By John Corrado

Please note that this is a review of the 4K Ultra HD release of Kung Fu Panda 4. For my full thoughts on the film itself, you can read my original review right here.

The fourth film in the DreamWorks Animation franchise that began in 2008, Kung Fu Panda 4 is one of the bigger box office hits of the year, and it’s now available on physical media including 4K Ultra HD.

The film finds Po (Jack Black), who has been tapped by Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) to select a new Dragon Warrior, teaming up with petty thief fox Zhen (Awkwafina) to face off against The Chameleon (Viola Davis), a shape-shifting villainess who can take the form of the franchise’s past villains.

If Kung Fu Panda 4 is predictable and feels a bit like a “greatest hits” of the series, it’s still an enjoyable animated adventure. There are some nicely animated sequences, and it features fun interplay between Black and Awkwafina, who both deliver appealing voicework. It’s a decent fourth instalment, and the 4K disc provides a vibrant viewing experience, with its rich colours, deep blacks, and detail on fur and fabrics.

Film Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)

Bonus Features (4K Ultra HD):

Po (Jack Black) in Kung Fu Panda 4 directed by Mike Mitchell.

The 4K disc also includes a selection of bonus features. A regular Blu-ray is included in the package, which ships with an embossed slipcover.

• Duelling Dumplings with Intro by Jack Black and Awkwafina (3 minutes, 13 seconds): Black and Awkwafina introduce this new short about Po and Zhen fighting over who has the best dumplings. It’s simple but cute.

• Deleted Scenes (Play All – 1 minute, 51 seconds): Two short deleted scenes presented in storyboard.

• Dads on the Trail (57 seconds)

• Mahjong (51 seconds)

• Kung Fu Talking (2 minutes, 26 seconds): A short highlight reel of the actors having fun in the recording booth.

• Meet the Cast (Play All – 13 minutes, 46 seconds): The actors talk about their different characters.

• Po (3 minutes, 59 seconds)

• Zhen (3 minutes, 17 seconds)

• The Chameleon (3 minutes, 4 seconds)

• The Dads (3 minutes, 23 seconds)

• Kung Fu Panda 4 All! (8 minutes, 5 seconds): The filmmakers talk about the new characters, pushing the film’s stylistic touches, and developing the “GoPo” cam to show things from Po’s POV during the action scenes.

• Mastering the Dumpling (6 minutes, 16 seconds): Black takes part in a cooking lesson showing how to make dumplings in this instructional video.

• How to Draw (Play All – 25 minutes, 3 seconds): The animators take us through how to draw Po and several of the new characters.

• Po (4 minutes, 37 seconds)

• Zhen (4 minutes, 52 seconds)

• The Chameleon (7 minutes, 39 seconds)

• The Bad Bunnies (7 minutes, 53 seconds)

• Shadow Puppet Theater (8 minutes, 6 seconds): A crafting video showing how to make a shadow puppet theatre out of a cereal box.

• Feature Commentary with Director Mike Mitchell, Co-Director Stephanie Ma Stine, Production Designer Paul Duncan, Head of Story Calvin Tsang, and Head of Character Animation Sean Sexton

Kung Fu Panda 4 is a Universal Pictures Home Entertainment release. It’s 93 minutes and rated PG.

Street Date: May 28th, 2024