Director: Chris Renaud
Writers: Mike White, Ken Daurio
Stars: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell
Synopsis: 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.
I understand why some people may not like the childish antics of the Despicable Me franchise, as it has given us our most annoying animated toy sale machines in the Minions (once again brilliantly voiced by Pierre Coffin), but there’s something so joyfully exuberant about these movies that it has been impossible for me to outright hate them, even if past installments have never quite been able to reach the heights of the terrific Despicable Me 2.
It’s clear that Despicable Me 4 only exists to capitalize off the success of the Billion-dollar franchise, with one film every few years to milk Illumination’s most popular intellectual property. But as long as they remain fun, who are we to complain? Sure, they may not be the most refined, intellectually compelling pieces of animation ever made, but they can at least tickle the imagination and blend the high-stakes environment of heists with colorful characters who are always a thrill to watch on screen.
As such, Despicable Me 4 is no different from its previous installments, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Despicable Me 3, in terms of storytelling, but it’s a noticeably funnier and more investing entry in the franchise, as Steve Carell’s Felonious Gru goes toe-to-toe against Will Ferrell’s Maxime Le Mal. The two have frequently partnered in their respective careers, most notably in the Anchorman movies (Brick Tamland remains the best character Carell has ever portrayed), and have made quite the terrific pair on screen. It’s only natural for Ferrell to play the fourth installment’s main antagonist, whose sole goal is to enact revenge on Gru after allegedly stealing a very popular song during the Lycée Pas Bon’s talent show.
Yes, it’s stupid, but so is every villain in the franchise. Le Mal is no different, though what director Chris Renaud (who also voices the Lycée’s principal) and writers Mike White (yes, The White Lotus’ Mike White) and Ken Daurio do to him isn’t as inspiring as one would hope. With such a name like Maxime Le Mal, one would think he would be Gru’s most formidable foe, but he, in turn, wants the world to become cockroaches. This conceit could be funny, but it’s treated in the most unimpressive possible way, especially when twists involving the character are seen coming a mile away, and the results never land.
The same can also be said for Ferrell’s portrayal of the villain, which isn’t as strong as his other vocal roles. Sure, he can hold his own and shares fun chemistry with Sofia Vergara, who portrays his girlfriend, Valentina, but he can’t match up to some of the villains of the past. Compared to them, Le Mal is far more one-note than, say, Jason Segel’s Vector and his motivations sound very similar to some of the other foes Gru had to face up with. You can tell the franchise is running out of ideas when they recycle a character who’s basically a carbon copy of Vector but way inferior with a cockroach-laden master plan (stealing the Moon was far more inspired).
Most of the fun in Despicable Me 4 involves Gru pretending to be an all-American dad as Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan) ships him and his family to a small suburban town to hide from Le Mal. This leads directly into the film’s funniest sequences, one involving a Minion becoming a tennis umpire and the other riffing on The Terminator during a supermarket chase with Lucy (Kristen Wiig). Of course, pop culture references are par for the course with such a franchise, and they’re usually lazy or past-date (such as the floss being a recurring movement, which is so 2019).
However, in one incredible moment of inspiration, Renaud has Poppy Prescott (Joey King) dance to Dragonforce’s Through the Fire and Flames, the deepest-cut joke this franchise has ever crafted (the ones that know, know). With a moment like that, how can I possibly hate a movie that will bring so much joy to kids who may not understand all of its humor (if they didn’t grow up playing Guitar Hero 3 like I did, too bad), but will find great joy in what they do understand, particularly every antic involving the Minions?
I’ll admit there’s not much new here with these characters, even when they become Super Minions and, instead of putting their newfound powers for good, end up destroying half of the city. However, their demeanor never feels worn-out or dull. Instead, Renaud, White, and Daurio always find ways to make them funnier, such as that umpire scene. The physical comedy is simple, but it’s so well-timed and executed that it’s hard not to laugh. Even in sequences where they get involved in the heat of the action, such as when Gru teams up with Poppy to steal Lycée Pas Bon’s Honey badger, the comedy never feels trite and is always in service of ultra-expressive characters like Gru and his new son, Gru Jr. (admittedly a Jack-Jack ripoff, but it still works).
It also helps that the animation adds to that expressive feel and is particularly striking to watch on IMAX. The action sequences look massive and have great dexterity in how Renaud captures the stretching-and-squashing of Gru and his Minions as they defeat a half-anthropomorphized insect. The climax, while rushed, sees this strategy fully realized and is the most inspiring bout of action this franchise has seen in a very long time. It’s probably helpful that the franchise returned to its 1.78:1 roots after its last installments utilizing the 2.35:1 aspect ratio.
The animation looks way more extravagant in that regard, especially when the ‘cartoonish’ look of its settings and characters is purposeful, which many animation studios don’t achieve anymore (looking at you, Pixar, with Inside Out 2). In turn, it makes the movies even more fun, even if the latest sequel isn’t without its shortcomings.
But does it really matter? Sure, kids deserve better than a simple-minded piece of ‘content,’ but this is harmless. It’s full of lively characters (and impeccably crafted colorful worlds) that pop off the screen and bathe in the exuberance and joy of being a child. It also tickles the imagination when it propels its central heist in motion, adding a bit of thrill to the proceedings while never dialing down on the comedy. Perhaps the Despicable Me franchise is worn out, and perhaps it’s time for Carell to retire as Gru. Perhaps the Minions were once great, but now they’re a fad. Maybe all of it is true. But it still hits for small children, and that’s all that matters. As long as they’re continuously swept away by the antics of Gru (and, by extension, the Minions), this franchise could go on forever.
