Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

It has been 8 years since the last full release of “Kung Fu Panda”. The “fourth” review was by no means necessary for us, since the series has exhausted its formula, but it still provides a lot of fun in the company of a very nice cast of characters.

After years of fighting against increasingly dangerous rivals, the Dragon Warrior has become a huge star in the Valley of Peace. He's signing autographs, taking pictures with fans, eating more cake, and even opening a local restaurant. This turn of events does not sit well with Master Shifu, who wants Po to end his life of fighting games, find his successor, and become the spiritual leader of the valley.

However, the panda does not like to end his life as a brawler. He does not want to settle down and does not want to appoint anyone in his place. When the fox thief Zen falls from the sky, she attempts to rob the nearby temple and engages in a duel with Po.

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) – review, opinion and movie [UIP]. The valley of restless peace

It turns out that the graceful and resilient vixen is just a “smaller teardrop”, because the real threat lurks beyond the borders of the Valley of Tranquility. The powerful chameleon witch, who pulls all the strings of the criminal world and can take on the appearance of any form, is a veritable hell on earth. Mouthy Po will, of course, be at the center of these events, and the clash with the Chameleon will be the Dragon Warrior's ultimate goal. So Panda makes a deal with thief Zen, who somehow knows where to find a new arch enemy. In order to be released from the prison she was sent to after trying to rob said temple, she is willing to act as a personal guide.

The beginning of the adventure is really exciting, as if there is a new chapter opening in Poe's life and another adventure with a deadly enemy looming on the horizon. What works, above all, is the humour – Po's banter with Master Shifu and Vixen herself keeps us entertained, and then there are characters like the devastatingly cute rabbits and the pig owner of a certain weird bar. Both children and adults will smile, and will enjoy not only the dialogues, but also the situational humor. During the first half of the session, you strongly feel the atmosphere of a wonderful adventure led by successive dynamic battles, beautiful and richly detailed locations and beautiful landscapes. However, the closer we get to the end, the more the magic begins to wear off and the film begins to lose its scripted momentum, heading to a point where everything becomes painfully predictable. Even for children.

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) – review, opinion and movie [UIP]. Sorry, Cameron

I think the biggest problem here is the main enemy, the chameleon. Her motivations are very stereotypical and although she attempts to strike fear into the viewer, she is rather one of the least interesting opponents that Poe has faced in the entire series. Furthermore, promotion of the return of old friends and enemies, characters that fans have already come to love, has been kept to a minimum. On the one hand, it is good that the creators did not take the easy path and introduced new characters, but on the other hand, there are clearly some holes in filling this colorful world with charismatic heroes. So DreamWorks made a very enjoyable animation, but they probably had no idea how to end the Chameleons series in an interesting way, bring old friends into the narrative and mix it up in a more creative way.

The Polish dubbing is really good and it's hard to fault anything, except for one or two humorous scenes, which are probably poorly translated into our language and therefore not that funny. However, it should be remembered that in the English version Po is voiced by Jack Black, and the role of Master Shifu was played by Dustin Hoffman himself, so watching the film in the original dub may be of greater value for older viewers. The soundtrack is once again the responsibility of the legendary composer – Hans Zimmer – and his arrangements belong in a class of their own, so there's no need to advertise them.

Personally, I put “Kung Fu Panda” Part 4 a little ahead of Part 3, but definitely behind the first two parts. If you like this universe, it is worth going to the show with your children, but knowing that it is just a good cartoon that will not tear you out of your shoes, but will allow you to have a great time at the cinema. People who don't know the series should enjoy it too, because the fourth part is independent in its own way.