Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

Po gets told it’s time to hand off the Dragon Warrior title and move up, and the franchise could take the same hint. Master Shifu wants him to become Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, Po would rather do anything else, and the search for a replacement turns into a road trip with Zhen, a quick-talking fox thief he nabs raiding the Jade Palace. Jack Black still has the charm, and his back-and-forth with Awkwafina carries the middle. Viola Davis voices the Chameleon, a shape-shifter who copies other fighters’ kung fu, and she deserved a stranger, scarier villain to play. Juniper City, with its Den of Thieves run by a pangolin named Han, is the most fun stop. Po’s two dads tailing him the whole way is sweet. But it’s thinner and more familiar than the earlier films, and the jokes are softer. It made $548 million worldwide. A 5.2 because the animation is sharp and the story tastes like leftovers. $654.68 says you try to name a successor for taking out the trash by Friday.

What works: Jack Black is still a joy as Po, the animation pops, and his banter with Awkwafina’s Zhen keeps the middle moving.

What doesn’t: The Chameleon is a thin villain, the fights start to blur together, and the whole thing plays like a smaller, quicker version of earlier adventures.

Who it’s for: Kids who love Po, and grown-ups who mostly need a calm Saturday afternoon.