Movie Review: Despicable Me 4 [2024] – Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig

Despicable Me 4 won’t win any prizes, but as the first Despicable Me movie in seven years, it’s way better than its predecessor.

Our favorite supervillain-turned-Anti-Villain Gru is back in the biggest global animated franchise in history to start a new chapter as a father, but his enemies disagree.

Yes, the writing is not the best. Could it be better? I’m not sure if it even matters. It took me a couple of days of reflection after watching the movie in theaters to write this review. This innocuous follow-up feels like a mishmash of discarded and undeveloped ideas or subplots from prior entries in the franchise. Oh, he liked being a dad? Let’s give him a baby. Did the audience like the bottom joke? Let’s circle back at it. Most of the jokes felt recycled throughout the movie.

However, even if they’re running out of new ideas, it’s clear that Illumination knows how to apply their technical skills to create a visual spectacle to the minions mayhem. My biggest issue with the movie is that it doesn’t go as far as its predecessors. For everything it does well, there is something else that is left unfinished or amiss.

Despicable 4 is serviceably sweet and enjoyable but not the best in the series. That spot is still held by the second movie in the franchise.

Should You Watch It?

Even if director Chris Renaud has not come up with the most original concept, surely the Minion mayhem, as well as the outstanding voice cast, make the weaknesses forgivable. In short, Minions make me happy, and probably always will.

Where Can I Watch It?

Despicable Me 4 is now playing in theaters.