I have to admit that I am a big fan of Po and his goofy animated adventures.  I think I have liked each of the three previous films and this one is no different.  Being a bit roly-poly myself I feel a kinship to Po, though I confess to having none of his skills or catlike reflexes.  He’s just a good guy, and that serves him and his community very, very well.

Mike Mitchell’s new film finds Master Shifu advising Po to begin the search for someone to replace him as Dragon Warrior, so he can become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace.  This does not sit well with Po, who is comfortable in his role and doesn’t want to change anything.  He decides to have one more adventure before facing the inevitable, and travels with a tricky fox named Zhen to battle The Chameleon, a shape shifter who is planning on conquering the world after acquiring a range of expert battle techniques from past warriors.  Unknown to him, Po is trailed by his two fathers, each of whom is worried that Po, alone without his fighting friends, is taking on too big a task.

Silly and fun, this excursion across China takes Po out of his comfort zone.  In the big metropolis of Juniper City, no one has ever heard of him or his legendary exploits.  It’s a hectic, different style of life, and while it appeals to him, he also tires of it quickly (but not the abundance of food).  The story’s twists are rather obvious; my wife Barb guessed where it was going with no trouble.  I did not; for once I just sat back and let the movie flow past me, enjoying the sights and sounds, laughing quite a bit, and not trying to expect what was coming.  This is an approach that I should try to cultivate more often; it leads to a more genuine, less self-aware experience.

The animation is fine; while much of the fighting whizzes by like the action in a Transformers movie, impossible to pinpoint, there are other rewards.  In particular, a concluding scene in which the spirit warriors return to their spirit world is rapturously beautiful.  The dialogue is sharp and humorous, the characters are witty and some of the voices are delightful (Ian McShane comes to mind).  All in all this is goofy, warm, fun, invigorating entertainment for everyone.  ☆ ☆ ☆.  17 April 2024.