Action and fantasy go great together. Action, fantasy and creative action are a match made in heaven. Add martial arts to the mix and it’s divine.
The 2024 movie year had some martial arts and action moments that took our breath away. Monkey Man and Rebel Ridge fought dirty. However, there is an action hero who prefers soft paws and a friendlier approach. His fights are at least as much fun.
After all, it doesn’t always have to be bloody. As long as the creativity and dynamics are right, every age group can enjoy fantastic action sequences. Kung Fu Panda 4, which is now available for the first time on Sky’s streaming subscription, has perhaps the most imaginative of the year.
In Kung Fu Panda 4, Po the panda faces an extraordinary opponent
Po (original voice Jack Black, German voice Hape Kerkeling) is finally really enjoying his role as the Dragon Warrior. He has everything under control and his fans love him. But that’s not the end of his work: he is now supposed to become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace. To do that, he has to appoint a new Dragon Warrior. Po feels anything but ready for such a task.
It is all the more convenient for him that the thief Zhen suddenly appears in the valley and causes unrest. She reports a great threat: a powerful warrior who has appropriated the powers of past kung fu legends.
Without further ado, Po sets out with Zhen to stop this opponent before she subjugates all of China. As a land panda, he first has to find his way around the big city. It holds more surprises and dangers than he had imagined.
Kung Fu Panda on Sky shines with action sequences that simply can’t be found anywhere else.
What the Kung Fu Panda series understood from the very beginning is that with animated heroes you have all the freedom in the world when it comes to grandiose action. There’s no need to put stunt people in danger or to constantly take the rules of physics seriously. Iconic martial arts moments have been created from this before, and part 4 ties in seamlessly.
Fans of truly wacky action full of creative ideas and wit can definitely look forward to the less expected new film. In particular, two great fight sequences here challenge both the laugh muscles and the reflexes of amazement. In the best Jackie Chan manner, all elements of the backdrop are used and improvised to the max. Every setting is creatively exploited.
The principle of Kung Fu Panda 4 is a really simple one: have fun! And you will. Incidentally, fans of rock culture should perk up their ears for a fast-paced chase scene, because the panda version of an absolute classic used here is more than worth listening to and will put a huge grin on your face.