‘Despicable Me 4’ Review: Gru’s Family Expands in Lighting Animation That Serves Up Familiar Antics

“Despicable Me 4”

Lighting and universal images

In Despicable Me 4The latest installment in Illumination Studio’s popular franchise, Gru (a winning Steve Carell) confronts the subtle nastiness of suburban life. There’s something about Mayflower’s charming aesthetic that’s off. Maybe it’s the nearly identical cottage-style homes, all painted the same shade of eggshell white and refurbished with pristine pools; or maybe it’s the residents, a wealthy and privileged bunch determined to exclude strangers. Whatever the reason, the mood is certainly off.

Directed by Chris Renaud from a screenplay by The White Lotus creator Mike White and Franchise pillar Ken Daurio Despicable Me 4 is a reliable follow-up to this financially reliable series. A new setting, a new villain, and new characters, including Gru Jr., Gru and Lucy’s newborn, provide enough fun and antics to satisfy existing fans. The plot can sometimes feel like an overstretched chaotic jumble, but White, who wrote Avian Illumination charms Migrationelevates the overall narrative by injecting doses of his eternal interest in the social codes of the wealthy. The Minions benefit from a zany B-plot that becomes one of the film’s strongest threads, and a strong voice keeps the film engaging and nimble.

Despicable Me 4 begins with a thrilling showdown (thanks to clever angles and a tense score by composer Heitor Pereira) between Gru and a new villain, Max the Evil (Will Ferrell). The pair’s history dates back to their days as students at No Good High School, the premier institution for aspiring villains. They meet at their school reunion, which, no matter how long your criminal record, is always full of old tensions, awkward exchanges, and not-so-subtle competitive banter.

During the evening, Maxime, obsessed with cockroaches, reveals his new invention, a device which gives him the qualities of almost indestructible vermin. Gru, newly reinstated in the Anti-Villains League after the shenanigans of I, despicable 3only came to the reunion to stop Maxime, which he does after the latter’s dramatic introduction.

All seems well until Maxime, with the help of his bug army and his wife (an underused Sofía Vergara), escapes from the Anti-Villain League’s maximum-security prison. Before his jailbreak, he records a video message in which he promises to “exterminate Gru.” AVL boss Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan) is understandably spooked, so the organization moves the Gru family, now including a baby Gru Jr., to Mayflower. There, Gru, Lucy (Kristen Wiig), Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Madison Skyy Polan) assume new identities. When Agnes in particular chafes at the idea of ​​lying about her name—she’s now Brittany—Gru humorously implores her to consider it “high-stakes pretending.”

New identities are a tough sell and some of the biggest winning moments Despicable Me 4 Details of the family’s attempts to fit into the Mayflower. Gru trades his dark outfit and scarf for khaki pants and pink polo shirts. He is now a part-time solar salesman and stay-at-home dad. Lucy becomes a world-famous beautician, working in the stuffy salon on Main Street. Margo attends a new college, where popular girl Poppy (an excellent Joey King) reigns supreme. Meanwhile, Agnes and Edith participate in a karate program run by a menacing instructor (Brad Ableson). This endeavor leads to some inventive sequences, including a surprisingly high-stakes supermarket chase involving Lucy and the girls.

The cast delivers engaging vocal performances, with Carell and King leading the pack. As Gru, Carell retains the villain’s characteristic irritability while also tackling the vulnerable excitement of raising his newborn. Trying to bond with Gru Jr., who rejects his fatherly affection, becomes this father’s top priority. The other mission is to befriend the family at the country club next door, who apparently want nothing to do with their neighbors. Perry (Stephen Colbert) treats Gru with cutting disdain, and through their interactions, the subtle cruelty of this suburb is evident. Patsy (Chloe Fineman) is friendlier and even invites Gru and Lucy to the country club for drinks and play tennis.

It’s their daughter Poppy who proves to be the most obviously sinister and therefore the most interesting. The teenager quickly discovers that Gru is a villain (it’s unclear why the AVL hasn’t cleaned up the web) and uses that information to blackmail him. The stakes of their reluctant partnership—Poppy asks Gru to help her pull off a heist—are low, but it offers a new adventure and the genuine character development that most Despicable Me the movies are missing.

As the Grus settle into a quiet life, Maxime hunts them down. He and his wife embark on their own frenetic adventures, but this part of the narrative feels underdeveloped at times. Maxime plans to kidnap Gru Jr. as revenge, which is a far cry from the initial threats of extermination, but is still evil. At 95 minutes long, Despicable Me 4 doesn’t give Maxime enough time to implement his plans in a way that packs an emotional punch.

The Fate of the Minions offers some truly hilarious moments and incredibly detailed animation. Silas enlists the gang of yellow beings to train as the AVL’s top agents. A select group of them undergo an experimental treatment that transforms them into super Minions. Their training sequences – both at AVL headquarters and in the city – remain true to the tradition of Illumination animators having fun with Loony Tunes-style tracks. They also end up, somewhat ironically, grounded Despicable Me 4which can become dizzying with its twists and turns. When in doubt about which way to go, just trust the Minions.