What’s It About
Po must train a new warrior when he’s chosen to become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace. However, when a powerful shape-shifting sorceress sets her eyes on his Staff of Wisdom, he suddenly realizes he’s going to need some help. Teaming up with a quick-witted corsac fox, Po soon discovers that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
In Kung Fu Panda 4, the much-loved franchise makes a fantastic comeback after eight years. This time, The Furious Five are off doing their hero stuff elsewhere, making room for a new character, Zhen the Fox, expertly voiced by Awkwafina. Zhen is a cunning thief who ends up helping Po, our ever-evolving panda hero, now tasked with becoming the Spiritual Leader in the Valley of Peace by his mentor, Master Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman). However, Po is more interested in adventure than spirituality. The film introduces us to an evil shapeshifting sorceress, The Chameleon, voiced by Viola Davis, who’s after a magical staff that Po possesses. The staff is key to world domination, and Po and Zhen seek to thwart The Chameleon’s plans. Their journey is filled with danger, humor, and the kind of kung fu action fans love. As Po and Zhen tackle obstacles, including a city of sinister types and the Den of Thieves, they form an unlikely friendship, sharing their stories of growing up orphaned. Meanwhile, Po’s adoptive father, Mr. Ping, and his biological father, Li, team up in a comedic subplot to find Po. The film, set in a fantasy version of China, not only brings new characters but also sees the return of Tai Lung, the villain from the first movie. With impressive fight scenes and a fast-paced storyline, Kung Fu Panda 4 keeps the spirit of the series alive, proving that a gap between sequels doesn’t have to mean a drop in quality. The voice cast, including Jack Black as Po and Awkwafina as Zhen, adds depth and humor to their roles, making this sequel a hit for fans old and new. While it may not be an award-winner, Kung Fu Panda 4 is a fun ride that successfully continues the legacy of Po and his adventures.
OUR RATING – A WISDOM INSPIRED 7
MEDIA
- Genre – Family
- Street date
- Digital – April 9, 2024
- DVD/Blu-Ray/4K – May 28, 2024
- Video – 1080p
- Screen size – 2.39:1
- Sound – English (Dolby Atmos for Feature, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content, Dolby Digital 5.1 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 for Feature), French European (Dolby Digital 5.1 for Bonus Content), and Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 for Feature, Dolby Digital 5.1 for Bonus Content)
- Subtitles – English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras
- Dueling Dumplings – In this original short introduced by Jack Black and Awkwafina, Po and Zhen battle over whose dumplings reign supreme.
- Mastering the Dumpling – Jack Black learns how to make dumplings with influencers Phil and Helen of WongFu Productions.
- Bad Bunny Review – The Bad Bunnies give their unedited opinion on some scenes from the film. Set up as a “Screening Room” style piece, the Bad Bunnies add their own commentary.
- Deleted Scenes
- Dads on the Trail
- Mahjong
- Kung Fu Talking – Voicing an animated movie takes time, time spent in a small booth being spoken to through headphones as you try to inhibit a character that might not actually exist beyond a few simple sketches and under that pressure, crazy things often happen! And we’ve captured them, put them to music and serves them up for your pleasure in this hilarious montage of off mic moments!
- Meet the Cast – From the Dragon Warrior himself to newcomer, Zhen, and a full cast of amazing characters in between, we get to know the voices behind some of our favorite roles in this series of short featurettes. Discover what attracted them to the role, what their motivation was and what parts of the character they took away with them after recording had finished.
- Po
- Zhen
- The Chameleon
- The Dads
- Kung Fu Panda 4 All!! – Join us as we go behind the scenes to see how the fourth installment in the franchise was brought to life, what makes it different from the previous films and where we find Po and the gang in this new escapade. Featuring interviews with the filmmakers and cast as well as a plethora of concept art, storyboards, animation tests and ADR footage.
- How to Draw – Enter our virtual dojo and join one of DreamWorks Animation’s talented artists as they show fans of the film “How to Draw” some of the characters in the film, and then watch in amazement as they come to life before your very eyes in a Shadow Puppet Theater.
- Po
- Zhen
- The Chameleon
- The Bad Bunnies
- Shadow Puppet Theater – Using the amazing illustrations from the “How to Draw,” we will teach fans of the film how to create their very own Shadow Puppet Theater so they can bring Po and the gang to life and continue their many adventures.
- Feature Commentary with Director Mike Mitchell, Co-Director Stephanie Ma Stine, Production Designer Paul Duncan, Head of Story Calvin Tsang, and Head of Character Animation Sean Sexton