Despicable Me 4 is the continuing story of a great supervillain turned hero. Gru (Steve Carell) loves his life. His day job at the Anti-Villain League has Gru rounding up perpetrators across the globe. When not on assignment, Gru enjoys his growing family: his wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig), four kids, a few pets, and a whole cadre of Minions. When Gru goes after his former class nemesis Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), his rival swears revenge. Fearing for their safety, most of Gru’s clan enter a witness protection program and relocate to suburbia. Under these less-than-ideal conditions, Gru must figure out how to juggle keeping his family inconspicuous but also happy. And if he can, stop Maxime once and for all.
What works in Despicable Me 4 is the accessible, family-friendly humor. Those familiar with the Despicable Me franchise will find the formula on full display. Gru gets into uncomfortable situations. The Minions get comically injured. The family learns a lesson. The physicality is for the kids, while the references and needle drops are for the adults. Despicable Me 4 clearly believes in the adage of “don’t fix it if it ain’t broke,” as it produces more of the same. As such, Despicable Me 4 is a perfectly serviceable movie, which can be enjoyed by filmgoers of all ages. It delivers on exactly the premise it’s selling.
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People who feel that the Despicable Me movies have become repetitive may not enjoy this 4th entry as much as others. For those who find the Minions’ prattling and gibberish annoying, Despicable Me 4 will not be a catalyst for conversion. The whole ordeal is incredibly safe, borderline forgettable. This is particularly true for the film’s villain. Ferrell does what he can while voicing Maxime, but the short runtime translates into an undercooked character. Faring even worse is Valentina (Sofia Vergara) who has even less to do. Narratively speaking, Despicable Me 4 feels only a few shades away from a direct-to-tv spinoff. The events have minimal consequence on any of the characters’ arcs. As such, the adventure feels more like a one-off side quest than actual progression.
Despicable Me 4 is a nice safe pick for family movie night. It doesn’t break any new ground, but it does give people another serving of a reliably fun meal. Recommended.
Recommended if you enjoyed: Minions: The Rise of Gru, Despicable Me 3. Kung Fu Panda 4
Despicable Me 4 is now available for purchase or rent on digital platforms.
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