MOVIE REVIEW: DESPICABLE ME 4

 

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.

Director: Chris Renaud, Patrick Delage

Cast:  Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Pierre Coffin, Joey King, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Sofía Vergara, Renaud, Madison Polan, Dana Gaier, Chloe Fineman, Stephen Colbert 

Release Date: July 3, 2024

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi

Rated PG for action and rude humor.

Runtime: 1h 34m

Review:

Despicable Me 4 is light, colorful and breezy enough to entertain, thanks in large part to Steve Carell and Will Ferrell's voice work, but this entry proves to be far more forgettable.  Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage direct the film at a slightly manic pace by offering an overstuffed roster of characters and storylines which makes the whole story feel scattered.  The animation is still incredibly sleek with its bright, angular look which gives children and adults alike plenty of eye candy throughout.  Story wise the film's a overly busy for no reason which leave each story thread feel uncooked.  The addition of Will Ferrell as Gru's nemesis Maxime Le Mal works incredibly well especially when he and Carrell are throwing barbs back and forth at each out.  Ferrell, using a heavy faux French accent, is clearly having a ball voicing the character and the film would have been smart to make him the primary focus since the film works best when his character is onscreen.  The side story's about Gru's Wife and Poppy the aspiring teen villain next door who blackmails Gru, just aren't all that interesting in spite of Kristen Wiig and Joey King's best efforts.  The much advertised Mega Minion's also prove to be little more than seeding for a future spinoff as opposed to a fully formed storyline.  The standard issue minions are still good for a handful of laughs throughout which keeps the whole thing rolling along at a steady pace.  The Despicable Me franchise was never the deepest around but its always been fun, this fourth entry continues that trend but lacks the focus to be truly memorable.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU

 

In the 1970s, young Gru tries to join a group of supervillains called the Vicious 6 after they oust their leader -- the legendary fighter Wild Knuckles. When the interview turns disastrous, Gru and his Minions go on the run with the Vicious 6 hot on their tails. Luckily, he finds an unlikely source for guidance -- Wild Knuckles himself -- and soon discovers that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.

Director: Kyle Balda

Cast: Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Alan Arkin

Release Date: July 1, 2022

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Family, Sci-Fi

Rated PG for some action/violence and rude humor

Runtime:1h 27m

Review:

Your enjoyment of Minions: The Rise of Gru will depend heavily on whether you still find the yellow denim clad underlings adorable or grating.  The target audience is sure to be delighted by the colorful hijinks and adults will appreciate the bevy of 70s references thrown on screen in rapid succession.  Kyle Balda directs the film with energetic ease in this unapologetically light and breeze children's film.  Sure there is a message ingrained through the film's story but none of it is overly heavy or heart wrenching and for this franchise it works.  The three central Minions, voiced again by Pierre Coffin, are the central focus of the film regardless of the film's title and their adventures deliver the biggest laughs.  Their training with Michelle Yeoh's Master Chow is a particularly fun sequence especially since you get the feeling she's really enjoying herself.  Taraji P. Henson's Belle Bottom is set up as the primary villain and she's fun when she's onscreen but the film doesn't take advantage of her or her crew which are voiced by Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren.  Alan Arkin gets a bit more time to shine as Wild Knuckles who is Gru's idol and ultimately his mentor.  If you are still in business with this franchise by the fifth entry,  Minions: The Rise of Gru will offer an fun easy going family film.  

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Despicable Me 3

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas with approximately eight million children for Despicable Me 3.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

 

Having failed to apprehend his arch-nemesis, Gru and his Minions turn back to villainy(ish).

 

Despicable Me is a "family" franchise that usually has plenty of laughs for fans of any age, and the third installment is no different. It boasts fun, funny characters who are easy to love. You'll have seen most of Gru's best bits in DM3 trailers, but there's plenty of cuteness from Margo, Edith, and Agnes to earn the price of a ticket. Judicious use of the Minions makes their appearances both entertaining and welcome; they are, as usual, the movie's highlight. Series newcomer Trey Parker is hilarious as this outing's stuck-in-the-80s super-villain. His musical choices and pop-culture references are clearly filmmakers throwing parents a bone for bringing their darling eight-year-olds to the show, but they are totally rad! Despicable Me 3 features bright, colorful art, constant-motion animation, and lively tunes sure to keep the kidlets engaged. I had a full house for my screening, and it didn't seem anyone in the room was much in agreement with the picture's mostly middling reviews; rather, kids and grownups alike were all laughing and having a great time.

 

Despicable Me 3 runs 90 minutes and is rated PG for "action and rude humor."

 

The Despicable Me franchise may have lost some of its magic along the way, but Despicable Me 3 is still a huge step up from 2015's standalone Minions movie (for whatever that's worth!). Of a possible nine Weasleys, Despicable Me 3 gets five and a half.

 

Until next time...