Reviews

It’s been a while – eight years to be precise – but the Kung Fu Panda is back!

Jack Black returns once again to voice the titular panda Po, who is advised by Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) to appoint a new Dragon Warrior and become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace.

Po isn’t ready to give up the Dragon Warrior life and so he sets out another adventure with his new ally, a fox named Zhen (Awkwafina). They must track down the Chameleon (Viola Davis), a shape-shifting sorceress who plans to unlock the Spirit Realm and steal every kung fu master’s skills to become the greatest fighter that ever existed.

Just like the previous three outings, Kung Fu Panda 4 is fun for all the family. It is another entertaining adventure with hilarious jokes, exciting fight sequences and cool visuals.

Fans of the franchise might be sad to learn that the Furious Five aren’t in this film (outside of a brief non-speaking cameo) but the new additions make up for this, particularly Davis as the chilling villain. Chameleon is a legitimately evil and threatening baddie and her ability to shapeshift makes her fight sequences unique.

Black delivers the comedy goods as usual. His comic timing, unusual line delivery and sheer energy make the film as funny as possible and he makes every line funnier than it is on the page by putting his quirky spin on it.

Awkwafina has been racking up the voice acting credits in recent years and it’s easy to see why – her voice is so distinctive. Zhen has some similarities to Chump – her streetwise pigeon from Migration – on the surface but there’s more to the fox than you think.

There are plenty of old faithfuls in the mix too, from James Hong as Po’s adoptive father, Bryan Cranston as Po’s biological father, and Ian McShane as the evil snow leopard Tai Lung, the villain from the first film.

If you’re looking for a fun cinema trip with the kids this Easter, look no further than Kung Fu Panda 4.

In cinemas from Thursday 28th March.

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