User Reviews

Despicable Me 4 is operating on fumes. Just like last time it's a bunch of random side plots that just gets it to feature length (credits included). Still, even when these films are operating at a lower level they really understand not to waste your time with another 90 minutes of zany, erratic slapstick that peaks whenever the Minions are on screen, which once again is not enough.

Steve Carell sounds less like Gru and more like himself with every new instalment but he's still the sole voice actor holding the whole thing together and in this one, he's broader than ever. Will Ferrell and Sofia Vegara very quickly earn the title of worst villains in this franchise (Minions films included) with grating vocal performances that go for caricature in very annoying fashion.

The Minions remain really funny even in small doses despite the fact that there's nothing here as memorable as their big musical number in 3. The Mega Minions are by far the best idea this one has as it allows the film to poke some fun at superhero movies and keep their dynamic fresh. They should've been in it so much more instead of being relegated to a small handful of scenes.

Chris Renaud's direction certainly gives the film a lot of energy with the hyperactive pace which can barely stay still. The opening offers the false promise of this one having some genuine stakes before quickly pivoting away from that and turning the film into the cinematic equivalent of a sugar rush which helps to keep things moving at speed even when the jokes aren't landing.

Now, I've been a fan of these Despicable Me Movies since 2010 and I've loved all of the movie in a variety of different qualities. However, there was a part of me that wasn't necessarily excited for this movie and that's a big surprise for me. Now that I've watched the movie and I can honestly say that while I did like this movie, we've officially come to the point where the Despicable Me Franchise is starting to feel played out.

Positives for Despicable Me 4 (2024): There is still a lot of fun that can be had with this set of characters and honestly these movies won't survive without them. I enjoyed that this movie has a wide variety of different characters with their own distinct personalities and charisma. I really enjoyed the addition of Joey King as Poppy Prescott as one of the the neighbor characters to the Gru Family. I liked the fact that the Gru Family has to figure out how they need to adapt to a new neighborhood. I really enjoyed the journey that Gru goes on with his infant son Gru Jr. Where at the beginning of the movie, Gru Jr. Hates his father and then eventually starts to like his father at he end of the movie. And finally, the minions are still a lot of fun with their insane antics.

Mixed for Despicable Me 4 (2024): The main issue that I have with this movie is the screenplay and that's primarily because the two screenwriters of this movie are Mike White, the creator of The White Lotus (2021-) and Ken Daurio, the screenwriter of multiple Illumination Animated Movies. And while I do enjoy what both of these guys bring to the table with their writing, their styles of writing do not feel compatible with each other in term of how they write their characters, construct their stories, the tone that they're going for and the themes that they want to explore. It literally feels the movie is trying to figure out what it wants to be throughout the runtime.

Negatives for Despicable Me 4 (2024): Similar to Despicable Me 3 (2017), Dr. Nefario is not in this movie, with the exception of a small cameo. And finally, the villains of both Maxime Le Mal and Valentina are by far the weakest in the franchise which is bizarre because they are voiced by Will Ferrell and Sofia Vergara respectively.

Overall, Despicable Me 4 (2024) is still a fun movie within this franchise but we've reached the point where this franchise is starting to feel played out and that's not a good thing.

"Despicable Me 4," the latest installment in the beloved animated franchise, delivers more of the same zany antics and heartwarming moments that fans have come to expect. Gru, voiced by Steve Carell, returns with his lovable Minions in tow, ready to embark on yet another wild adventure.

The movie introduces a few new characters, adding fresh dynamics to the familiar mix. The plot, while somewhat predictable, is packed with enough humor and action to keep viewers entertained. The Minions, as always, steal the show with their slapstick comedy and nonsensical chatter, providing plenty of laughs for both kids and adults.

However, "Despicable Me 4" struggles to break new ground. The storylines feel recycled at times, and the emotional beats, though effective, lack the impact of earlier films. The animation quality remains top-notch, and the voice performances are consistently strong, ensuring that the film is enjoyable even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of its predecessors.

