The fourth installment of the charming Kung Fu Panda hits screens this week and begs the question, "Is there really need for a quartet of Kung Fu Panda films!?" The answer is probably no, but it'd be hard not to enjoy this colourful caper that bristles with brilliant voicework and gags galore.
16 years after the first movie was released, Jack Black returns as the titular martial arts expert panda Po Ping, with Dustin Hoffman as Shifu the Kung Fu master, Bryan Cranston as Po's birth dad, 95-year-old James Hong as Po's adoptive father, Awkwafina as a quick-witted thief Zhen and Viola Davis as the shape-shifting sorceress Chameleon.
The Furious Five, voiced by Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, David Cross and Seth Rogen - do not appear in this film, bar a quick explanatory mention in the film's opening scenes.
This time around, Po is tasked with a major life change - he's tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, so needs to find and train a new Dragon Warrior, but struggles to let go of the role himself. Meanwhile, a wicked sorceress aims to take over the world by re-summoning all the master villains from the spirit realm and magically stealing their kung fu prowess.
What entails is a rollicking and lively journey through the fantastically-imagined Kung Fu Panda interpretation of China, complete with stunning animation - the city scenes are phenomenally fabulous and a feast for the eyes. Likewise, the Chameleon's split-second transformations to a variety of creatures are testament to the animators’ skills.
There's laughs a-plenty - one hilarious moment comes courtesy of constantly-famished Po trying to meditate and find "inner peace", but ends up thinking of "dinner with peas". A trio of sweet-looking but violence-loving bunnies hits just the right note of darkness for the target audience.
One wishes the story was more original, as the tried-and-tested formula of "lovable hero challenging an evil foe" feels very dated - kids can handle more. It's possible to have more creative narrative elements in an animation aimed at children, as demonstrated by success stories like Coco, Inside Out and of course, the Toy Story franchise. KFP4's central theme - how one must cope with change - falls a little flat compared to earlier Panda films, which dealt with ideas of identity and family, and had more heart and depth.
A side plot with Po's two nervous helicopter dads feels shoehorned in and has no real pay-off, while a twist near the end has low impact.
Despite the flaws and the fact that it's hard not to think that the franchise may be running out of steam somewhat, the film is undoubtedly still great fun overall. Closing out the experience is Jack Black's brilliant version of Britney Spears' Baby One More Time over the closing credits, which guarantees you'll be leaving the cinema with a smile on your face. Skadoosh!
Kung Fu Panda 4 hits cinemas on 28 March.
