In Despicable Me 4, Gru and his family are being hunted down by one of his old archnemeses. Fresh off the earth-shattering Inside Out 2, can the latest from the Minions capture the magic, or does the franchise finally feel on its last legs? Below, I share my thoughts on whether the kids will like it.

Despicable Me 4 Plot:

Gru welcomes a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who’s intent on tormenting his dad. However, their peaceful existence soon comes crashing down when criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal escapes from prison and vows revenge against Gru.

Despicable Me 4 Review

Are the Minions becoming somewhat stale? Possibly. Walking into this one, I wasn’t exactly enamored by the idea of another installment, but the kids were excited, so I was excited for them. That said, the film’s setup worked relatively well in introducing this new character, Maxime Le Mal, who Will Ferrell played. He was set to be Gru’s lead antagonist as they went to school together.

Sadly, once the setup occurred, the film veered off the rails and told a different story than expected. The unfocused aspect of the script is a big reason why this film lacked from the previous films. From here, it followed a similar path to the earlier films where you get the usual cheap laughs you expect from the Minions, who are doing wild and crazy things that make you laugh; outside of that, the unfocused narrative stretches the film too thin, making it almost boring. Even with a tight runtime of an hour and a half, it felt much longer than it was.

Will the kids enjoy Despicable Me 4?

Yes, absolutely. We watched the movie in a packed theater with families, and the children’s laughter filled the room. The creators of this series have a deep understanding of their audience and deliver exactly what the kids love. While adults might find it a bit challenging, it’s definitely worth taking the kids for a fun time.

Final Thoughts:

Although the series has run its course, Despicable Me 4 has just enough laughs for me to give it a slight recommendation if you enjoyed the previous installments. There are massive plot holes within the film, but this isn’t exactly the type of film you expect to be groundbreaking. Check it out on the big screen with the whole family.