Overall, "Despicable Me 4" is a fun, family-friendly movie that offers a good time, despite its familiarity and lack of innovation.

I think this falls into the same mistakes that the third one did. It was still classic Minion fun, but it didn't have a story to tell. In fact, in this one there isn't really a story. The story was just loosely tied together. In fact, it's multiple different things tied together, to make a mess of a story. That being said, I still had fun. I thought that the different bits and pieces we got was the fun to be expected with this franchise. For me, it still had a little bit of the charm from the first two. It isn't completely lost yet. The growth of Gru and his son was cute, but that was just about as interesting the movie got. I still had a lot of fun with the Mega Minions, I hope we can see more of them in the future. This franchise will forever be a guilty pleasure of mine.

As I said above Despicable Me 4 will no doubt be a hit worldwide hands down but it didn't strike a chord in my books.

Pros Our lovable Minions doing what they do best which is wacky fun crazy stupid things which induces some laughs. I think the best cute thing was the baby Gru after the Minions. It was nice to see Gru for once a bit afraid and on the backfoot to protect his family.

Was lovely to see all the ex antagonists in the end from the series.

Cons I would say the plot is simple and predictable but the villain, although not a bad one was not as menacing and interesting.

Would have loved more of Dr Nefario.

Minion Superheroes were a treat to watch!

This fourth film in the series crashes and burns on multiple levels. The story is a tedious slog, failing to capture the spark of the previous entries. The villain, unworthy of the franchise's legacy, is a bumbling disappointment easily defeated by a puppy. This lackluster antagonist makes the film an unenjoyable chore, especially for fans who invested time in the previous installments.

But the problems go deeper than a weak villain. The plot itself feels uninspired, and the film fails to recapture the magic that made the earlier movies so entertaining. It's a forgettable entry in a series that deserved better.

It may have been seven years since the last Despicable Me adventure, but the creators have hit another home run with the fourth instalment of the franchise. Plenty of laughs and a fun adventure means it's a great light-hearted way to spend time at the cinema, for both young and old.

We get to see Gru, the kids and good old Sirus Ramsbottom once again, however there is a new super-villain intent on revenge against Gru for a 30 plus year grudge, If you want to have a fun time and especially if you are a fan of the Despicable Me/Minions films, then I would most definitely recommend seeing this film!

Despicable me 4! Just got home from the premier! Wuuu I love the minions movies! Those little yellow things and their adventures are the best! Always keep me entertained. The movie is great. I've watched must of the series and , let me tell you something, I always enjoy it. Like always is family friendly and worth watching on the big screen since it makes it more entertaining and night than life. I'm so glad I made it to the premier show! The story itself is interesting as well as it shows us a different side of Gru and also revolves somewhat more around his baby boy. The new characters they introduce are also interesting. The ending is actually hilarious when you really think about it. Plus you know the minions always make it hilarious. Definitely worth the big screen.

Verdict: SKIP IT!

Rating: 6.5/10

I really wanted to like this movie but it was pretty disappointing. The movie didn't have much of a story and the scenes felt like they were all over the place. The laugh out loud moments were too far and few between. I feel like they relied too much on the minions slapstick comedy as opposed to focusing on character development and creating funny scenarios in the storyline.

The villain was forgettable and not too impressive. The entire time it felt like there was nothing at stake. The only motivation for the villain was petty revenge. The thing that put me off the most in this movie was Gru's switch from a heel to a babyface. It just doesn't suit him or create funny moments. Gru is much funnier being the sarcastic wisecracking villain you love, not this tame neutered family man. He's much funnier popping kid's balloons and melting their ice cream then running around trying to please everyone.

I do admit though that him now being a family man makes sense in the continuity of the story, however it does nothing to improve the comedic scenes of the storyline which is why we all watch these movies in the first place.

