'Kung Fu Panda 4': Fun franchise feels flabby the fourth time around
Kung Fu Panda 4

Director: Mike Mitchell

Voice cast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Ian McShane, Awkwafina, Ke Huy Quan, Ronny Chieng, Lori Tan Chinn, and Viola Davis

The Kung Fu Panda series is running low on skadoosh.

Kung Fu Panda 4, the latest entry in the franchise, which began in 2008 (and we last visited in 2016), is a crisply animated family friendly adventure that doles out too many whirring fight scenes and not enough nuggets of wisdom.

We do get lessons in teamwork, patience and inner peace, but a flimsy story and a weak villain don't do Po – the big-hearted, Jack Black-voiced, dumpling-loving giant panda at the centre of the saga – any favors.

For the last time, Zhen, I'm not giving you my glowing stick thingy!

Po is back in his tranquil Valley of Peace where he's getting ready to choose his Dragon Warrior successor so he can ascend to the role of spiritual leader.

But he's not quite ready to give up his position just yet, despite the insistence of his wise Master Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman) that it's time he move on to the next phase in his life.
Movie Review,Kung Fu Panda,Jack Black
The 'Kung Fu Panda' franchise seems to be running low on skadoosh.