The Kung Fu Panda is among the most well-known films and shows. The fourth installment of the series promises emotions, comedy, and action. However, in relation to the earlier parts of the film, there is a lot of ability to improve.
It came as a surprise to me as well that Kung Fu Panda 3 was released back in 2016 but this series is getting an addition. While the trilogy was being aired, we watched the evolution as Po, the Kung Fu panda, becomes a dragon warrior and self-discovery through the battles he fought with villains. The teaser for Kung Fu Panda 4 came out around a year ago and the movie was released this year, in 2024. The theatrical release of the movie caused major shockwaves among the audiences along with the much-awaited release of the new teaser. I, too, share similar reactions while watching it.
According to the authors, they transformed the image into a comical position while preserving some of the more recognizable Marvel characteristics, including the famous voiceovers. There is a lot of sarcasm in their works. The presence of Zheng, the Fox, Po’s new friend, is commendable; she fits well alongside the set of antagonists he often works with. Since the movie strikes the right balance between simplicity and complexity, it accomplishes the right goal. At first, impressive cliches that made me burst into laughter were established, and then they were put to work. Some gags serve as wonderful callbacks considering the fact that only a few know who the Dragon Warrior is, not to mention its other facets that are comically exaggerated and then revealed. At some stages, there is an excessive amount of cliched humor that on parts undermines the efficacy of the film’s sober components.
Undoubtedly, the most unappealing feature of this movie is the pacing. This is because the knowledge we acquire from the previous or from the first few minutes of Where the Film Starts is very different from all other films in any genre. The first couple of minutes of the movie capture the audience’s attention vividly as they are informed about the characters and what the villain intends to do. But after this, the increasing conflict is allowed to simmer for too long which results in quite a poor middle section. Such portions of the movie fill a hefty percentage of screen time and they serve the purpose of allowing the characters more space and time to themselves, allowing them to develop, adapt, and set stakes that aren’t yet defined. Now the last act can be characterized as another horrible twist in what has already been presented and this is quickly followed by some calming resolution or a sequence of great action at the end of a dull conclusion.
The comparison with the anime starts already in the movement where you realize that the film is actually striving to accomplish something. From the start, the pace feels unnaturally fast, and then the rest of the movie draws out too much. It feels as if they are trying to get the movie done within 90 minutes which is rather unfortunate. Instead of concentrating on the character development of Po, who is basically the lead, it seems there was too much of a focus on other characters. That reason alone upsets the coherence of the entire film in itself. But since unquestionable magic accompanies Po’s worlds, and is used in a rather comical sense, We as a viewer are completely kept in the dark about the potential set limits for such magic or reasonable justifications.
The film had its fair share of old moments however, it was pretty straightforward and boring. I mean the final fight could have been better, it was greatly disappointing, especially with all the hype it had. Given the lead-up, I would have preferred a more spectacular climax.
It’s only fair to say that in the film, the graphics work that Maxis has done deserves the credit of its own. The effort from Maxis is phenomenal as the art is incredible and all the lingo has also been synchronized with the action perfectly. The voiceovers are uncanny when mixed with such smoothly animated characters and scenes. The scores are adequate for the film and never get in the way of the dialogue. What is more, there are those who felt that the prettiest and tenderest dancers’ performance during the transitions between the scenes was uncontrollable， they were most antagonized by such movements. For the most part, the battle sequences were nice but the director’s addition wouldn’t have hurt at all. Wondering if one of the drawbacks in this particular sequel is the dull fight scenes while the previous films contained high-charged fighting sequences.Â
In my case, throughout the film, I was very impressed with the fact that Po has two fathers, and this has always been the case with those two fathers. That is the most convenient way to explain to young children the fact that they have two dads.
In this sense, the bonding of Po with his biological father and Po with his adopted father is explained more profoundly with the greater attention to non-traditional families.Â
As a kid’s movie, it was just ok. There were funny parts, some cute songs, and a decent story with great pictures, acting, and sound. It was good the first time because I got to see my favorite characters on a big screen but I wouldn’t want to see it multiple times. There was an utter lack of story or gimmick, completely void, and even the central character of this film was brought in with slow fight scenes and a badly made background that gave some scope to be let down.Â
Still, in recommendation, I will offer this movie to anyone who is able to see it. Only for nostalgia.
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