Review | ‘Despicable Me 4’: A wildly imaginative yet overly plotty adventure (2024)

(2.5 stars)

The latest installment in the Despicable Me franchise, the series of animated comedy films centering on Gru, a semi-reformed supervillain voiced by Steve Carell, is a fish-out-of-water tale set in a sleepy suburban safe house. It’s also a revenge story, precipitated by the escape of Gru’s arch-nemesis Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) from maximum security prison.

In a prologue, we watch Gru — now a do-gooder working for the Anti-Villain League (AVL) — apprehend Maxime. It’s explained that the French-accented, pompadoured antagonist in a knee-length, green-and-gold brocade puffer coat has managed to turn himself into a virtually indestructible human-cockroach hybrid, with a weapon that can do the same to his enemies. Maxime also has the ability to control a literal army of literal cockroach soldiers in literal little green helmets.

Ew. But also: What?

At the same time, the movie somehow becomes a heist flick, after Gru’s teenage neighbor (Joey King), an aspiring baddie with braces and a lisp, discovers Gru’s true identity and blackmails him into helping her steal the honey badger mascot from Gru’s alma mater, a school for budding criminal masterminds. The name of the Hogwarts-like academy is Lycée Pas Bon, which translates awkwardly to something close to High School Not Good, in the manner of a francophone Tarzan.

Advertisement

Oh, and one more thing: No Despicable Me movie would be worthy of the name without a healthy (or should I say unhealthy?) dose of Gru’s henchmen, the Minions. Five of those yellow, antibiotic-shaped underlings, in their boss’s absence, have been transformed into mutant superheroes by a secret serum developed by the AVL. The Mega Minions, as they are known, resemble a mashup of the Fantastic Four and X-Men.

Does the title “Despicable Me 4” simply refer to the film’s numerical position in the saga, begun in 2010, including two full-length Minion spinoffs? Or is it a reference to the number of separate plots here? All the storylines simultaneously vie for the attention of Mom and Dad and their underage charges. Pop songs from the 1980s appear alongside gently scatological and buttock-related humor. Like Maxime’s roach-man, “Despicable Me 4” is a hallucinatorily imaginative yet overstuffed amalgam of unrelated elements.

Perhaps some credit/blame should go to the twisted mind of Mike White, creator of “The White Lotus,” who joins franchise veteran Ken Daurio as co-screenwriter here, along with returning series director Chris Renaud and his new co-director Patrick Delage. There’s just a lot going on.

Advertisement

Atop that list are the struggles of Gru, masquerading as a solar panel salesman named Chet, and his crime-fighting wife, Lucy (Kristen Wiig), going undercover as an inept hairstylist. Much of the film concerns their difficulty conforming to middle-class parenthood while in hiding from Maxime: chauffeuring three adopted daughters to school and karate lessons, coping with a new infant son, grocery shopping, and playing tennis with snooty country-clubbers (Stephen Colbert and Chloe Fineman).

It isn’t always easy to keep track of what’s happening or why. Between Ferrell’s and Carell’s over-the-top fake accents (Gru is supposed to be Russian) and the voice of Maxime’s girlfriend, also played for laughs by Colombian-born Sofía Vergara, “Despicable Me 4” can be confusing.

At times, however, you may be reminded that the franchise, which began as a fairly straightforward story of a supercriminal going soft after he falls for a trio of orphans, seems low on creative fuel. At one point, the nudge is unintentionally explicit: When Maxime discovers that his bug-shaped airplane is running on fumes, the character laments: “It’s always something. I can never focus on just being evil.”

Advertisement

As always, kudos goes to Imagination Entertainment’s visually inventive character design, beginning with the barrel-chested, toothpick-legged Gru, who, as Maxime puts it, looks like a “walking boiled potato.” And there’s the melted-looking visage of jowly AVL director Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan) — yes, there’s a joke about his last name.

The rest of the animation is, as a rule, suitably loony. You may even find yourself pleasantly distracted from the plot now and again while fixating on random visual details, such as the gray hairs sprouting from a wart on the end of the nose of Principal Übelschlecht, the headmistress of the Lycée Pas Bon. It’s worth the diversion.

As for whether any of us really needs yet another Despicable Me sequel in the first place — let alone four mini-movies, spliced together as if by a blast from Maxime’s Roachinator gun, like separate featurettes into a freakishly multi-limbed whole — you, like the honey badger of 2011 meme fame, just may not care.

PG. At area theaters. Contains slapstick action and rude humor. 95 minutes.

Review | ‘Despicable Me 4’: A wildly imaginative yet overly plotty adventure (2024)

FAQs

Review | ‘Despicable Me 4’: A wildly imaginative yet overly plotty adventure? ›

All the storylines simultaneously vie for the attention of Mom and Dad and their underage charges. Pop songs from the 1980s appear alongside gently scatological and buttock-related humor. Like Maxime's roach-man, “Despicable Me 4

Despicable Me 4
Despicable Me 4 is a 2024 American animated comedy film produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the sequel to Despicable Me 3 (2017), the fourth main installment, and the sixth overall installment in the Despicable Me franchise.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Despicable_Me_4
” is a hallucinatorily imaginative yet overstuffed amalgam of unrelated elements.

