KUNG FU PANDA 4 (2024) | KAIROS GLOBAL | JULY 2024

Author: Joseph Anthraper

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) broadly lays out the blueprint for ordinary Christian life. In fact, for any disciple of Christ seeking to follow his Master more closely and enter into his communion in a deeper way – much like his response to the rich young man in Matthew 19:16-22, the answer from Jesus invariably points to his teachings on the Sermon on the Mount. And like the rich young man, the Christian disciple also realises quickly that these teachings are in no way easy, let alone doable, i.e., without the promised grace from above. Yet, even among these many difficult teachings, one of them stands out as particularly irksome and more impossible than others – the mandate to love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44). Still, the Christian is all too aware that the disciple is not above the teacher, nor slave above the master. The master himself has shown him the way on the cross (Luke 23:34), and now he looks at me; will I not at least, make an attempt?

Kung Fu Panda 4 is the latest instalment in the hugely successful Kung Fu Panda series by DreamWorks Animation, continuing the story of the immensely likeable Panda, Po. Po, with his Staff of Wisdom, given by Oogway in the previous movie, is living his best life in the Valley of Peace – he is a celebrity of sorts and truth be told, he absolutely loves being the one and only Dragon Warrior. Hence it comes as a shock to his whole system when Master Shifu tells Po that it is now time for him to choose a new Dragon Warrior and move onto the next stage of his life, becoming a spiritual leader following in the footsteps of Master Oogway and himself, Shifu. Po doesn’t think he is wise enough to offer anyone any spiritual wisdom, and while trying to reconcile with this new idea and find inner peace, he stumbles upon and catches a fox bandit named Zhen trying to steal artefacts from the ancient and sacred Jade Palace. Po puts Zhen in prison, where he is greeted with news that Tai Lung has returned from the spiritual realm and destroyed an entire quarry, just outside the Valley.

While Po is confused about how Tai Lung could have returned, Zhen who overhears the news tells Po about a sorceresses named The Chameleon – with her ability to transform into any shape instantaneously, she might actually be the force behind the recent attacks in the form of Tai Lung. Despite warnings from Master Shifu, Po decides to trust Zhen and follow her to Juniper City, to deal with the threat of The Chameleon. Off they go, Zhen and Po to Juniper City, the adventures along the way helping them form a bond of friendship with each other – at each instance Po trying (and failing) to instil his values of honesty and integrity in Zhen. Meanwhile, Po's father Li Shan and foster father Mr Ping become worried about Po, as the word on the street is that Po is no match for the shape-shifting Sorceress, and out of love and concern for Po, they decide to follow him and Zhen to Juniper City.

Soon Po and Zhen reach Juniper City – only to be nearly arrested and Zhen leads Po into the Den of Thieves, her home as an orphan until she was adopted, much like Po. From there, Zhen leads Po into The Chameleon's palace to face the sorceress, and while fighting their way through the heavily guarded gates, Po gets trapped in a cage from which he finds it hard to escape. In a frantic effort to get Zhen to safety, Po hands his Staff of Wisdom to Zhen and asks her to escape. But to his great shock and astonishment, Zhen reveals herself to be a servant of The Chameleon, who all the while was working undercover for the sorceress, with the sole intention of getting Po into a place where he would trust her and hand the Staff of Wisdom over willingly. The Staff of Wisdom holds much power over the spiritual realm, but in order for its power to be activated, it has to be willingly given. Zhen presents the Staff to The Chameleon, who intends to open a path into the spiritual realm and summon every deceased Kung-Fu master and steal their Kung Fu from them. Thus she hopes to become the greatest Kung Fu master ever, and achieve her dream of ruling over the whole world.

Though Po tries to escape, he is thrown off a huge cliff by The Chameleon, who thinks she has killed the invincible Dragon Warrior. However, Li Shan and Mr Ping, who had been following Po, rescue him. However Po is dejected and distraught at having given away the Staff of Wisdom so easily, and more importantly, at being so easily deceived by Zhen. Meanwhile, Zhen who has now seen the true evil of The Chameleon tries to escape – feeling the pangs of conscience at having betrayed the trust, friendship, and goodness of Po. Now that The Chameleon has started draining the Kung-Fu from the deceased masters into herself, would Po have enough Kung Fu remaining in him to take down the sorceress, and would Zhen be able to leave behind her evil ways and reconcile with Po, forms the rest of the story.

In Psalm 55, King David poignantly sings, it is not enemies who taunt me, I could bear that; it is not adversaries who deal insolently with me, I could hide from them. But it is you, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend, with whom I kept pleasant company; we walked in the house of God with the throng. True, betrayal itself is extremely difficult, yet even more difficult is forgiving and reconciling with a betrayer, and seeking forgiveness for a betrayal. Yet, the beauty and truth of Christianity is this – it is possible, precisely because it is the Holy Spirit living in us that makes the impossible happen. Is it easy? Not at all! Is it possible? Yes, for what is impossible for man is possible with God (Luke 18:27).

All in all, Kung Fu Panda 4 doesn't disappoint and is a good family watch.