DESPICABLE ME 4 -- Cute Family Fun

Review by Adam Donato

Gru (Steve Carell) and Gru Jr. in Despicable Me 4, directed by Chris Renaud.

As the first half of 2024 comes to a close, the film that reigns supreme at the box office is Inside Out 2. It seems the most reliable films at the box office this year are animated franchise sequels, as Kung Fu Panda 4 is also one of the highest-grossing movies of the year. Another fourth film in an animated franchise kicks off the second half of the year in Despicable Me 4. It's funny how it used to be taboo to include the number four in your title. Most franchises opt to slap a colon and a second title so as to not alienate new fans who might find the task of catching up on three movies too daunting to see a fourth film. Despicable Me 4 wears the number like a badge of honor. That doesn't even include the two Minions spinoffs, which also feature Gru's story. It doesn't seem as though audiences are getting sick of the villain-turned-dad as Despicable Me 4 is primed to own the month of July as long as Inside Out 2 fever wains. 

Outside of the baby, Despicable Me 4 is indistinguishable from the prior two installments. Unfortunately, the minions are iconic characters. They're universal. Literally. It feels like the last Minions movie also had superhero versions of the mutants. Who cares? They're cute, and the rest of the movie is pretty light. Fans of the franchise will certainly be satisfied with this entry, but the ceiling is so low, and the floor is so high. Watch this movie in a theater full of kids and say it doesn't fully succeed in entertaining its target audience. Adults also enjoy it due to the relatability of the family and the broad humor of the silly minions. It's surefire fun for the whole family. 

The villain of the film, Maxime, is voiced by Will Ferrell. His character sports a voice reminiscent of his performance in Zoolander. Maxime has backstory beef with Gru, which is better than him being some random bad guy. He's pretty funny, but it's not Will Ferrell's best voice-acting work. The character just isn't given enough focus, as the middle of the movie has Gru doing some side quest with the girl next door. There are too many subplots going on and so many characters to keep up with, and it must all be wrapped up in 95 minutes. Maxime has a love interest in the film, voiced by Sofia Vergara, and she has nothing to do. Why make up this character, get a good comedic actress to voice her, and not give her anything to do?

The Minions subplot has nothing to do with the film's main plotline. It's an entirely separate mission from what Gru and the family have going on. This does give Steve Coogan more of a role to shine. His character is turning the minions into Mega Minions. The most memorable thing about his character is that his name is a butt joke. This is the level of humor we're working with here. There were just as many adults laughing during the movie as there were kids. It's got mass appeal. 

One thing the Despicable Me movies have always been known for is the music in their films. Pharrell Williams, who has a LEGO biopic coming out later this year, always brings it with good original songs for these movies. Double Life is a fun bop that sets the stage at the beginning of the film. The soundtrack usually has characters singing popular throwback hits. At the end of the day, it's a funny twist on a good song.

Illumination goes back to the well, extending the franchise to a fourth film. Recent news came out saying they're taking The Simpsons model by not aging up their characters. With how sure of a success this film is destined to be at the box office, one may wonder if there will ever be a movie one day named Despicable Me 8. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's working enough. Despicable Me 4 is mildly entertaining and entirely unspecial. ​

Despicable Me 4 hits theaters on July 3.

Rating: 3/5