Illumination’s latest shows the return to the world of the Minions but Despicable Me 4 fails to set itself apart from its predecessors.
Over the years the Despicable Me franchise has made a name for itself with its distinct imagery and somewhat formulaic approach. I am here to say that this status quo is continued here, after all, if it isn’t broken then why fix it? That’s a fair enough sentiment from the business side of things and for Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri (who also produced this film), who helped propel the franchise to over 6.5 billion dollars at the global box office, but the repetition of such experiences can become grating.
Despicable Me 4 functions as a crowd pleaser and a crowd pleaser only, optimising itself for a family audience, complete with tropes, ‘80s needle drops and constant juvenile humour. Illumination knows their audience and honestly, there is no problem with that, but if I have to see a Minion make a joke about farting one more time, I might sour on the franchise.
Despicable Me 4 follows Gru (Steve Carell), back in the Anti-Villain League, thwarting an old nemesis, Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), and returning to his family, which now includes a new baby. Trouble arises when Maxime breaks out of prison and vows to abduct Gru’s child, forcing Gru and his family to go into Witness Protection. A plot that is eerily similar to Despicable Me 3, which followed Gru thwarting failed child star Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) before he vowed revenge on him.
Despite complaints from many regarding the safe animation style of Illumination films, I found the animation here to be serviceable and does its job, remaining vibrant, clean and family-friendly. While it is true that more risks could have been taken, the story being told did not require it.
This is also true for the humour, which as said above, is crafted specifically for the masses, not taking any risks and taking cheap shots at buttocks, farts and other examples of self-deprecation. It’s perhaps the aspect of the film I found most hit and miss, with Minions hitting each other’s backsides with fly swats balanced out by cats playing Dance Dance Revolution.
The character work here is almost non-existent, a stark contrast to what was shown in Despicable Me 3, which depicted Gru attempting to get along with his twin Dru (who is absent in this film). Gru has no arc in this film and neither do any of the other characters, it’s purely a story of Gru trying to fit into his witness-protection town while trouble brews in the form of Maxime Le Mal.
Maxime Le Mal, like Balthazar Bratt, is the clear standout in the film, having some hilarious scenes as well as an ecstatic voice performance from Step Brothers star Will Ferrell. He brings a level of humour that is unique only due to his delivery, which is also balanced with the threat he displays throughout the 90-minute runtime.
Although Despicable Me 4 is just another formulaic Illumination film, I truly do think it improved on the past film, by integrating its villain into the plot more, but it still fails to reach the highs of the first two films in the Despicable Me series.
Despicable Me 4 is directed by Chris Renaud and stars Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Sofía Vergara, Joey King, Stephen Colbert, Chloe Fineman, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Madison Polan, Pierre Coffin, Steve Coogan, and Chris Renaud. The film is produced by Illumination and releases in US theatres on July 3, 2024.
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