Since their debut in the original “Despicable Me” in 2010, the Minions have been a force of chaos and hilarity, raking in $4.6 billion in ticket sales and expanding their franchise to six movies with “Despicable Me 4” being the latest. But does the fourth installment offer anything new, or is it just more of the same yellow mayhem?
“Despicable Me 4” continues to deliver the slapstick humor and gibberish that fans have come to love. The Minions, with their evolving vocabulary that now includes words like “antipasti” and “bazooka,” remain the stars, even as the storyline feels as fleeting as a Saturday morning cartoon.
The plot, which hits theaters on July 3, seems like a mix of several sequel ideas. It starts with a school reunion at the Lycée Pas Bon School of Villainy, where Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) encounters his old rival, Maxime le Mal (Will Ferrell), a French-accented, cockroach-obsessed villain. Gru, now an agent for the Anti-Villain League, captures Maxime, only for him to escape and seek revenge. This sends Gru, his wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig), and their three adopted daughters into witness protection.
Despite Gru’s attempts to blend in, his supervillain past keeps resurfacing, especially with a snobbish neighbor, Perry Prescott (Stephen Colbert). Adding to the chaos is the introduction of baby Gru Jr., providing a few laughs with scenes like the Minions changing dirty diapers with a t-shirt gun.
The movie then shifts gears into a heist film, with Gru blackmailed into stealing a honey badger by Prescott’s daughter, Poppy (Joey King). Meanwhile, at AVL headquarters, the Minions become guinea pigs for a new serum, transforming five of them into Mega Minions with superhero-like powers they can’t control.
Director Chris Renaud, along with co-director Patrick Delage and writers Mike White and Ken Daurio, seem to be on autopilot, delivering a film that, while fun, doesn’t stand out in the franchise. The Minions, despite being second-banana henchmen, once again upstage the main characters. In one memorable gag, a Minion gets stuck in a vending machine and stays there for the entire movie, showcasing their enduring comedic appeal.
Despite its overstuffed plot and familiar gags, “Despicable Me 4” maintains the franchise’s carefree charm. While it might not break new ground, it will undoubtedly entertain fans and keep the Minion mania alive.
“Despicable Me 4,” a Universal Pictures release, is rated PG for action and rude humor. With a running time of 95 minutes, it earns two stars out of four.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
