Kung Fu Panda 4 review: Jack Black is back

Like its portly lead, Kung Fu Panda has been an unlikely animated champion for over 15 years. A smash hit in 2008, the original has spawned two equally profitable sequels, although not every follow up has been worth the wait.

Hoping to catch adventure-hungry family audiences during the school holidays, Kung Fu Panda 4 sees Po (voiced by Jack Black) enjoying his celebrity as The Dragon Warrior. Hoping to avoid the task of finding a successor, he goes on the road with street criminal Zhen (Awkwafina) to stop an evil mastermind called The Chameleon (Viola Davis).

Embracing elements from past movies without resorting to exposition, it sticks to the familiar themes of  friendship and individuality. It’s also extremely entertaining, never stopping for breath during a swift 90-minute running time filled with impressive action and inventive jokes. 

The animation is slicker than even its prestigious predecessors, mixing cartoony visual gags with memorable moments like a city chase sequence set to Black Sabbath’s Crazy Train. Every element works in harmony, and adults may find themselves just as invested as the younger target audience. An issue with previous films was trying to fit too many characters into one story.

This new instalment benefits from focusing on two duos: Po and Zhen on the main mission and Lu Shan and Mr Ping (Bryan Cranston and James Hong) as Po’s two fathers trying to find their son. All four are excellent voice actors and add genuine humour to the action. Davis’ commanding delivery makes her a memorable villain in a series that’s full of them.

Mostly, however, it’s a platform for Black’s lovable hero. He’s clearly comfortable in the role and his enthusiasm is still infectious. After four movies, three TV shows and a Holiday Special, it’s hard to imagine where is left to go for Kung Fu Panda, Dreamworks’ longest running franchise. But, this is a fun-packed adventure perfect for the Easter Holiday crowd.