‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ Review: New Sequel Lacks the Flavor of Previous Po Adventures

The “Kung Fu Panda” series has, to this point, been one of the crown jewels of DreamWorks Animation’s uneven history. While DreamWorks Animation could never reach the nonstop acclaim that went to Pixar, there were still good films to be found in DWA’s library. The adventures of Po (Jack Black), a clumsy-yet-lovable panda who becomes the fabled Dragon Warrior, managed a balance of comedy and sweetness that set it apart from other animated franchises. Eight years after the last installment, Po is back in “Kung Fu Panda 4,” a sequel that doesn’t necessarily tarnish the franchise, but also shows it was probably best to let sleeping pandas lie.