After learning he must find a new hero to take over as Dragon Warrior so that he may fulfill his destiny as the next spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace, Po decides to take one last adventurous mission. He teams up with a quick-witted thief named Zhen, voiced by Awkwafina (Migration, The Bad Guys), a corsac fox, to discover the truth about recent sightings of villains he’s defeated in the past. In a journey that puts both to the test, it will take a wicked, powerful sorceress, The Chameleon, voiced by Oscar® winner Viola Davis (Ender’s Game, The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), to bring them together and remind Po that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places.

For in-depth thoughts on Kung Fu Panda 4, please see my colleague Lane Mills’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Kung Fu Panda 4 arrives on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a stunning 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision transfer. The scintillating colors on display are what make the format so awe-inspiring with the wide range of hues saturating every inch of the frame. Black levels are perfect with no hint of crush, compression artifacts, or other such digital anomalies. Highlights likewise are brilliant without succumbing to blooming. This transfer is the platonic ideal of a modern animated film on physical media.

Environmental details are so complex and multifaceted that you will love exploring the backgrounds. The familiar and unique character designs are rendered with perfect fluid motions throughout. The level of detail the animation team puts into each frame is readily apparent. The animation style allows for a world of textures throughout the different environments that are extremely impressive and give the film a real sense of depth. Universal has delivered an enviable experience.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray serves up a Dolby Atmos track that transports audiences with an immersive soundscape. Dialogue is crystal clear without getting overshadowed by the score or sound effects. The low end activity from the subwoofer gives countless action-packed moments an abundance of texture. The film establishes an emotional throughline thanks to the score from Hans Zimmer and Steve Mazzaro. Every note is rendered with flawless fidelity.

The utilization of the height channels enhances the immersive nature of the narrative. Environmental sound effects flow through with pinpoint precision within the mix so that directionality is never in question. This track conjures up a world of sonic nuance to make this story pulse with energy. Much of the activity is focused on the front channels, but it extends to the surround and rear channels to allow for a more enveloping experience. The audio experience matches the strength of the video. Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Mike Mitchell, Co-Director Stephanie Ma Stine, Production Designer Paul Duncan, Head of Story Calvin Tsang, and Head of Character Animation Sean Sexton provide a commentary track that takes you through the production of the film with insights behind story motivations, last-minute gags introduced, the voice recording process, references to other movies in the series, and more.

Dueling Dumplings with Intro by Jack Black and Awkwafina: A new three-minute mini-movie in which Po and Zhen clash over who makes the better dumpling. This amusing short is presented in 4K with Dolby Vision.

Deleted Scenes: Two unused scenes totaling two minutes are provided here in unfinished form. These are mostly little throwaway moments, but they are still amusing.

Kung Fu Talking: A nearly three-minute look at the recording process with plenty of amusing moments with the performers.

Meet The Cast: A 14-minute collection of interviews focusing on the characters, the vocal performances that bring them to life, how they fit into this overall story, and much more.

- Po (3:59)

- Zhen (3:17)

- The Chameleon (3:04)

- The Dads (3:23)

Kung Fu Panda 4 All!: An eight-minute piece in which the creative team discusses creating a new installment in this world, the animation style, the locations, the vocal performances, and more.

Mastering The Dumpling: A six-minute video is provided here which shows you how to cook your own tasty dumpling.

How To Draw: Four videos totaling 25 minutes are provided here in which you are guided through how to draw Po, Zhen, Th Chameleon, and The Bad Bunnies.

Shadow Puppet Theater: An eight-minute video is provided here which shows you how to create your own shadow puppet theater.

Final Thoughts

Kung Fu Panda 4 is the weakest entry in this series yet, but it is not a grand failure by any means. There is still a great level of care put into the animation, and the themes being woven into this family narrative resonate quite effectively at times. Where this outing feels somewhat perfunctory is in the story itself, as it never really feels vital or riveting. This series has such great characters to work with, including new ones introduced in this outing, yet it cannot seem to find the right script to let them shine. The film is fun but ultimately a bit forgettable, and audiences deserve more than that. Universal has provided this one with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a tremendous A/V presentation and fun special features. If you count yourself a fan of this outing, this is a first-rate technical presentation. Recommended

Kung Fu Panda 4 is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.