NOW IN THEATERS! I don’t know if you noticed this, but kids who saw the first Despicable Me in 2010 are now too old to enjoy Gru and the Minions. At least in the same way they did when they were kids. Be that as it may, our heroes haven’t exactly grown all that much in Despicable Me 4.
Life is good for Gru (Steve Carell). He’s happily married to Lucy (Kristen Wiig) with a baby of their own, Gru Jr. They are also the loving guardians of Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Madison Polan). Going undercover for the Anti-Villain League (AVL), Gru attends his high school reunion and runs into his former rival, Maxime (Will Ferrell), and his girlfriend, Valentina (Sofia Vergara).
When it’s revealed that Maxime has illegally altered himself into a cockroach, Maxime is foiled by Gru (and the Minions) and turned over to the AVL. Before you know it, Maxime has escaped and vowed revenge on Gru and his family, thus prompting the AVL to send Gru and the gang into witness protection.
Donned with new identities, Gru is having difficulty fitting in with this new preppy community. Margo wants nothing to do with her snobby neighbor Poppy (Joey King), who recognizes Gru as a former villain. In an offer of goodwill, Gru helps Poppy steal the Honey Badger (with the help of the Minions) from his old school, but this tips off their location to Maxime, who swoops in and kidnaps Gru Jr.

“…Maxime has escaped and vowed revenge on Gru and his family…”
Does the plot sound a little dumb to you? Which Despicable Me movie has a good plot? Storywise, Despicable Me 4 is probably the least interesting in that most of the conflict human Gru had suffered through was taken care of in the original movies. In the first, it was feeling responsible for the three girls. In two, Gru falls in love. Part three introduces Gru’s brother and Lucy, convincing the girl she loves them like a mother. In the fourth, Gru spends way too much time with Poppy compared to the other girls.
Though the story may be the weakest of the quartet, the silliness of Despicable Me hasn’t gone anywhere. Long gone are the days of the Three Stooges and Looney Tunes. At least we have the indestructible Minions.
Everyone is back to form. Steve Carell as Gru is brilliant. Lucy and the girls take a bit of a backseat to the action. Will Ferrell is amazing as Maxime. You will hardly recognize his voice. He’s not your typical Ferrell in this one.
As always, the gags are nonstop, ultraviolent, and giggle-inducing. The highlights here are the Minion stuck in the vending machine and the introduction of the Mega-Minions, which is either a slam or an homage to the Fantastic Four. I don’t know which, but I love it.
Despicable Me is not Shakespeare…not even close—but it is good fun for the family and good fun for this generation, whom I’m sure have been watching the first three on an endless loop over the past fourteen years.
Silliness is on tap for you and your kids with Despicable Me 4, providing good fun for a trip to the theater or on a long road trip.