Kung Fu Panda 4 3D Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.5

Kung Fu Panda 4 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

Kung Fu Panda 4 3D continues the beloved family animated saga. Produced by Rebecca Huntley (The Bad Guys, Abominable), Kung Fu Panda 4 3D is a gem of animation and an exciting feature that will appeal to fans of the previous Kung Fu Panda feature films. Executive produced by Mike Mitchell, Kung Fu Panda 4 3D rewards with a great voice cast that includes Jack Black, Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, Bryan Cranston, James Hong, Ian McShane, Ke Huy Quan, Ronny Chieng, Lori Tan Chinn, and Seth Rogen.

Po (Jack Black) is given a special opportunity to become the new Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. The journey of Po is one in which he is given the chance to find and to train a new leader as Dragon Warrior. Meanwhile, a sorceress wants to reassemble all of the villains Po has defeated in the past – bringing together a team of enemies once thought limited to the spirit realm. Now Po has some big adventures in store.

Kung Fu Panda 4 3D includes an impressive supporting cast of characters that includes Zhen (Awkwafina), The Chameleon (Viola Davis), Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), Li (Bryan Cranston), Mr. Ping (James Hong), Tai Lung (Ian McShane), Han (Ke Huy Quan), Fish (Ronny Chieng), Granny Boar (Lori Tan Chinn), and Mantis (Seth Rogen).  The cast adds a lot to the filmmaking. The supporting roles add a lot of fun alongside the staple legendary status of Jack Black as Po.

Jack Black remains the MVP. Black is such an incredible performer and voice actor. There is something quite remarkable about Black and his dedication to comedy and all-out goofiness. Black has made his career all the better with great music, great animated films, live-action blockbusters, and more. It is always nice to appreciate the cool factor of Black and what he brings to the table over and over. An absolute legend with good reason.

Edited by Christopher Knights (Lust for Love, Book of Dragons), Kung Fu Panda 4 3D is well-done and the pacing is top-notch. Knights handles the editing style well. The flow of the feature-film works nicely and provides a lot of charm to the production.

The production designs by Paul Duncan (Spirit Untamed) are impressive, too. There is so much to enjoy about the designs. The efforts showcase the visual sensibilities of Duncan. The charm and style of his efforts adds to the epic scope and scale of Kung Fu Panda 4 3D.

The art direction by Peter Maynez is well-done and makes a solid impression. Maynez is a gifted and worthwhile art director. There is so much to appreciate about the animation style. In fact, the art is fundamentally one of the most beautiful qualities of the production. The animation provides nice wonderment and a sense of creativity.

The cinematography by Joshua Gunther impresses in spades, too. Gunther is a talented cinematographer and the aesthetic added to the feature is outstanding. There is so much joy and wonder to the visual style. The crisp and vibrant animation is highlighted perfectly throughout the cinematography and the delight lensing of Gunther.

Composed by Steve Mazzaro (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, The Amazing Spider-Man 2) and Hans Zimmer (Dune: Part Two, Top Gun: Maverick), Kung Fu Panda 4 3D features a solid original score. The music adds a lot of energy and excitement to the production. The epic action-fantasy film finds even better shape. The score brimming with energy and being a perfect accompaniment to the adventure.

Written by Jonathan Aibel (Trolls World Tour, Kung Fu Panda 3), Glenn Berger (Kung Fu Panda 3, Kung Fu Panda 2), and Darren Lemke (Gemini Man, Goosebumps), the screenplay is a ton of fun and is even one of the best scripts in the Kung Fu Panda film series to date. Kung Fu Panda 4 3D also features some additional script writing by David Lindsay-Abaire (Oz the Great and Powerful, Rise of the Guardians) and Lillian Yu (Warrior, Kung Fu). The screenplay offers great character moments for the entire cast but the big highlight is Po and the dialogue perfectly highlighted by Jack Black.

Directed by Mike Mitchell (The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, Trolls) and Stephanie Stine (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power), Kung Fu Panda 4 3D is a must-see for fans of the film series. The adventure impresses in spades. There is such a sense of passion and wonderment by the filmmakers. The fun animated saga continues to find new ways to entertain fans and bring new excitement to the table. Kung Fu Panda 4 3D is a gem and is easily one of the best entries in the entire franchise. No fan should miss it.

Kung Fu Panda 4 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on 3D Blu-ray by Turbine Media, Kung Fu Panda 4 3D is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 MVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.39:1 widescreen. The high-definition video looks crisp and clear on the release. The video quality provides a stunning canvas for the feature film to be highlighted. Colors "pop" with considerable depth on the release.

One of the best aspects of the release is the superb 3D presentation quality. The 3D itself looks stunning and manages to provide a wonderful vibrancy to the feature. The 3D "pops" with good pop out effects alongside a consistently immersive sense of 3D depth. The depth alone is worth the price of admission and audiences will appreciate the creativity of the 3D and the efforts of the 3D team.

One compelling element of physical media is the dependability of it. Streaming isn't as dependable. There could be some power outages impacting the presentation. There are many outside variables which can impact the experience. For enthusiasts, owning a physical and tangible product is well worthwhile and is something that brings a lot of joy to collectors. There is nothing quite like owning a physical release and holding it in your own hands.

Kung Fu Panda 4 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Dolby Atmos audio presentation is incredible and adds a lot to the release. The Atmos audio is engaging and terrific fun. The sound presentation is top-notch throughout the feature-film. There certainly is a lot to appreciate. The Atmos surround mix provides depth to the front and rear audio channels. The directionality is immersive and the ongoing soundstage makes for a far more fun and enveloping mix. The score is well reproduced on the release, too. Dialogue is clear and sounds well done.

One of the best qualities of the Blu-ray format is the lossless audio encoding. Streaming video services only offer audio with lossy (non-lossless) audio quality. Even the best streaming video services tap out around CD quality for Dolby Atmos. Discs offer the best of the best available for enthusiasts and collectors.

The flipside is the Atmos quality on disc is significantly higher with thousands of kbps and a far more robust range. Theater quality sound – as provided by Atmos on disc – is essential for some film fans seeking to reproduce the IMAX experience or hoping to achieve similar results. Atmos is terrific throughout.

Kung Fu Panda 4 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes in a nicely designed Criterion style clear case. The release comes with beautifully designed cover art. The artwork makes a solid impression on both sides of the cover-art sleeve. It is something that helps with overall collectability. The release looks great in hand and will look great displayed on a shelf, too.

There are no bonus features on the release whatsoever. Turbine Media suggests that fans consider the 3D Blu-ray as a standalone release meant to emphasize the best possible 3D presentation. For home theater fans who want a more robust supplemental package, fans are encouraged to also pick up separately available 4K/Blu-ray combo pack releases – which also include a range of nice bonus features.

Kung Fu Panda 4 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kung Fu Panda 4 3D is a must-see for fans of the animated film series. One of the best family animated film series to date, Kung Fu Panda 4 3D offers up rewarding storytelling, fantastic filmmaking, and fun throughout. The 3D Blu-ray release provides an exceptional 3D presentation – a reference quality presentation. Highly recommended.