That’s where the “Drive” comes in. The entire final act is a high-octane chase through a magical, ever-shifting city. Think Mad Max: Fury Road meets a Chinese lantern festival. We have to talk about the scene everyone will be memeing. Po, Zhen (the new fox character voiced by Awkwafina), and Mr. Ping are crammed into a stolen, rickety three-wheeled tuk-tuk. The Chameleon’s goons are riding giant, ink-painted lion-dogs.
When we first heard the title Kung Fu Panda 4 Drive , we expected a simple pun. You know the drill: Po, the Dragon Warrior, trading his noodle cart for a fast-food drive-thru? A goofy chase scene involving a tuk-tuk? Kung Fu Panda 4 Drive
Po’s answer is messy, loud, and hilarious. He realizes that “driving” his own destiny means letting go of the wheel sometimes and trusting his passengers (the Furious Five, his dads, and the new generation). Kung Fu Panda 4 isn’t trying to be Kung Fu Panda 2 (the emotional high bar of the series). Instead, it’s a victory lap that shifts into a new gear. That’s where the “Drive” comes in
Have you seen Po’s latest ride? Let us know in the comments—does the “Drive” gimmick work for you, or should the franchise park it? We have to talk about the scene everyone will be memeing
More Than Just a Getaway Car Let’s be honest. The fourth installment of any animated franchise usually runs on fumes. But DreamWorks did something brilliant here: they turned the concept of “momentum” into the entire emotional core of the movie.