Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda 4

The Kung Fu Panda series has made its way to a fourth movie by dreamworks studios released March 8th, 2024.  Kung Fu Panda 4 had mixed reception, some people found it as a good movie but others found it too fast paced.  I found the movie a fun and motivational movie and I would fully recommend it to families.

Spoiler alert if you don’t want to be spoiled on the movie don’t continue reading.

The story started as Mr.Ping, his adoptive father and his biological father Li Shan were creating their new restaurant.  Then Po the dragon warrior was told by master Shifu that he was to be the spiritual leader of the valley of peace chosen by grand master Oogway before he died and that he must find a suitable candidate for the dragon warrior position.  Po didn’t want to stop being the dragon warrior so during the ceremony where he was supposed to choose the new dragon warrior he ended up deciding he wanted to stay as the dragon warrior making master Shifu more annoyed.

Po then goes to Jade Palace, finding Zhen the fox stealing ancient weapons.  Po sends Zhen to prison.  Po then finds out that Tai Lung has returned and that he destroyed an entire village.  Zhen reveals that Tai Lung isn’t Tai Lung but that it’s the Chameleon.  Po asks about who the Chameleon is and is told how the Chameleon is a powerful sorceress that can shapeshift into any animal she wants.

They set out to go to Juniper City where the Chameleon’s lair is and is also where Zhen is from.  They get to Juniper city and when they arrive they are arrested but do eventually escape the den of thieves.  After escaping the den of thieves Po and Zhen go to the Chameleon’s lair.  Po gets captured and hands the staff of wisdom to Zhen and says to help him get out.  But then Zhen betrays Po by handing the staff of wisdom to the Chameleon and we learn that Zhen had been working with the Chameleon since the start.

The staff of wisdom has the power to bridge the gap between the real world and the spirit realm.  The Chameleon, after taking the staff of wisdom, uses it to bring every martial arts master to steal their kung fu, including Tai Lung, Lord Shen, and General Kai.  Po reunites with his dads and they go to stop the Chameleon.  Po reunites with Zhen and Zhen apologizes to Po and Po forgives her.  They convince the den of thieves to help them defeat the Chameleon.

The den of thieves battle the Chameleon’s lizard army, Po and Zhen fight the Chameleon.  The Chameleon turns into a Chimaera, which is several animals that are combined.  The Chameleon then turns into a Po clone,  and fights Po, he soon is trapped in a cage. Putting his trust in Zhen, Po gives her the staff of wisdom, as she bests the Chameleon defeating her.  Po was only pretending to be trapped and helps defeat the Chameleon using the staff of wisdom and returns all of the stolen kung fu skills to their owners.  And they return to the Spirit Realm, taking the Chameleon with them.

I enjoyed the movie and thought it had a good story line.  I was surprised when Zhen betrayed Po because I wasn’t expecting it.