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Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

 

Kung Fu Panda 4 is the fourth film in the Kung Fu Panda series.

Director Mike Mitchell takes the reigns this time around. He had done Shrek Forever After, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Duece Bigalow: Male Gigolo. These films suggest why this film suffered but it's also because of the writers this time. I blame the political horn-shoeing and poor narrative plot points on Darren Kemke who failed with the Goosebumps franchise, Shazam!, and most notably Gemini Man.

While I have enjoyed Jack Black's earlier films he has been phoning it in lately and has become a caricature of himself. Awkwafina does her best to bring, what little this movie has to offer, towards a better place. While Viola Davis does a good job as The Chameleon her poorly-written villain leaves her little to do. No female villain can just be evil they have to be misunderstood.

This is the worst Kung Fu Panda hands down but still beats some of this year's stinkers. Result: C-


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