I gave this movie a 6.5/10. It's not a good movie, but not a terrible one either. I feel that this movie was the weakest of the four and that this series has ran its course with nothing else left to offer. In my opinion, save your money and wait for this to come out on streaming.

A very ok film. Some unexpected and enjoyable scenes but a weak plot overall.

Being a children's film it's understandable that most of the gags should be targeted at this age group, but there was hardly any attempt at any clever subtle humour for the accompanying adults watching- something that is extremely common in similar animated films.

Unlike previous Despicable Me films, character evolution is now a forgotten concept, as we experience gag after gag that has no impact on the learnings of our protagonists, leaving us as viewers feeling less connected and invested.

At this point the Minions are basically holding up what is left of the franchise and writers must now face the challenge of writing more engaging storylines to keep a broader audience engaged in the series.

It definitely is a good movie for what it's made for but plot wise it's alright. I thought it was nice movie with funny moments a Pretty good villain and great voice acting and animation the ending is definitely very fun and brought many memories back. I think it's the maybe the 4th or 5th best movie in the minions/despicable me franchise. But a negatives I think it's tied for the worst despicable me movie with number 3 as it doesn't really develop the characters age or anything. A big plus are the minions which I thought were amazing and really funny in this film. Oh and another negative is dr nefario is really a cameo in this movie which really sucked. But with that being said I think it's a funny must watch for kids with its being enjoyable and entertaining enough for older people.

LIKES:

Animated Beautifully

Fun Voice Acting

Lots of Fun Movie References

Cute

Entertaining Pace

Some Old Magic Returns

References To Other DM movies

Fun

SUMMARY: Illumination's design is entertaining and unique to make exaggerated features enjoyable, whimsical, and it sticks in your mind with the vibrant colors and light. The fourth movie keeps to these cards and has stunning animation that is familiar, fun, and enjoyable for viewers like me just looking for cartoon antics. Alongside fun voice acting, mainly led by Carell and Coffin, Despicable Me keeps being entertaining quips of complaining, awkward enthusiasm, and gibberish that still hasn't completely left me in being entertained to watch as the humor unleashes. The movie makes cute references to previous installments in the film, while also poking at Hollywood's television and movie traditions and the fans that admire them. It's clever at times and brings that magic of the first film back in balancing witty dialogue, emotional growth of characters, and slapstick humor that had me hooked in this series. In this case, a heist and an operation of the Minions are my particular favorites where things came together in the right way to show potential for this series. These moments are fleeting mind you, but when they do emerge, they shine and remind me why I love this series in terms of entertaining fun. Whatever your interests are in terms of wit vs. Silly, I think this movie still thrives in being cute and fun, perfect for the audiences coming to the theaters to see this in hopes of just taking a break from reality with this entertainment value.

DISLIKES:

The Story Is Choppy

A Bit Too Silly/Messy

Predictable

Mediocre Villains

More of the other characters

Tried Too Much In One Movie

SUMMARY Despite this film being very fun and cute though, it's taken further steps from the magic of that first film. Primarily in story and balance, Despicable Me 4 had trailers portray a tale of new fatherhood and a new place in life after some concerns with the new villain in town. It sounds like something akin to movies one and two, but that fell to the wayside very quickly and became this choppy tale of three different groups that never quite reached the potential they were going for. It's a messy anthology with tales that struggle to fully mesh together, with predictable gimmicks and cliché finishes that did little to wow me. Mediocre villains that have limited involvement or attachment to the plot only weaken the story, making a thin backbone to build on for the sake of more silliness that had the younger members (and young at heart) laughing up a storm. Again, this is cute, but such sporadic handling of the purpose of this movie made it sparkle less than the previous installments. In addition, the movie decided to add more characters to an already loaded piece, and many of these have had a reduction in their purpose, place, and involvement that might disappoint fans. Fans of Agnes, Margo, Edith, Lucy, and even Dr. Nefario or Gru's twin brother will be disappointed to know they do very little in this film, with a focus on Gru, Poppy, and Junior, alongside the merchandised Minions. Without this balance or really looming threat, Despicable Me 4 became another example (to me) of a film trying too much in one movie and hoping it sticks.

