After nearly a decade away from the big screen, Jack Black is back as the unlikely Dragon Warrior in “Kung Fu Panda 4.” Though the latest sequel in the DreamWorks Animation franchise doesn’t quite measure up to the greatness of the original trilogy, there’s still a good adventure here that’s bolstered by spectacular animation, slick action, and the always hilarious presence of Jack Black as Po. This time he’s paired with a stealthy fox named Zhen (voiced by Awkwafina), and the two have an amusing buddy cop dynamic that adds some new flavor to the franchise.
Standout moments include a chase through a bustling city set to an orchestral version of Ozzy Osborne’s “Crazy Train” and the final fight sequence where the villain known as The Chameleon (Viola Davis) transforms into each of Po’s most formidable foes, as well as Po himself, before meshing all the power of all the kung fu masters together into a fearsome beast. Plus, stick around for a fun credits sequence featuring a lively cover of Britney Spears’ trademark tune “Baby One More Time” performed by Tenacious D. In fact, the music throughout the movie, composed by Hans Zimmer and Steve Mazzaro, is a top notch score, even if the movie can’t reach those same heights. Despite not being as fantastic as the previous installments, it’s still better than 90% of the family entertainment out there, so you can’t go wrong. (Ethan Anderton)
Director: Mike Mitchell, Stephanie Stine
Cast: Jack Black, Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, Bryan Cranston, James Hong, Ke Huy Quan, Ronny Chieng
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%
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