Once again, we follow Gru (Steve Carell) as he continues to work secretly for AVL (Anti-Villain League). During his most recent undercover operation, Gru successfully apprehended a new kind of supervillain named Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), who has a massive obsession with cockroaches, even transforming himself into a cockroach monster! With Maxime behind bars in a maximum-security prison, Gru hopes to return to his everyday life and his cheeky baby boy, Gru Jr.
However, Gru’s peaceful family time is abruptly interrupted when he learns that Maxime has escaped the maximum-security prison. To ensure the safety of Gru, his family, and the mischievous minions, they are forced to enter the witness protection program. This involves adopting new identities and occupations, and enrolling Gru’s children in a new school. Meanwhile, with their newfound freedom, Maxime and his girlfriend, Valentina (Sofía Vergara), set out to locate Gru, determined to steal Gru’s baby as the ultimate revenge. Can Gru and his lovable family evade Maxime’s nefarious plan and remain hidden and safe?
In its fourth instalment, the Despicable Me franchise continues to provide mindless fun and outrageous concepts through the villains, technology, and the antics of the adorable, crazy minions. While the series introduces a new plot, it remains consistent and delightful. Director Chris Renaud, known for directing the first Despicable Me (2010) and its sequel, Despicable Me 2 (2013), returns to direct this new instalment alongside Patrick Delage. It’s worth noting that the director’s previous works include other animated comedies such as The Secret Life of Pets and The Lorax.
Steve Carell’s voice work remains terrific, and the expansion to Gru’s sweet family (and odd-looking pets) is a delightful sight. Fans of all things Gru and Minions will know what to expect here. It’s fun to pass the time with brilliant animation work and a lively soundtrack filled with many old and new pop songs, including the latest song, Double Life, by Pharrell Williams.
However, more than ever before, certain subplots, such as Gru being bribed to do a heist by a young villain wannabe from next door and five of the best Minions undergoing a whole new procedure and superhero transformation known as “The Mega Minions,” felt like a distraction and runtime filler. Meanwhile, the film’s main villain, Maxime, spends a good portion of the runtime travelling to get closer and closer to Gru’s secret location for a showdown in the finale. Despite some unnecessary subplots, I remained entertained and laughed at all the witty nonsense offered.
Overall, if you’re a fan of everything related to Gru or those crazy banana-loving Minions, you’ll know what to expect here. It’s great to see Gru’s world expand with new threatening supervillains and catch up on how his personal life has developed since we last saw him. Once again, the film series consists of awesome animation and highly catchy tunes throughout the duration. While there’s plenty of nonsense and brainless comedy, I can’t deny that certain subplots felt unnecessary and were simply a fun way to fill the film’s runtime. That said, I remained entertained and uplifted and would welcome another instalment in due time.
6.4/10
2nd July 2024
Written by Peter Walkden
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