THE VERDICT: The fourth "main" installment continues the trend of a fun movie that is just good for passing the time and enjoying the distractions that movies can have. Gru and his family are still as cute, cuddly, and silly as ever, and they continue to bring the silliness that will have families cracking up and enjoying being together in their adventures. Beautiful animation brings the antics alive with good voice acting, delivering some of that wit and charm well, but always keeping it family-friendly no matter the underlying tones they set. However, this movie has merged the silliness of minions with the charm of Despicable Me, which is charming and fun, but fails to balance both of their strengths leading to a very disorganized plot. The fourth movie spreads the story out too much in an attempt to utilize all the pieces that make the film have less drive or purpose outside of just making you laugh. This is of course okay, but compared to some of the other films in this series, it's sad to see that cleverness and storytelling gone in place of 90 minutes of uber-ridiculous antics. Is it worth a trip to the theater? Absolutely. It's got plenty of spectacle to be in the theater, and a group outing maximizes this film's entertainment value. In regards to my scores, the final scoring is:

Animation/Adventure/Comedy: 7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0-6.5.

I enjoyed Despicable Me 4! It's full of slapstick comedy plus new and old characters. The animation is so high quality it's despicable.

In the sixth installment of the Despicable Me franchise, Gru (Steve Carell), Lucy (Kristen Wiig), and the girls welcome a new member to their family, Gru Jr. (Tara Strong), who is set on tormenting his dad. And now, because of a new villain named Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his girlfriend (Sofía Vergara), Gru's family is forced to go into hiding and adopt new identities. Will they take Maxime down or will their cover be blown? Watch to find out!

This movie is really cute, but there is just a lot going on at once. There are several different subplots and a lot of new characters that are crammed into this 94-minute movie, so some scenes feel a bit random and out of place. Nonetheless, this is a great family movie. Its humor is geared more towards younger audiences, but that being said, I and a lot of adults laughed throughout the entire movie. I adore all of the characters in the franchise dearly, but my favorite is Agnes, voiced by Madison Polan. She is so sweet and lovable and always wants to do the right thing. I also really love the performances from Steve Carell as Gru, Kristen Wiig as Lucy, Miranda Cosgrove as Margo, and Dana Gaier as Edith. Pierre Coffin, as always, is so impressive when voicing the minions (yes, all of them). Will Ferrell as Maxime and Sofía Vergara as Valentina, Maxime's girlfriend, are hilarious and really fit their roles.

The film's messages, similar to the previous installments, focus on the importance of family and doing the right thing. Be forewarned that there are some risky behaviors portrayed in this movie that young children shouldn't try to replicate.

Despicable Me 4 gets 4 of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. People who enjoyed the previous Despicable Me movies will definitely want to see this one. It comes out in theaters on July 3, 2024.

Saw this movie at 10pm lol

I liked it, i had some prejudices the first moment i saw the trailer; that it won't be fun, that the characters don't age and that the story will be bad.

But no, the story is decent or at least entertaining, if you go alone or with kids i think the premise of the film is likable at the very least

Animation wise it's espectacular, characters have a lot of emotions, they're really expresive and all scenarios have good ambience and it's very detailed, same with the sound design, it is good and has some old soundtracks that are still catchy today.

The plot is 'ok', i think it's interesting that Gru is in serious trouble this time, the start of the film makes it looks like he was in real danger. I wish it went hard on that rail but that plot is muddled in a lot of scenes for each family member, and the minions.

Like... the main thing; the fight between gru and the big bad guy from this film is what i felt it wasn't properly developed, the other scenes with the family aren't bad but they don't feel connected to the overarching plot.

