The unexpected thrill of seeing a pudgy panda excelling at expert martial arts were long-gone by the time “Kung Fu Panda” arrived in cinemas in early 2016. But the Kung Fu Panda franchise, established by the premiere of the first film in 2008, has generally understood that our interest in our panda protagonist Po (Jack Black) had more to offer in the way of emotional possibilities, beyond the knee-jerk absurdity of an athletic panda. The fourth film ends by setting up a likely fifth entry, but for much of its duration it feels incredibly lacking. The charisma of earlier entries is low, and the typically eclectic charm of the character interactions feels muted, Although the “Kung Fu Panda” films have often toed the line between childlike absurdities and more thoughtful and mature emotional stakes, “Kung Fu Panda” feels more unneeded and indecisive than anything. A disappointing way to think of a previously exuberant comedy series.
The absence of any members of the Furious Five, a staple of the series, is the first step that makes this new entry feel emptier than its predecessors. There is ample explanation for this, although it’s an explanation that only serves to remind us that the ending of the third film of the franchise settled the complications of plot and character in ways that make our return to this world feel questionable. The crisis that sets the plot in motion mirrors that. When Shifu (Dustin Hoffman as Po’s master) tells Po that he must take over as spiritual leader of the valley, thereby choosing a new Dragon Warrior to take his place, it’s a plot-development that feels more nakedly contrived than anything; a sign of a film marking time just so it can get to the next important plot-point. That expectant plot-point arrives soon enough in the form of Zhen (Awkwafina), a wisecracking and thieving fox who just so happens to know how to get to Juniper (a buzzing metropolis) where a power-hungry villain, The Chameleon, is using her shape-shifting powers to take over the world, or the city at least.
The unlikely allyship between Po and Zhen takes up a solid chunk of the film as the two travel to the distant metropolis. They are trailed by Li Shang and Mr Ping, Po’s biological and adopted dads (Brian Cranston and James Hong given little to do than provide fledgling comedic relief). By the time they arrive in Juniper, a half-hearted series of revelations, not-quite-surprise, and action lead us to the film’s climax which sees The Chameleon formidably attempting to harness the power of all the villains in the Spirit Realm through Po’s Staff of Wisdom. So much has changed in the animation landscape, and the film landscape as a whole, and at every turn “Kung Fu Panda 4” feels leaden, like a film which has not evolved enough to keep abreast with its contemporaries, but also is unable or unwilling to harness the things that made it so valuable almost a decade ago.
Some of this is found in the stakes established by the screenplay, credited to Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger and Darren Lemke. Each of the three films have depended on an emotional resonance which ties the villain’s power to explicit threats to Po. It’s a significant reason that the series had hitherto managed to tie Po’s unlikely hero status to its denouements. Here, things already are amiss when The Chameleon (despite a very committed voice-performance from Viola Davis) feels so separate from the larger emotional world of the film. Even the introduction of the villain to this world fails when compared to the exciting deployment of danger that represented the earlier films. “Kung Fu Panda 4” hopes to eke out some emotional tension by having The Chameleon play a key role in the emotional development of Awkwafina’s smart-aleck sidekick but it’s part of a larger issue in the film where set-pieces, and emotional beats feel superficial and hazy rather than thoughtfully engaging with these characters with any sense of emotional acuity.
And, of course, emotional acuity isn’t the first thing that a generic animated film might need which makes “Kung Fu Panda 4” removed from its predecessors, but very much in line with too many low-stakes foray into animation recently. The animation itself is at least serviceable, and there is a late-film fight-sequence that offers memories of the precise direction of earlier entries but even when the film goes for broke, for example in the design of Juniper City. It never lets the audience invest in the feel and mystery of its world. It’s all moving at breakneck pace to get to its ending which sets up a “Kung Fu Panda 5” without really giving us enough to chew on to make us excited for the film we’re actually watching.
It’s a disconnect that envelopes the entire film. Although Po finds himself as the ultimate hero, the magic of the franchise, its awareness of the value of inner peace, and its ability to mix complex psychology with its amusing animal absurdities feel much more muted here. It’s occasionally diverting on its own, but it does little to truly excite or announce itself as essential viewing. It’s a disappointing turn for the franchise.
Kung Fu Panda 4 is playing in cinemas
