what is happening on-screen, which is just cringe-worthy.

Another form of recycled jokes that had me itching in my seat was the bit about proverbs. As he must give up his Dragon Warrior job to become spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, Po complains he isn’t wise enough to be the next Grand Master Oogway, citing much of Oogway’s praise in his ability to create inspiring proverbs at the appropriate times. 

And so they repeat countless proverbs that, while accurately pertaining to Po’s interests (noodles, dumplings, etc), aren’t that amusing after all. 

I will say, however, one of the real times I giggled was when Po farted trying to get through the sleeping guards and they all came after them. But even then, that joke was spoiled in the movie’s trailer. 

And yes, fart jokes are funny! I am tired of pretending they’re not. 

Let’s talk more about this “the Chameleon.” This shape-shifting two and a half foot demon with aspirations of controlling the entire spirit realm to become empress sorceress of Juniper City and the greatest kung fu warrior the world has ever seen after everyone underestimated her height…is relatively shallow. 

After all, one of the best things about “Kung Fu Panda” is usually the depth of its villains and the lessons learned from their pain. For example, Kung Fu Panda 2’s villain Lord Shen reveals he struggles to find peace after pain in his final fight with Po. The viewer learns to let go of the past through Po’s advice, even if Shen does not take it himself. 

But all we learn is the back-handed “rules of the streets” the Chameleon offers - most notably, “nobody cares about your feelings.” 

 Yikes.

And so this The Chameleon steals Po’s “Staff of Wisdom,” with the help of the fox Zhen, voiced by Awkwafina (who probably would have had better jokes for this movie if they were written by her). It is with the staff that The Chameleon summons Tai Lung, our favorite nefarious snow leopard previously defeated in the first film.

With this, the Chameleon is able to challenge Po alongside his other enemies by taking their spirits and channeling them into her own, so that she may shape-shift into any kung fu fighter she wants. Po defeats her and returns home to the Valley of Peace, where he accepts having to become the spiritual leader and trains Zhen to become the next Dragon Warrior. 

Anyone could see that coming from the second Zhen and Po teamed up. At least we get the iconic Tai Lung back, and also the Furious Five…for a few seconds.

I will say that while from a film critic standpoint, this movie was atrocious, I still enjoyed myself watching beloved characters on-screen. The end featured a moment in which all of Po’s past enemies showed respect towards his kung fu abilities, showing that even a fluffy fat panda cannot be underestimated, a theme that is milked thoroughly in the other movies. 

But wait, is this even in-character for those villains? Tai Lung practically compliments Po at the end, and we all know this egotistical kung fu powerhouse would never tell Po he deserves the role of Dragon Warrior when he was around to take on that prophecy.

Seriously, though, it isn’t all that bad. There’s a fart joke, for one, and you still will always root for the once-noodle-shop-worker-turned-Dragon-Warrior’s efforts in keeping the Valley of Peace…well…peaceful.  

Overall, the relatively predictable fourth act shows there isn’t much “skadoosh” left in this franchise, and I think it is okay to say goodbye to Jack Black’s beloved panda bear. We got the best out of him, but it should stop now before we get the worst, too. As Po says in this film, “you can’t have your moon cake and eat it too.”

Yes, that’s one of the garbage proverbs they came up with.

---

Faith Bolduc : March 26, 2024

Like this? Read it on the Daily Orange website and my other work here: https://dailyorange.com/writers/faith-bolduc/