Is Despicable Me 4 coming out on Netflix? ›

Peacock Debut: Following its theatrical run, Despicable Me 4 will make its streaming debut on Peacock on October 31, 2024. Transition to Netflix: After four months on Peacock, the movie will move to Netflix in February 2025, where it will remain available throughout the rest of the year.

Will Despicable Me 4 be good? ›

“Despicable Me 4″ features the same fun, cartoony animation as the previous films. It is aesthetically fun to watch. Characters are voiced by Steve Carell, Kristin Wiig and Steve Coogan, so it's also fun to listen to. But there is not much by way of a story.

How old is Gru in Despicable Me 4? ›

How old is Gru in Despicable Me 4? In Despicable Me 4, Gru appears to be in his mid-to-late 40s. Previous films established a timeline where Gru was most likely born in 1965. This makes him around 46 years old in the first Despicable Me movie, set in 2010.

What will Despicable Me 4 be about in 2024? ›

Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith, and Agnes welcome a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his girlfriend Valentina, an... Read all.

Where can I watch Despicable Me 4 at home? ›

Additionally, you can check Despicable Me 4 the movie is available on popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video, as they often offer a wide selection of movies and TV. Mark your calendars for July 8th, as that's when Despicable Me 4 will be available on Disney+.

Is Despicable Me 4 on Disney Plus? ›

Disney+: Despicable Me 4 is not currently available for streaming on Disney+.

Will Gru's brother be in Despicable Me 4? ›

Yes, Dru returns in Despicable Me 4. However, he only appears toward the end of the movie. In the film's ending, Dru can be seen attending a family party following Gru's successful defeat of Maxime Le Mal. Gru's mother Marlena and Dr.

Who is the villain in Despicable Me 4? ›

The film sees reformed supervillain and secret agent Gru (Carell) relocate his family to a safe house when his old rival Maxime Le Mal (Ferrell) seeks revenge.

What age is appropriate for Despicable Me 4? ›

Mega Minions, a new baby, and LOL moments: 'Despicable Me 4' is entertaining for all ages. The Minions are bringing back some MEGA mayhem to movie screens in Despicable Me 4, hitting theaters July 3.

Is Gru Russian or German? ›

The Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formerly the Main Intelligence Directorate, and still commonly known by its previous abbreviation GRU, is the foreign military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

What is Gru's real name? ›

Felonious Gru Sr., alternatively spelled as Felonius Gru and typically referred to simply as Gru, is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Despicable Me franchise. Voiced by American actor Steve Carell, he has appeared in all six films in the series.

What language do Minions speak? ›

The Minions speak Minionese, sometimes called “the Banana language”. Minionese is what's known as a constructed language – or “conlang”.

Is Despicable Me 4 the final movie? ›

Despicable Me 4 has been released in theaters. However, Despicable Me 4 is not the last movie of the franchise.

Is there going to be a 5th Despicable Me? ›

Despicable Me 5 Is Not Confirmed (Yet)

With that said, Despicable Me 5 is not official yet, and it could take a few years before the green light is finally given. Though plans were put in place for Despicable Me 4 back in 2017, it wasn't until 2022 that it was formally announced.

Does Gru have a baby? ›

The trailer for Despicable Me 4 reveals that Gru and Lucy have a baby boy, implying a time jump in the franchise. Gru Jr. in Despicable Me 4 confirms that the franchise lacks a defined sense of continuity.

Is The rise of gru on Netflix? ›

Watch Minions: The Rise of Gru | Netflix.

Is Despicable Me 4 released? ›

Despicable Me 4 premiered at the Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on June 9, 2024, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 3. The film received mixed reviews, and grossed $626.2 million worldwide, making it the third highest-grossing film of 2024.

Is Despicable Me on Netflix or Disney? ›

As per Universal's streaming arrangements for animated movies, Despicable Me 4 will be available on Peacock for four months before moving to Netflix for the next 10 months. It will then return to Peacock for four additional months before being made available on Prime Video.

Is Despicable Me 4 on Amazon Prime? ›

'Despicable Me 4' movie could potentially be available for streaming on Prime Video, but it is likely to be a paid digital release rather than included with an Amazon Prime subscription. This means that instead of watching the movie as part of your existing subscription, you may have to rent it digitally on Amazon.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Jeremiah Abshire

Last Updated:

Views: 6224

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (74 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jeremiah Abshire

Birthday: 1993-09-14

Address: Apt. 425 92748 Jannie Centers, Port Nikitaville, VT 82110

Phone: +8096210939894

Job: Lead Healthcare Manager

Hobby: Watching movies, Watching movies, Knapping, LARPing, Coffee roasting, Lacemaking, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Jeremiah Abshire, I am a outstanding, kind, clever, hilarious, curious, hilarious, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.