Yes there are a lot of minions scenes but 1) most of them are funny and 2) they're not the main focus, they also don't last long

This is a good movie, worth the ticket for the entire family but it could've been more interesting.

"Despicable Me 4" is a mixed bag that might leave some fans wanting more. The movie, which I rate a 5 out of 10, unfortunately feels like it cut corners, particularly in its action sequences. The fighting scenes, which are a staple of the series' high-energy style, felt noticeably truncated. This lack of extended action left a sense of incompleteness, making the film's pacing seem uneven.

However, the film is not without its merits. There are some genuinely funny moments that capture the charm of the series, reminding us why we fell in love with Gru, the Minions, and their antics in the first place. The humor, while sporadic, still manages to evoke laughter and maintains the whimsical spirit of the previous installments.

The plot, while serviceable, doesn't break new ground. It follows a familiar formula, which might be comforting for some viewers but predictable for others. The new characters introduced did not add much depth to the story, and the development of existing characters seemed stagnant.

Visually, "Despicable Me 4" maintains the bright and colorful animation style that the franchise is known for, which is a definite plus. The Minions continue to steal scenes with their slapstick humor, but even their antics can't fully compensate for the film's shortcomings.

In summary, "Despicable Me 4" delivers some laughs and retains the visual appeal of its predecessors, but it falls short in terms of action and character development. While it's an enjoyable watch for die-hard fans, it doesn't quite capture the magic of the earlier films in the series.

I knew this was going to receive poor critic reviews. I knew they would call it disjointed and all over the place before I even checked. I agree with that criticism. But the beauty of comedy is, if you can make me laugh, all else is forgiven. And Despicable Me 4 made me laugh. A lot. Sometimes to the point of tears.

The animation looks better than ever. The minions continue to be awesome with lots of fun new... modifications. Poppy is another great addition to the cast. There are so many fun and hilarious scenes of a wide variety.

For me, the only thing holding this back from being one of my favorite comedies is the character voiced by Will Ferrell. This is odd since he is one of my favorite comedic actors. I just didn't find his accent, his look, or his general character amusing or funny.

Bottom line, if you love the Despicable Me movies, you will most likely love this one.

(1 viewing, opening Wednesday UltraScreen 7/3/2024)

I saw the movie yesterday in three dimensions. Not bad. It manages to entertain, surprise and even scare. It is more of an enjoyable film for adults than for children. The references we find here clearly indicate the target audience. It is an intelligent decision since all of us who have enjoyed the saga in the cinema knowing that we are respected. The new characters add freshness and provide necessary twists. It's worth seeing; maintains the level of its predecessors and manages to sustain the attention and surprise of the viewer. Even considering the chances for new movies we undersntand that we will never be cheated.

This is, without a doubt, the worst Illumination movie.

I watched it 2 days ago and it was so boring I genuinely don't remember it that well. I can't believe they brought Will Ferrel into this godforsaken series (besides the first one that one is actually good). The plot was boring, the villain was boring, and Gru was EXTREMELY immature in this one. I do like that in the credits Vector, El Macho and Balthazar Brat come back as inmates but then Vector flosses (you read that right) and it ruins the whole part.

Anyway, this movie is just terrible. There was one joke that was a little funny but most of it was just bad.

2/10, don't watch.

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, and the family is forced to go on the run.

For what it's made for, it's a pretty good film. It's designed to provide entertainment, laughter, and a mental escape, and it definitely succeeds at that. The story is of course a bit lacking and the sequence of events are pretty predictable yet still filled with humour and action. When you watch a Minions movie or 'Despicable Me,' you look for the comedy, and although this one is filled with joke, unfortunately not all of them were good ones. Another observation: as we progressed from the first installment to this one, the minions' role has become less significant, which disappoints me since they were the reason I initially enjoyed these films. The voice cast remains incredibly strong, with accents and tones perfectly enhancing the movie's comedic aspect.

Score:6.5/10.